Heather Aleknavage

Heather Aleknavage joined Risk, Safety, & Resilience in October 2024 as Administrative Assistant and Project Coordinator. Heather has an extensive background in service-oriented environments. She has worked in a variety of administrative positions at George Mason for 24 years, most recently as the office manager and human resources coordinator for the Office of Sponsored Programs. With a large staff and demanding deadlines where multitasking is critical, she was engaged in every aspect of pre- and post-award research administration, and operations management, including fiscal and human resources support.

With an interest in campus community building, she created the Support Group for Working Mothers at George Mason in 2003, which led to her participation on the Quality of Work Life Task Force and the Staff Senate. The group recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, and Aleknavage’s efforts have been recognized publicly both at college and university levels.

Driven by the urgent need to create change at George Mason, she began following George Mason student-parents through different areas of research and advocacy and completed graduate studies at George Mason with this population as a focus for her master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies in Higher Education. She was also a member of the Generation Hope FamilyU Cohort, and part of the team that received the Patriot Pathbreakers award in May 2024.

Aleknavage is also a Distinguished Toastmaster and was president of George Mason University Toastmasters club from 2023 to 2024. Prior to George Mason, she was director of catering and member services at River Bend Golf and Country Club, and was awarded, “Best Themed Event of the Year” by the National Association of Catering Executives in 2000.