Consolation Prize

Abby Mullen was the host and executive producer of Consolation Prize. She was a term assistant professor in the Department of History and Art History at George Mason University. Her work focuses on the First Barbary War, where she encountered the four consuls who inspired this podcast: Richard O’Brien, James Leander Cathcart, William Eaton, and James Simpson.

Megan Brett was a producer on Consolation Prize. She was a digital history associate at the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media. She holds a PhD in American History from George Mason University. Her dissertation examined citizenship and identity in the United States through the lens of the Maury family, one of whom was a consul in Liverpool.

Bridget Bukovich was the Promotions Specialist for Consolation Prize. She was the Community Engagement Coordinator for the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media. She has a MA in Applied History, which she combines with her social media expertise to help share history with the public.

Frankie Bjork was a producer on the second season of Consolation Prize. She was a graduate student at George Mason University studying Applied History with a focus in United States History. Her specialties include studies of influential people and groups in social and cultural movements, like Dorothy Height during Second Wave Feminism.

Andrew Cote was our composer-in-residence. As a composer of acoustic and electronic music, his compositions have been performed and recorded across three continents. His works have been featured at the Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium, the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, the World Saxophone Congress, and various other festivals and conferences. His latest album, Ulterior Motives: The Saxophone Music of Andrew Cote, is available on iTunes, Amazon, and most other online retailers. Andrew previously taught music composition, orchestration, music technology, and directed the new music ensemble at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. Andrew began teaching at Merrimack College in the fall of 2020, where he teaches courses in music theory and music technology.

Alison Langford was the studio administrator. She was a fan of the show before she came to work at R2 Studios. She helped organize the studio and track guest info. She has a BA in English from GMU.

Deepthi Murali was a producer on Consolation Prize. She was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media. She has a PhD in Art History specializing in transcultural art and encounters of South Asia in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Jeanette Patrick was a producer on Consolation Prize and the Senior Producer for R2 Studios at the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media. She holds a MA in Public History and works to find engaging ways to bring the past to the present.

Brenna Reilley was a research and production assistant for Consolation Prize. She was an undergraduate student at George Mason University studying History and Nonprofit Studies. Her work includes social and cultural history projects, such as Women Tavern Keepers, Medical History in the Americas, and East German Cinema.

Kris Stinson was a producer on Consolation Prize. He was a PhD student and Presidential Fellow in George Mason University’s Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media. His research interests revolve around the religious and intellectual culture of the early American republic.