The Training Team
One of the special strengths of George Mason’s
approach to Safe Zone training is our large, diverse, committed
team of training facilitators. LGBTQ Office staff Ric Chollar
leads and
coordinates the Safe Zone team. A full day Safe Zone training session
will include
from eight to twelve different highly skilled presenter/facilitators,
each with their own unique identity, experience, energy-level and
style. Our full team currently consists of over twenty-five students,
staff,
and faculty, including:
• Jen Barnard
Mason alum/staff, Modern and Classical
Languages
• Matthew Bruno
Mason alum/academic advisor/instructor, New Century College
• Kristina Clarke
Mason student, former Co-chair Womens Coalition
• Sharon Coogan
former Mason staff, graduate student, Counseling
• Alex Dixon
Mason alum, former Pride Alliance Exec Committee
• Tammy Dorough
community member, Pride Alliance member
• Tara Ellison
Mason alum/staff, Modern and Classical Languages, former
Women’s
Center staff
• Emily Gaziano
Mason student, former Pride Alliance Co-chair
• Adrienne Harrell
Mason student, current Pride Alliance Co-chair
• Corrine House
Mason staff, Student Activities
• Eryca Kasse
Mason alum/staff, Multicultural Center, former Pride Alliance
co-Chair
• Mark Kidd
Mason faculty/staff, Associate Dean, University Life
• Rachel Lindsey
Mason staff, Health/Wellness Resource Room
• Lori Marchessault
Mason alum, former Pride Alliance Co-chair
• Allison Medwin
Mason student/staff, Women's Center, founder of TransMason
student group
• Liz Moore
Mason student, Pride Alliance Exec Committee
• Rose Pascarell
Mason faculty/staff, Associate Dean, University Life, Pride Alliance
faculty advisor
• Maram
Mason student, Pride Alliance Exec Committee
• Rebecca Walter
Mason faculty/staff, formerly of Womens Center, now Multicultural Center,
graduate student
• Aimee Wells
Mason student/staff, Fenwick Library |
Also,
all staff members of the Office of Diversity Programs & Services
are Safe Zone trainers.
Allies
The MOST important component of the Safe Zone program is the
large organization (over 250 as of July 2005) of trained allies, displaying
the Safe Zone
stickers or buttons across the George Mason campus. Because all University
Life staff are expected to complete the training (and even though NO ONE
is required to post a sticker), the largest group of trained allies at
this point are University Life staff.
But in addition, approximately one-third of those trained so far are students,
seeking to show their support for their LGBTQ colleagues and friends. Safe Zone
stickers can also be seen in many academic departments, administration offices
and buttons can be seen on the backpacks of some adjunct faculty and graduate
assistants!!
Allies posting stickers may be of any gender identity or
sexual orientation; neither are allies necessarily LGBT
themselves, nor does one need to
be straight in order to be an ally to LGBT folks. However, heterosexual
and
traditionally-gendered
people are especially welcome to our program, as they may have as
much or more power and privilege to use on behalf of LGBT
folks and to affect
change. We DO
NOT ask Safe Zone participants to disclose their gender identity
or sexual orientation.
What about people who do NOT have Safe Zone stickers?
There are many reasons why students, faculty, and staff may not display
Safe Zone stickers; and our program makes NO judgments or assumptions about
anyone
who is not visibly part of the program. Plenty of progressive LGBTQ people
and effective allies have simply not yet heard of, or found the time to
participate
in, our trainings. So there is NO intention to make any statements about
the helpfulness or safety of people without Safe Zone signs.
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