December Staff Spotlight

December 29, 2023

Colleen O'Hara

International Operations Administrator, Travel & Safety
Office of International Programs
Provost - EVPAA

"Colleen is the university's International Operations Administrator for Travel & Safety. Overarchingly, she is responsible for the University's International Travel Policy and all GW-affiliates who are registered for international travel in GW Passport. Perhaps of most importance, she is charged with reviewing all high-risk travel proposals (that travel which will occur in a location that is deemed especially high risk for any number of reasons). Colleen works closely with travelers to high risk destinations in arranging their travel logistics for maximal safety and security, for being prepared while abroad, and if necessary, in coordinating any medical assistance or evacuation needs. She also monitors all locations where GW-affiliates are abroad (often more than 100 countries at any given time!), alerting them of any developing issues and providing assistance as required. Colleen also gives pre-departure orientations to groups who request that preparatory step or who are traveling to high-risk locations. She contributes significantly to the International Program's pre-departure evaluative reports of overseas locations or institutions when we are preparing to send leadership teams on travel. Her advice is both data-driven and compassionate and has come to be relied upon by International Programs and the wider University community.

Colleen has many years of experience in higher education, but is relatively new to the area of travel and risk mitigation, having come into the field during COVID. She has spent all of her two plus years at GW learning everything she possibly can, connecting to colleagues and experts both internal and external to the university. She works tirelessly to understand the business needs of various departments and units to ensure International Programs is creating systems and processes that promote safety while supporting international professional and academic endeavors as they pertain to travel.

She is such a dedicated, knowledgeable and caring staff member. So much of her job involves emergencies and crises and she is always the epitome of calm and a source of sound of advice."

Nicole Feliz

Senior Athletic Operations Associate
Facilities Operations and Events
Athletics

"Nicole has positively impacted students, staff and guests to our community. She is responsible for hiring and managing our student staff and was voted (earlier this year) as the 2023 winner of the student employment supervisor of the year. She also manages many facets of our primary facility (the Charles E. Smith Center) and can be seen smiling as she works with many different constituency groups to make their experience at work, practice, competition or other events the best that they can be. Nicole works many evenings and weekends, and can be found responding to the many needs of our constituents with a smile as she solves the problem of the moment. We are so grateful for her service and I would love to see her recognized in the spotlight!"