Celebrating Karla Balk King as the March 2026 Employee of the Month!
Congratulations to Karla Balk King, Fitness Operations Supervisor, for being recognized as the March 2026 Facilities & Campus Operations (F&CO) Employee of the Month! King received nominations from Amanda Meiklejohn, Assistant General Manager, Robin Frey, Fitness Manager, Deitra S. Williams, Fitness Instructor, and several other colleagues from the Freedom Center.
Consistently going above and beyond, King has demonstrated exceptional leadership, a strong work ethic, and dedication to maintaining the high standards of operations at the Freedom Aquatic & Fitness Center.
While Frey was on medical leave, King immediately stepped into her leadership role to ensure smooth operations in the fitness division, beyond her usual responsibilities, including managing and supporting staff members who are typically outside her scope. This time also occurred during the Freedom Center’s Down Week, an annual week-long maintenance & repair routine. This resulted in not only King managing the cleaning of the fitness division but also maintaining her typical duties, including preventive maintenance, reorganizing existing equipment, coordinating the arrival of new equipment, and equipment installations.
Before and even during this time, King has played an important role in maintaining the success of many programs and classes. She has also been an integral part of the Restorative Wellness Center's development. “From the earliest stages of brainstorming and design, to recruiting specialists and managing the massage program, her leadership and dedication have been central to the program’s continued growth and success.” Said Meiklejohn.
Despite the additional responsibilities, King has never hesitated to support her colleagues during challenging times while maintaining utmost professionalism to patrons at the center. “Karla is an outstanding colleague and supervisor.” Said Jason Shriner, Personal Trainer & Group Fitness Instructor, “She is intelligent, reliable, and supportive. Whenever I need advice for a client or class idea, she is always an excellent source of inspiration and advice.”
Interested in submitting a George Mason Facilities & Campus Operations Employee of the Month nomination? Check out the new process here!