faculty

Betsy Garcete holds a Master's in Business Management from the Catholic University of America. She founded ZOPHIA, a custom clothing business for women in Washington, D.C., following her graduation in 2010. With a diverse background spanning various sectors, Betsy has experience in managing operations, design, and teaching art. She is particularly passionate about promoting women in business, sustainable fashion practices, and the principles of design thinking. Now, she brings her expertise to the classroom, teaching the innovative processes of design thinking and positive psychology.

Gil Mitchell is an award-winning artist, educator, and theatre professional. As a teaching artist, he’s worked for institutions such as the American Shakespeare Center and the Shakespeare Theatre Company. His classes combine classical education with contemporary knowledge, giving students a foundation of invaluable training that will be useful no matter what their chosen field. Gil holds a BA in Performing Arts and an MLitt in Shakespeare and Performance from Mary Baldwin University, and is a recent graduate from the George Washington University and the Academy at the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Classical Acting MFA program. On his days off, Gil spends his time advocating for the use of the Oxford Comma.

Peter is an IT Executive with nearly 25 years of industry experience, serving the United States federal government organizations including the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, the United States Marine Corps, the District of Columbia Courts, and the Federal Judiciary. Mr. Smolianski held hands-on roles including Systems, Database, Applications, Storage, and Network Administrator and leadership positions including Chief Technology Officer, Chief Information Security Officer, and Director of Information Technology, Presently, Peter's "day job" is the Director of Information Technology for the United States Bankruptcy Court, District of Maryland. In addition to his industry experience, Peter has been authoring and teaching technology related courses for various DC area graduate, undergraduate, and professional schools for over a decade. Mr. Smolianski has earned a Master of Science in Information Systems from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, graduating with a 4.0 GPA, and is a certified Project Management Professional, ITIL practitioner, and CompTIA technologist.

Roy Morris is an accomplished professional with a comprehensive background in business, law, and academia. MBA from Wharton, JD from GWU, and SM & EE from MIT. He is fluent in Artificial Intelligence, engineering and technology policy issues.   He is recognized as a strategic consultant, legal advisor, and coach with a successful track record spanning decades in telecom, law, finance, investment, and tech.  He has extensive experience in litigating complex cases, advising startups, and leading business development efforts. Mr. Morris has a proven ability to navigate legal, regulatory, and business challenges across diverse industries. He is always embracing opportunities to contribute expertise, mentorship, and strategic insights to drive business and student success.

Shanelle Bailey is a Licensed Psychology Associate in Washington, DC, with a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Forensics from Montclair State University. She also holds dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Psychology and Justice Studies, with a concentration in Crime and Criminology and a Pre-Law minor, from James Madison University. With a strong background in both clinical and forensic settings, she currently serves as a School-Based Clinician with Onyx Therapy Group, where she provides individual and group counseling to students from preschool through high school, integrates mental health strategies into educational plans, and collaborates with educators and families to support student well-being. Her previous experience includes leadership and advocacy roles at CASA programs in both Virginia and New Jersey, where she supervised court-involved child advocacy cases and supported volunteers in navigating complex child welfare systems. She has also held management positions in youth group homes and after-school programs, where she focused on trauma-informed care and positive youth development using the Nurtured-Heart Approach. She is passionate about mental health, youth empowerment, and community advocacy, and brings all of that to the classroom to help students build resilience, healthy coping skills, and confidence.

Dr. Viktoriya V. Zotova is a business professor with expertise in financial management, macroeconomic policy analysis, and sustainability disclosures. She is teaching undergraduate and graduate courses at Georgetown University. For nearly a decade, Dr. Zotova has worked at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), primarily on international investment policies, including emerging crypto asset regulations. She has several publications under the IMF banner. Dr. Zotova holds a PhD in Business and Management from the University of Maryland and ALM in Legal Studies from Harvard University.