Verified: Media & Messaging

Kayla Sharpe '17

Deputy Newsletter Team Leader, Bloomberg Government

Kayla Sharpe works as the Deputy Newsletter Team Leader at Bloomberg Government and previously served as an Associate Editor at Axios — where she oversaw reporting teams in D.C., Atlanta, Dallas, Charlotte, Philadelphia, and Twin Cities — at POLITICO as Engagement Editor for Subscriber Strategy and as a Digital Producer, and at the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting supporting student and freelance journalists covering under-reported global issues.

Kayla graduated from William & Mary in 2017 with degrees in Film & Media and American Studies. At the university, Kayla began her journalism career at The Flat Hat, serving as the newspaper's inaugural Digital Media Editor. As a sophomore, she was selected as a New Media Fellow for the Washington Center's 2015 Summer Institute and returned in 2016 as the institute’s teaching assistant. In addition to her work on the Advisory Board, Kayla has remained involved in the Center as a speaker and mentor. She also serves as Co-Chair of the William & Mary Young Guarde Alumni Council and is a member of the Lambda Kappa Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. She currently resides in Reston, with her Australian Shepherd and many houseplants.

Gabe Cancio-Bello '20, M.Ed. '24

Director of Marketing & Communications, Washington Center

Gabe is the Director of Marketing and Communications at the W&M Washington Center. He manages the Center's integrated marketing, branding, and communications strategy, including content creation and its social media presence. Gabe first joined the Center as a Summer Intern in 2019, claiming a Program Assistant role in 2020 before transitioning to a Program Coordinator in 2021. For over three years, Gabe successfully managed the Center's flagship internship program, the D.C. Semester Program (DCSP), steadily growing the reach of Study in D.C. as a trademark across campus behind the scenes before pivoting to his current role.

Gabe collaborates closely with other creatives and communications officers across the campus to enhance the Washington Center's coordination, brand recognition, and strategy. With an eye for creative direction, a passion for storytelling, and an entrepreneurial mindset, Gabe's leadership complements his standing commitment to elevating the Washington Center's image as a well-respected, high-efficiency, high-impact unit–throughout W&M, in the capital, and beyond.

Gabe Cancio-Bello is a two-time William & Mary graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Government in 2020 and an M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration from the School of Education in the Educational Policy, Planning & Leadership (EPPL) program in 2024.