SmartDC - Leaders

SmartDC - Meet Our 2024-25 Leaders

Lauren Patrick

Lauren Patrick is a junior majoring in English and political science on a pre-law track. She has a background in non-profit administration, volunteering, journalism, and creative writing. Previously, she has worked in areas including domestic violence prevention and survivor support, public education funding, disability support and advocacy, and food insecurity prevention and aid.

Madeleine Will

Madeleine Will is a Senior majoring in Human Services and Social Justice with a minor in Public Health on the pre-health track. She has been volunteering with Horton’s Kids for a year and recently joined as their SMARTDC partner. Before beginning at the Nashman Center, Madeleine worked for GWIT for two years.

Samaa Afoke

Samaa Afoke is a first-year student majoring in Public Health with a Pre-Med concentration. She is a member of the Women's Leadership Program's Science Health & Medicine cohort. Her passions center around social justice, health equity, and volunteer work. She is excited to be working as a SMARTDC site leader at Reading Partners this semester, where she can further her commitment to meaningful change.

Ruby Leonard

Ruby Leonard is a sophomore majoring in Human Services and Social Justice with a minor in Spanish. She has been volunteering at For Love of Children for a year and recently became one of the SMART-DC leaders for the site. Ruby is committed to thinking about and including different cultural voices in her work, which has ranged from social justice to climate resiliency. She is looking forward to working with Nashman and GW students to create a lasting impact on the DC community. 

Edgar Zuniga

Edgar Zuniga is a sophomore majoring in Finance with a strong background in volunteering, consistently demonstrating his passion for community service. His commitment to Civic House, a Nashman Center program, and his role as a Community Engagement Site Leader and student tutor at For Love of Children highlight his dedication. Edgar believes that every child is important and deserves quality education both inside and outside the classroom. He advocates for guaranteed access to these opportunities and a clear path to a post-secondary degree for every child.

Elissa Colon Pan

Elissa Colon Pan is a sophomore planning to major in Criminal Justice with a minor in Chinese. She has just started volunteering for Higher Achievement and is the leader at this site for SMART DC. She has previously worked with students in after-school programs for 2 years and is excited to continue to make an impact.