Staff
Kelly Dalton
Director
Kelly Dalton holds a Ph.D. in Education with a focus in international education from George Mason University and currently serves as the Director for the Saints’ Center for Service at Marymount University. Prior to her role at Marymount, she served as Director of George Mason University’s Nonprofit Fellows Program, Assistant Director of the Center for Social Action and Integrative Learning, and Assistant Professor in the School of Integrative Studies. Her research interests include the intersections of experiential learning, critical reflection, international education, and cultural immersion. Kelly is also a consultant for the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development and in 2019 was recognized as a Leadership Center for Excellence 40 Under 40 honoree. Prior to her doctoral program, Kelly was an Extension Specialist for the University of the District of Columbia where she developed and implemented a nutrition curriculum for at-risk youth and early childhood classrooms. Kelly was also an adjunct professor in the Global and Community Health department at George Mason University and the Malek School for Health Professions at Marymount University. She is a registered dietitian who holds a B.S. in Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise and an M.S. in Nutrition Education and Behavior, both from Virginia Tech.
Susan Thomas
Coordinator
Susan Thomas has lived, worked, and volunteered in Arlington, VA for the last several years, after moving to the area for her husband’s military relocation. Susan has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Religion from Meredith College and a Master’s in English from the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. Susan has 20+ years of experience researching, writing, editing, and developing original source material for articles, grant proposals, academic papers, quantitative and qualitative research, and other formats. In addition, Susan spent two decades working with, volunteering for, and helping to establish groups specifically serving the unique needs of military families, especially during deployment.
Megan Mitchell
Graduate Assistant
Megan Mitchell was born and raised in Radford, VA. After completing her Bachelor’s Degrees in Marketing and Hospitality & Tourism Management at Virginia Tech she began working in hospitality sales in Atlanta, GA then Washington, DC. Over the course of her career, she realized her passion for mental health and working with youth, and decided to pursue a Master’s in School Counseling. She joined the Saint’s Center for Service as our Graduate Assistant in 2021. With a passion for growth and development for people of all ages and backgrounds, with her work at the Center, she aims to create a safe, inclusive, and encouraging environment at school, at home, and in the community
Russell Akram
MU Work Scholar
Russell is an international student from Pakistan. In his senior year, he is a student of Cybersecurity and Mathematics. He has been a Work Scholar at the Saint Center for Services for two years now, and is responsible for creating web content, and adding the statistical data of the office online. He also serves as a Saints Care Ambassador at the Office of Wellness Intervention & Prevention, where he leads workshops on mental health issues for Marymount students. He is also a part of the Global Education Center at Marymount University through which he conducted research in Post-Quantum and Quantum cryptography at Oxford University in 2021. He was certified as a Peer Educator at Marymount University in 2019; and Leader for Social Change in 2020.