June 2, 2025Baez-Smith has built a powerful public health career rooted in community impact, leading initiatives from opioid overdose prevention to pandemic response and mental health advocacy. Recently named to George Mason’s 2025 Forty Under 40 by the Black Alumni Chapter, her journey—from student advocate to statewide public health leader—shows how one person’s dedication can transform systems, uplift communities, and inspire the next generation of changemakers.
August 16, 2024When George Mason alum Samantha Carrico enters a room, eyes usually lock onto her charismatic coworker Rylynn, a five-year-old Labrador golden retriever mix. But while Fairfax County’s facility dog gets all the attention, Carrico is the key to making it all happen.
March 22, 2024Gary T. Taylor, MSW ‘15, is destigmatizing mental health support and normalizing therapy in the Black community one barbershop at a time. “Barbershops are this safe space for Black men,” explains Taylor who has been working with local barbershops in the Rappahannock region since 2022 to foster healthy discussions about mental health by educating barbers on “mental health first aid” for their patrons.
