The Office of Public Affairs comprises several units, including the Office of Public Affairs, Business Policy, Protocol & Events and Strategic Communications. Get to know staff from these offices below, and learn more about Athletics and Public Safety staff on their respective websites.
The Office of Public Affairs
Erik Smulson (C’89), Vice President for Public Affairs and Senior Advisor to the President
Erik leads Georgetown’s efforts and senior officers in institutional positioning and branding, intercollegiate athletics, strategic communications, civic engagement and public safety.
Erik Smulson (C’89) joined Georgetown University in September 2005 after more than 15 years working on Capitol Hill and on political campaigns. At Georgetown, Erik served as Assistant Vice President for Communications from September 2005 until January 2007. In that role he served as spokesperson and communications director for the university and guided all activities having to do with media relations. From 2007 to 2011, Erik served as Chief of Staff to Georgetown University President John J. DeGioia. In that role, he was responsible for running the Office of the President and served as a liaison with important constituents both within and outside the academic community.
A 1989 graduate of Georgetown’s College of Arts and Sciences, Erik majored in American Government. He gained extensive experience in the areas of message development, crisis communications, speech writing and media placement in his years working on Capitol Hill. Erik has served in numerous communications positions, including spokesperson and communications director for U.S. Sen. Jim Jeffords, the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. A native Washingtonian, Erik and his wife Jennifer (I’89) have three children.
Cara Davis, Communications and Public Affairs Specialist
Cara provides valuable support to the Office of Public Affairs by conducting research and analysis on emerging issues, as well as offering managerial and organizational assistance. In addition, she provides comprehensive support for communication and media efforts to the Office of Strategic Communications.
Before joining Georgetown, Cara worked at a public relations and marketing agency where she was responsible for promoting clients from various industries, including non-profits, healthcare, public affairs and hospitality.
Cara holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations from Mount St. Mary’s University.
The Office of Strategic Communications
Meghan Dubyak (G’19), Associate Vice President for Strategic Communications
Led by Meghan Dubyak, the Office of Strategic Communications and Creative Services includes media relations, editorial, social media and digital engagement, content strategy, internal communications, video production and graphic design. The office is responsible for the message and narrative development for major university initiatives, media relations, social media and digital engagement, internal communications, editorial, video production and graphic design.
Meghan has nearly 20 years of experience in both chambers of Congress, the White House, and in Higher Education. In addition to leading the Office of Strategic Communications and Creative Services, Meghan serves as Georgetown’s chief spokesperson. Prior to joining Georgetown, Meghan was Press Secretary to Vice President Joe Biden and Special Assistant to President Obama. Prior to her service at the White House, Dubyak worked in the U.S. Senate as Communications Director to Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio and in the House of Representatives as Communications Director and advisor on health and education issues to former Rep. Steve Israel of New York. She is a graduate of Cornell University and Georgetown University.
Ruth McBain, Senior Director for Strategic Communications
Ruth is a university spokesperson and leads the media relations and digital engagement and social media teams, as well as strategic communications work across the university. She also leads communications strategy on major university events, campaigns, and communications policies and permissions.
Prior to her role at Georgetown, Ruth worked in Public Affairs for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Proof Strategies, a Canadian PR and Marketing Firm, and served as the Communications and Digital Director for a Vermont gubernatorial race. Ruth has an undergraduate degree in communications from the University of New Hampshire and a Masters in Public Affairs from Brown University.
Michael DeRario, Senior Director for Creative Services
Michael leads the Creative Services team in telling Georgetown’s story and showcasing the brand in the university’s creative work. He also leads the creative teams for editorial, content strategy, art/design, video production and multimedia content.
Prior to his role at Georgetown, Michael worked in the film and television industry working on productions for Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Disney, Amblin Entertainment, HBO, Strarz, NBC, CBS and Sony Pictures. His over 15 years in the production industry has spanned a wide portfolio of filmmaking, television/streaming series, broadcast news, live events, reality, social media and commercial work. Prior to his career in film/television, Michael worked in higher education as a marketing video producer, multimedia center manager and adjunct professor in filmmaking at Pace University.
Media Relations
Internal Communications
Lydia Sullivan, Director of Internal Communications and Operations Communications
Lydia leads the internal communications team, coordinating messaging to Georgetown’s student, faculty and staff communities and providing strategic communications guidance across the University. She serves as a member of both the Office of Strategic Communications and the Office of Chief Operating Officer, supporting university-wide communications and COO-unit communications (Human Resource, Finance, UIS, Planning & Facilities Management, Auxiliary Services & Real Estate, Sustainability and Internal Audit).
Before joining Georgetown, Lydia worked in the Office of Student Involvement at Boston College on the Student Organization team. Lydia completed her undergraduate degree at Bates College, and received her Master’s in Higher Education Administration from the Boston College Lynch School of Education.
Hannah Williams, Internal Communications Manager
Hannah (she/her) supports the internal communications team by designing communication plans to ensure accurate and timely communication of university positions. She also supports with the content development for university wide newsletters.
Prior to starting as Georgetown’s internal communications manager, Hannah served as the senior associate of communications and storytelling at Active Minds, a national nonprofit organization focused on youth and young adult mental health. During her time at Active Minds, Hannah oversaw the organization’s email marketing program, produced weekly and monthly newsletters, and managed the organization’s blog. She graduated in 2021 from the University of Virginia with a B.A. in Politics and Public Policy and Leadership.
Gabby Keene, Planning and Facilities Management Communications Manager
Gabby Keene (she/her) joined Georgetown from Austin, Texas where she previously worked as a Corporate Communications and PR Associate for global asset manager, Dimensional Fund Advisors. Gabby earned her Bachelor of Journalism and Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Texas at Austin. In her free time, she enjoys live music, yoga and taking salsa classes.
Gabby supports the Office of Strategic Communications (OCOMM) and the Office of Planning & Facilities Management (PFM) as the Planning and Facilities Management Communications Manager. In her role, Gabby designs communication plans to effectively communicate university messaging around PFM unit strategic initiatives, construction projects, and more.
Multimedia Production and Graphic Design
John LaRue, Art Director
John provides design, art direction and university-approved branding collateral to university partners from concept to completion, ensuring their work will be visually impactful and adhere to Georgetown’s visual identity.
His design work has been published in The Best American Infographics 2013 and I Love Charts: The Book. An avid baseball fan, LaRue has also contributed to The Hardball Times and was nominated for a 2018 SABR Analytics Conference Research Award in Historical Analysis.
Social Media
Maria Canales, Director of Digital Engagement and Social Media
Maria leads Georgetown’s social media and digital platforms through strategy development, content creation, engagement and analytics. She works collaboratively across the organization to create a unique voice for the university on social media, as well as aligns strategic priorities, to ensure a more cohesive brand identity.
Before joining Georgetown, Maria was the social media manager for General Dynamics Mission Systems, and worked as a social media specialist at her alma mater, The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State). Maria holds a master’s in strategic communications and a bachelor’s in journalism, both from Penn State.
Graysen Viar, Digital Media Associate
Graysen helps manage the university’s top-tier social media accounts and other digital initiatives on campus. She creates content and analyzes data to optimize engagement across digital channels while working closely with the Creative Services team to strategically promote and protect university identity. Graysen graduated in 2021 from the University of Virginia, where she studied Cognitive Science and Studio Art.
Editorial Services
Rosemary Lane, Director of Editorial Services
Rosemary creates and edits original content for Georgetown’s channels that reflect the university’s brand pillars and strategic priorities and advances its story. She also works with communications partners across the university to aggregate and curate content for our top tier website, ensuring that Georgetown’s narrative, voice and tone are consistent.
Previously, Rosemary worked as a trade book and acquisitions editor at Loyola Press, a Jesuit publishing company, and as a communications specialist focused on diversity, equity and inclusion storytelling at Boeing. Rosemary graduated from Marquette University, where she studied journalism and writing intensive English.
Cliff Djajapranata, Digital Content Producer & Web Editor
Cliff produces original content for Georgetown, writing feature and news stories as well as producing video scripts. He also manages top-tier web properties and analyzes digital engagement on the website to expand the online reach of the university.
Prior to Georgetown, Cliff worked at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, producing foreign policy podcasts, managing high-level events and creating email marketing campaigns. Cliff graduated from the University of Notre Dame, where he studied political science and theology.
Business Policy
J. Callahan Watson (C’07, L’14), Associate Vice President for Public Affairs and Business Policy
Cal leads Georgetown’s social responsibility efforts, fostering alignment between the university’s mission to promote the common good and its business policies. He oversees implementation and compliance with key policies, including Georgetown’s Just Employment Policy and the Code of Conduct for Georgetown University Licensees. Cal is the chair of the university’s Advisory Committee on Business Practices and Licensing Oversight Committee. He is also a member and coordinates the work of Georgetown’s Committee on Investments and Social Responsibility. In addition, he has helped to lead the university’s public health communications during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cal is a member of the board of directors of the Worker Rights Consortium. He has an A.B. in American Studies from Georgetown University and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.