College of Health and Human Services Welcomes Two New Advisory Board Members

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The College thanks retiring board member Maureen Demsey for her service. 

Two new members have joined the College of Health and Human Services Dean’s Advisory Board: Yoshie Davison, a strategic partnership leader in mental health advocacy, and Paula Graling, vice president of Nursing, Surgical Services at the Inova Health System. They will join the 11 current members in advising and assisting the Dean in strategic planning for the College. 

Additionally, Maureen Demsey, regional vice president and chief medical officer of Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, is retiring and has left the board after two years of service to the College. 

“The College is fortunate to welcome Yoshie Davison and Paula Graling to the Dean’s Advisory Board. Their dedication to Mason matched with their deep experience and insight will be instrumental as we complete the final steps in our transition to becoming a College of Public Health. The Advisory Board is well-positioned to provide strategic guidance for incoming Dean, Dr. Melissa Perry,” said Dean Germaine Louis. “Thank you to Maureen Dempsy as she steps down from the Board and to all the Board members for their valuable counsel.” 

Read more about the new advisory board members below, and visit the advisory board page to learn more about the current members of the board.   

image of Yoshie Davidson

Yoshie Davison, a strategic partnership leader in mental health advocacy 

Yoshie Davison, MSW, has over 23 years of nonprofit and association experience working as a strategic partnership leader in mental health advocacy and education with organizational budgets that exceed $50 million. She is a mental health advocate and also serves her community as a volunteer with adults with disabilities. 

Davison earned her Master of Social Work from Mason. She is currently on Mason’s Social Work Advisory Council and just finished her term on Mason’s Alumni Board as Vice President of the LIVE Committee. She also served as an adjunct professor in the Department of Social Work instructing field practicum seminars. As a first-generation college graduate, she enjoys giving back to Mason’s community as a mentor in career development and engagement areas. 

Image of Paula Graling

Paula Graling, Vice President of Nursing, Surgical Services at the Inova Health System 

Paula Graling, DNP RN CNOR NEA-BC FAAN, is the vice president of Nursing, Surgical Services at the Inova Health System located in Northern Virginia. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing from Mason and completed her doctoral studies at Johns Hopkins University, with a focus on perioperative patient safety and the connection between culture, communication and perioperative outcomes. Graling is a past president of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), served on the AORN Foundation Board, and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.