Our Team

Don DeMaria is the Director of the Washington Semester Program, and founded the program in the spring of 2008. Prior to this role, he served as Assistant Director of UGA's Honors Program (now the Jere W. Morehead Honors College), where he led efforts to expand and enhance experiential learning opportunities. Mr. DeMaria oversees all aspects of the academic, career and student life operations of the Washington Semester Program, and played a significant role in the development of Delta Hall- UGA's Home in the Nation's Capital. He is a recognized leader in experiential education, serving on the steering committee of the Washington Programs Consortium and is an active member of the Research and Scholarship Committee of the Society of Experiential Education. In 2020, DeMaria was selected as a Fellow in the Society of Experiential Education, and advocates actively for the roles of practitioner-scholars in his field. He actively engages in research on the impacts of experiential learning, and strives to expand opportunities for all UGA students. Fun fact: Don DeMaria was in a documentary about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg!

Dr. Lee Lukoff assists WSP students with their internship searches and leads professional development seminars which connect WSP students to UGA alums in DC. He teaches a course on US Grand Strategy/Great Power Politics for WSP and also works as a Policy Analyst for the State Department. Dr. Lukoff graduated from the University of Georgia with a Ph.D. in Political Science and International Affairs in 2019.

Riley Mied is the Program Assistant for the Washington Semester Program in D.C. She assists with program operations, coaches students, and facilitates a positive environment for students in Delta Hall. Riley graduated from UGA in 2023 with BAs in Criminal Justice and International Affairs. She participated in the Washington Semester Program in Fall 2023, where she interned with the U.S. Department of State. Fun Fact: Riley’s favorite DC museum is the Smithsonian National Museum of American History!

Emily Willard serves as the Graduate Assistant for the Washington Semester Program in Athens. She assists with recruitment efforts, coaches students, and supports and promotes WSP programming. Emily graduated from UGA in 2023 with a BA in Political Science and a BS in Psychology. She is currently working towards earning her Master of Public Administration. An Honors in Washington participant, Emily lived in Delta Hall and interned with the National Coalition for the Homeless in 2022. Fun fact: The Red Line is Emily's favorite Metro line!

Mandy Freeman provides administrative support for the Washington Semester Program and Academic Honesty and Student Appeals.

John Scarpitti is the Washington Semester Program’s intern. He works at the Athens office, where he manages the program’s communications and promotional materials, coaches incoming students, and provides general support to the team. John is a third-year student at the University of Georgia pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He was a student in the Washington Semester Program in the fall of 2023, during which time, he interned with UGA’s Office of Federal Relations. He looks forward to returning to Washington after graduation. Fun Fact: John’s favorite DC food is a chocolate chip cookie from Giant!