TFAS Staff

Shane Mazzella has more than twenty-five years of program management experience in the nonprofit sector. As Vice President of Collegiate Programs + Alumni Engagement for The Fund for American Studies, her responsibilities include overseeing all of the TFAS academic internship programs and alumni engagement activities. Prior to that, she directed the organization’s programs in philanthropy including the Institute on Philanthropy and Voluntary Service and programs for professional leaders in the philanthropic sector.

Previously, Shane served as vice president of legal affairs & administration for the Center for Individual Freedom, where she managed the organization’s legal programs. She also worked as a program manager for a Michigan volunteer center where her primary responsibility was promoting volunteerism and charitable activities on college campuses. Shane currently volunteers with a number of community nonprofit organizations including the Junior League, parent teacher organizations and The Brighten Up Project. Originally from Michigan, she graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Western Michigan University.

Dr. Anne Rathbone Bradley is the George and Sally Mayer Fellow for Economic Education and the academic director at The Fund for American Studies. Through this position, Dr. Bradley works to enhance the impact and reach of TFAS economic education programs through courses, seminars, videos and social media. She also delivers lectures around the country and oversees curriculum development and evaluation for economics courses.

Previously, Dr. Bradley served as the vice president of economic initiatives at the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics, where she continues research toward a systematic biblical theology of economic freedom. In addition to her work with TFAS, she is a professor of economics at The Institute for World Politics and Grove City College. She is a visiting professor at George Mason University and has previously taught at Georgetown University and Charles University in Prague. She is currently an Acton Affiliate scholar and a visiting scholar at the Bernard Center for Women, Politics & Public Policy. She is a lecturer for the Institute for Humane Studies and the Foundation for Economic Education.

For the past 17 years, Joe Starrs has served as the division director of collegiate programs for TFAS D.C. Programs. During this time, he worked with hundreds of students to help facilitate a meaningful TFAS experience for them. Joe came to TFAS after several years of working in radio, television and public relations. He appreciates that his current position allows him to work with college students and many of the journalists from his previous career simultaneously. Joe formerly served as vice president of communications for Veritas Media Group, where he produced documentaries, radio programs and television commercials, as well as provided on-camera media training for government officials and business executives.

Additionally, Joe worked as a senior correspondent for FCF News, where he interviewed members of Congress, White House officials, political candidates and policymakers. He has fond memories of surprising Members of Congress by jumping into their taxis to land exclusive interviews with them.

Joe has appeared on Fox News, CNN, “Good Morning America,” the BCC and numerous other print and broadcast media outlets while working on a campaign to mobilize Catholic voters. He is the proud father of six daughters and four grandchildren. His dog Captain is the unofficial canine recruiter for students applying to TFAS.

Email: jstarrs@TFAS.org
Tel: 202.986.0384

Colin Parks is the senior director of the International Affairs and the Law Fellowship programs. Prior to joining TFAS, he served as the director of student recruitment and intern coordinator at The Institute of World Politics in Washington, D.C. Colin brings to TFAS a love of organization building, student mentorship, and connecting with people.

He received his bachelor’s degree with a double major in political science and history, and a minor in philosophy, from Franciscan University of Steubenville, and pursued graduate studies in national security affairs at The Institute of World Politics.

Colin grew up in an Air Force family, living abroad and in multiple locations across the country. In his free time, Colin enjoys traveling, grilling for family and friends, antiquing, and discussing political and philosophical matters with anyone who will listen. He has recently acquired a cat whom he named after his favorite author, Walker Percy. Colin is married to his high school sweetheart and together they have three beautiful children, to whom he has passed on his love of sea shanties and, less successfully, classical music.

Email: cparks@TFAS.org
Tel: 202.986.0384

Stephen Ridley is the director for the Public Policy + Economics program track of TFAS D.C. Summer Programs. He has prior experience in nonprofit development and administration at Common Sense Society and the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. He received a bachelor’s degree in international affairs from Wofford College in 2019 and is an alumnus of the 2017 TFAS Public Policy + Economics program. Originally from South Carolina, Stephen lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife and enjoys playing golf in his free time.

Email: sridley@TFAS.org
Tel: 202.986.0384

Abby is the program manager for the spring TFAS Washington Fellowship and the Business + Government Relations summer program track. Before joining TFAS, Abby spent several summers interning with Generation Joshua, which sparked her interest in working with students and helping them develop leadership skills and experience. She is also an alumna of The Heritage Foundation’s Young Leaders Program where she interned with Heritage Action for America.

Abby graduated from Regent University in 2021 where she received a bachelor’s degree in government with a minor in history. Originally from Frederick, MD, she now enjoys living in D.C. and exploring all the city has to offer.

Email: amcgovern@TFAS.org
Tel: 202.986.0384

Samuel Fuelleman is the program coordinator for the International Affairs program track. He is a graduate of Eastern Carolina University, where he double majored in security studies and political science along with a minor in leadership studies.

Sam is a TFAS alumnus from the 2022 International Affairs program where he interned for The Charles Group. He also brings his experience as the director of local and state affairs in Eastern Carolina University’s Student Government and as a field organizer campaigning in Virginia’s 2023 state elections.

As a Program Coordinator, Sam hopes to use his passion for TFAS and his knowledge of history and geopolitics to provide future students with the same amazing opportunity he had.

Email: sfuelleman@TFAS.org
Tel: 202.986.0384

Melissa Grannetino is the division director of outreach, engagement + operations

Before joining TFAS, she led training programs, developed speaker series/special events and assisted with fundraising at Foundation Center (now Candid). Melissa has served as a member of the selection committee for the Advancement in Management Award Competition, a reviewer for the Catalogue for Philanthropy and is a volunteer faculty member at the Leadership Institute. Additionally, she also developed and implemented donor cultivation and stewardship programs at The Cleveland Museum of Art.

She holds a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in art history and sociology/anthropology from Denison University.

Email: mgrannetino@TFAS.org
Tel: 202.986.0384

Elisabeth Corcoran (née Merrifield) serves as the manager of recruitment partnerships + admissions for TFAS D.C. Programs.

Prior to working at TFAS, Elisabeth worked as the event and office coordinator for the William & Mary Washington Center, managing the event space and system, alumni events, supporting undergraduate academic programs and oversaw the budget. She also worked as the stack maintenance and building assistant at William & Mary Libraries within the circulation department.

As a military child, Elisabeth moved around a bit. She graduated from William & Mary in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree with a double major in government and history. In her free time, she enjoys reading and continuously having to reorganize her bookshelves. She and her husband also enjoy exploring new wineries, traveling and snuggles with their dog and cat.

Email: ecorcoran@TFAS.org
Tel: 202.986.0384

Blake Mauro ’22 is the program operations and outreach coordinator at The Fund for American Studies. She will be a two-time alumna of TFAS. She participated in the Journalism + Communications Program track of TFAS’s D.C. Summer Programs in 2022 and is a member of TFAS’s inaugural Media Accelerator Fellowship cohort this year. 

Blake is originally from Bergen County, New Jersey. She graduated with honors from Clemson University in South Carolina with a degree in political science. At Clemson, Blake served as the editor-in-chief of The Tiger, Clemson’s student-run newspaper, was a communications intern for the Clemson University Honors College and worked as a student reporter for the College Fix. Before joining TFAS, Blake interned at The Daily Caller News Foundation, Fox News and the Washington Free Beacon.

Email: bmauro@TFAS.org
Tel: 551.497.0800