If we act with wisdom and magnanimity, we can guide these yearnings of the poor to a richer and better life through democracy.
— George C. Marshall (1953)

The George C. Marshall International Center, Inc. (GCMIC) brings to life the timeless values of selfless service and unwavering integrity to develop visionary leaders worldwide.

The George C. Marshall International Center is named for Nobel Peace Prize Laureate George C. Marshall, who served as chief of staff of the Army, secretary of state, secretary of defense and president of the American Red Cross. He was a principled, selfless leader who serves as a timeless example for others to follow. His early experiences advising General John J. Pershing in World War I, his leadership of the global military alliance that defeated fascism in World War II, and his vision to support peacetime investments in Europe via the Marshall Plan made General Marshall a key leader in the pivotal moments of the 20th century. The Marshall Center is dedicated to translating his ideal of service to country to inspire the leaders of today and tomorrow.

The George C. Marshall International Center operates Dodona Manor as a historic house museum at 312 East Market Street in Leesburg, Virginia.The house is home to the Marshall Center, as it was home to George and Katherine Marshall from 1941 to 1959. We conduct tours and events at Dodona Manor, that provide a full picture of General Marshall’s life. We also host educational programs that reflect Marshall’s principled approach to leadership.

Board of Directors

  • Tom Greenspon is a strategy and technology consulting executive whose career spanned 21 years at Booz Allen Hamilton. He has more than 25 years of experience leading organizational transformations and large-scale businesses. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Dewberry, Inc., is a former trustee of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Foundation, President Emeritus of the Marshall Center and a past Board Member for the National Defense Industrial Association.

    A former U.S. Navy flyer, Greenspon served on active duty from 1985-1994 and is a combat-decorated veteran of the First Gulf War. He earned his undergraduate degree from VMI and his MBA from The George Washington University.

    Tom received his undergraduate degree from The Virginia Military Institute and his MBA from The George Washington University where he was a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society. At VMI, Tom was Captain of the varsity lacrosse team and worked as an editor for the college newspaper.

  • Lieutenant General Susan Lawrence has been Managing Director of National Security Practice at Accenture Federal Services LLC since October 2017. Lieutenant General Lawrence is responsible for helping AFS clients develop and execute technology transformation and mission-support strategies.

    During her extensive 40-year career in the Army, she had operational assignments in Europe, South Korea, Southwest Asia and the U.S. and led network, C4 and IT functions during military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. She helped develop the U.S. Army Cyber Command and worked directly with senior staff members including the Secretary of the Army and the Chief of Staff of the Army to reduce costs and improve the effectiveness of cyber and other IT solutions.

    She was Senior Vice President in the Defense Market Group at Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. since February 2014. Lt. Gen. Lawrence is a leader in military information technology and communications systems. She joined Booz Allen’s Defense Market Group to provide leadership for business initiatives that cut across the defense and security markets. These initiatives include Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4); Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR); enterprise information technology (IT); joint information environments; cyber; integrated mission systems; and emerging defense technologies.

    As the Army’s Chief Information Officer/G-6, Lt. Gen. Lawrence was responsible for managing the defense enterprise systems, IT infrastructure, C4ISR solutions and advanced technology used by the military warfighter and the supporting civilian workforce. Prior to her role as Army Chief Information Officer/G-6, she served as the Commanding General for the Army’s Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM), where her responsibilities included the Army C4 and Army Enterprise IT.

    She enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1972 and was commissioned an officer in 1979. She holds a bachelor of science degree in psychology from Campbell University in North Carolina, a masters degree in information systems management from the University of Georgia and an honorary doctorate in science from Dakota State University.

    In recognition of her great contribution to the Marshall Center’s mission, LTG Lawrence was given the title of Chair Emeritus in 2022.

  • Andrew Boardman joined QTS in 2009, and serves as the EVP of Sales for the Eastern region. He is responsible for helping define and execute QTS’ go-to-market strategy, and leads a sales team who supports many of the world’s largest and most sophisticated enterprises.

    Andrew has more than 13 years of leadership and sales experience in the data center, telecommunications, and technology industries. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from George Mason University in 2008.

    Andrew is an avid fan of DC sports, and lives in Leesburg, VA with his wife and four children.

  • Ms. Cox is currently a principal at The Fratelli Group, a policy communications firm. She manages client accounts and handles office operations. She also serves as Secretary of the Corporation. In the service of clients, Ms. Cox specializes in advocacy and communications strategy. She helps a wide variety of organizations – ranging from multinational corporations and NGOs to trade associations and foreign governments – develop and execute communications strategies that advance their missions.

    Prior to joining Fratelli in 2005, Ms. Cox managed public policy and business issues for General Motors; was a legislative representative for federal affairs at Ryder System, Inc.; and was a government relations consultant at Peyser Associates. She began her career in Washington, D.C., as a legislative staffer on Capitol Hill.

    A native of North Carolina, Ms. Cox received her B.A. from Duke University and her J.D. from Georgetown Law. Though she does not practice, she is admitted to the state bars of Maryland and New York.

    In her spare time, she serves Leesburg and the Loudoun community as a member of the Rotary Club of Leesburg.

  • Lieutenant General Bruce T. Crawford became the Army Chief Information Officer (CIO)/G-6 on 1 August 2017 and retired in August of 2020. As the CIO, LTG Crawford was the principal advisor to the Secretary of the Army, setting strategic direction and objectives for the Army network, and supervising all Army C4 (command, control, communications, and computers) and Information Technology (IT) functions. As the G-6, he advised the Chief of Staff of the Army on the network, communications, signal operations, cybersecurity, force structure, and equipping.

    A native of Columbia, South Carolina, LTG Crawford was commissioned through South Carolina State University’s Reserve Officer Training Corps program on May 28, 1986, after graduating as a Distinguished Military Graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. He also holds a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University, and a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

    During his 34 years of service, LTG Crawford served in a variety of leadership positions at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels. In his previous assignment, he served as a Special Assistant to the Director of the Army Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Prior to that, he served as the 14th Commander, U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command and Aberdeen Proving Ground Senior Mission Commander, Aberdeen, Maryland. Prior to that, he served in the posts of J6, Director of C4/Cyber and Chief Information Officer, U.S. European Command; Commanding General, 5th Signal Command (Theater); and G-6, U.S. Army Europe in Wiesbaden, Germany. His command assignments included the 516th Signal Brigade, Fort Shafter, Hawaii; 82nd Signal Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, Iraq; and B Company, 51st Signal Battalion, 35th Signal Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

    His key staff assignments included Director of the Coordination Group for the Chief of Staff of the Army, Pentagon, Washington D.C.; Division Chief of LandWarNet Integration for the Army CIO/G-6, Pentagon, Washington D.C.; Division Chief for Net Centric Assessments/Analysis Branch, later Executive Assistant to the J6, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington D.C.; and Assistant Operations Officer, and later Corps Emergency Deployment Readiness Officer, for the 35th Signal Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM, Saudi Arabia.

    LTG Crawford’s awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal (with one Oak Leaf Cluster), the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (with one Oak Leaf Cluster), the Meritorious Service Medal (with four Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Commendation Medal (with one Oak Leaf Cluster), and the Army Achievement Medal (with four Oak Leaf Clusters). LTG Crawford is authorized to wear the Combat Action Badge, the Master Parachutist Badge, the Ranger Tab, the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge, and the Army Staff Identification Badge.

    LTG Crawford and his wife, Dianne, have two sons, Bruce, Jr. and Corey.

  • Brian Cullen is the founder of Keane Enterprises and has been involved in real estate businesses in the Washington, D.C. area for nearly 30 years. He was instrumental in the development of major commercial and mixed use projects in Northern Virginia including Oaklawn in Leesburg VA, Ashburn Crossroads, Beaumeade, Dulles 28 Center, Ashburn Center, Steeplechase and Loudoun Gateway Center, as well as North Point Village Center in Reston, VA.

    Most recently, led the development of Willowsford, a 2,200 unit residential community spanning over 4,000 acres in Loudoun County, VA. Willowsford features a variety of unique single family homes, an onsite “organic” farm, and recreational amenities including two amenity centers with demonstration kitchens. In all, Willowsford will protect over 2,000 acres of open space dedicated to the Willowsford Conservancy.

    Mr. Cullen is a full member of Urban Land Institute and served as the Washington District Council Chairman for 2007/08. He currently is the Governance Committee Chairman and has been active on the Small Scale Development Council for over 15 years. He is a member Emeritus of the Loudoun County Economic Development Commission (EDC) and past chairman of the EDC Transportation and infrastructure Committee. Currently, Mr. Cullen serves as Chairman of the Dulles Town Center Community Development Authority (CDA), the first such authority in Virginia to issue bonds for the purpose of furthering economic development. Mr. Cullen is a past president of the Loudoun County chapter of the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association, was a member of the original Route 28 Tax District Advisory Board and has served on numerous County appointed committees.

    Prior to forming Keane, Mr. Cullen held executive positions at Carl. M. Freeman Associates and Lerner Enterprises.

  • Shawn Hendon, president of Torray Investment Partners LLC, an investment advisory firm in Bethesda MD, has more than 35 years’ investment experience. He has a BA degree from Georgetown University, an MBA from George Washington University and holds the designation of Chartered Financial Analyst.

    Hendon serves, or has served, on the boards of several nonprofit organizations, including Archbishop Carroll High School (Washington, DC), Georgetown Preparatory School (North Bethesda, MD), The Academy of the Holy Cross (Kensington, MD) and Our Military Kids, Inc. (McLean, VA).

    Shawn is unequivocal about dedication to the George C. Marshall International Center: “I am involved in the Marshall Center out of respect and admiration for a true American patriot. General Marshall’s exemplary life of sacrifice, humility and moral conviction is a beacon of light for us all.”

  • Andy Hunn has nearly 30 years of leadership experience driving success in high-growth technology companies. He has helped build pioneering companies across a diverse mix of tech sectors, including Digital Media, SaaS, Cybersecurity, and Cloud.

    Mr. Hunn is Founder & President of Absaroka Advisors, a strategic advisory firm providing digital transformation, business and product strategy, and M&A advisory services for venture-backed technology startups.

    Previously, Mr. Hunn was co-founder & COO of Resonate, a consumer intelligence software company designed to help large Brands better understand their customers and prospects. Leveraging big data and AI, Resonate has developed the largest proprietary understanding of consumers available, and works with many of the world’s leading brands like Disney, A&E, AFLAC, T. Rowe Price, and many of the largest global ad agencies.

    Prior to joining Resonate, Mr. Hunn was the Vice President of Corporate Business Development for Cybertrust, where he was responsible for business development and strategic alliances, including the company's ultimate sale to Verizon for $500 million in 2007.

    Prior to Cybertrust, Mr. Hunn was Senior Director, Business Development at Digex, where he was an early team member and responsible for business development, strategy and corporate development, including the company’s $100 million joint venture with Microsoft & Compaq, numerous IPO and secondary transactions, and the company’s ultimate acquisition by WorldCom in July 2000 for $5.7 billion.

    Prior to Digex, Mr. Hunn was a senior consultant at Accenture, one of the world’s leading IT Services and Consulting firms, where he focused on innovative projects in the telecom industry at Bell Atlantic and Iridium.

    In addition to his professional roles, Mr. Hunn is an advisor to various technology startups, and is the Founder of the Anguilla Initiative, a 501(c)(3) non-profit focused on fundraising for worthy causes in Anguilla, BWI. His ‘outside work’ passions include fly fishing, supporting Liverpool Football Club, and spending time with his wife and two children, and white lab Zeus.

  • Monika Irchenhauser is the Vice President, Human Resources, Region Americas for REHAU, a German polymer manufacturing company.

    Monika started with REHAU in 2004 working for the company’s International Human Resources Department in Germany. In 2006, she transferred to Italy as HR Manager and took over subsequently the role of Director Human Resources, Region South, in 2008. She held this position until her transfer to the US in 2012.

    Prior to starting with REHAU, Monika worked on international Human Resources projects with Deutsche Telekom and Siemens (6 months based in Malvern, PA, USA).

    Monika graduated from the University of Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany with a M.A. degree in Business Administration (with a focus on Strategic Management and International Human Resources) and Political Science (with a focus on international relations and US politics).

    While in High School, Monika participated in an international exchange program with the Michigan City High School in Indiana, USA, supported by GAPP (German American Partnership Program).

    Monika is fluent in German, English, Italian and Spanish. She holds the professional SHRM–SCP and SPHR certifications and is a member of the Rotary Club of Leesburg. She likes to stay active in her spare time with various outdoor and indoor sports.

  • Michael Leidinger serves as Hilton’s Chief Information Officer where he is responsible for the global technology estate including software engineering, platform engineering, data systems, enterprise architecture, information security, infrastructure engineering and operations, and information security.

    Prior to joining Hilton in April 2010, Michael spent his career in various network and system engineering and operations roles with such leading global technology companies as AOL and PSINet. He also has extensive experience in nuclear power plant engineering and operations with the U.S. Navy and Department of Energy. He started his career as a nuclear engineering officer on attack submarines in the U.S. Navy.

    Michael earned his BS with Distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy and his MSE from The Catholic University of America where he also served on the adjunct faculty in the School of Engineering. He lives with his wife, a high school math teacher, and their two daughters in Ashburn, VA.

  • Paul Michaels is the CEO and Founder of Monoc Securities LLC. Monoc is a veteran-owned small business providing multidisciplinary security consulting services to companies operating within the U.S. National Industrial Security Program (NISP). Paul has developed a mastery of the National Industrial Security Program in his 20 years working with the Intelligence Community, Department of Defense, and Department of Energy. In every engagement, Paul balances U.S. Government regulatory requirements with corporate mission statements, strategic business goals, company culture, and financial objectives.

    Prior to starting Monoc, Paul served as the Senior Vice President for Security, Chief Security Officer, and Corporate Facility Security Officer (FSO) for Cobham Advanced Electronic Solutions in Arlington, Virginia. Over the last 12 years, Paul has specialized in working with complex industrial security programs going through major program challenges or organization changes. Paul is a National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Governance Fellow, holder of NACD’s prestigious Directorship certification, and has completed the NACD sponsored CERT Cyber Risk Oversight Certificate program. He is a graduate of American Military University (AMU) with a master’s degree in Security Management and has taught security management courses at AMU. Paul is a U.S. Army veteran and his family are enrolled members of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation which is located in the Northeastern part of South Dakota and a small portion of southeastern corner of North Dakota.

  • Robin Milton joined LMI in 2019 and has 20 years of experience in marketing, public relations, and strategic communications. As the Vice President of the Strategic Marketing Communications team at LMI, she establishes organizational brand awareness and overall communications and marketing efforts through the development of strategic partnerships. Robin has extensive knowledge of delivering valuable and effective solutions to customers within the federal and private sectors.

    Prior to joining LMI, she spent over 15 years working in government consulting. For clients including the U.S. Army, Army Reserve, and Air Force, Robin enhanced their overall strategic marketing and communications capabilities. In addition to her defense sector experience, she has worked in a variety of communications and marketing roles at large corporations such as Booz Allen Hamilton and Hilton Worldwide.

    Robin earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism with a concentration in marketing and public relations from the University of Maine at Orono.

  • A native Northern Virginian, J. Randall Minchew, known to all as “Randy”, has lived and worked in Leesburg for more than 25 years. Following his graduation from Langley High School in Fairfax County, Randy studied public policy and economics at Duke University. He followed his interest in law enforcement and criminal prosecution after his graduation from Duke and took a position with District Attorney’s office in Durham County, North Carolina, where he worked closely with police and prosecutors. This formative experience, where he witnessed firsthand the corrosive effect of crime and learned the importance of vigorous prosecution of criminals, led him back to Virginia to study law at Washington & Lee University where he served as an editor on the W&L Law Review. Upon graduating from law school, Randy received an appointment as personal law clerk to the Honorable A. Christian Compton, Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia in Richmond. Following his judicial clerkship, Randy returned to Northern Virginia, settling soon thereafter in Leesburg to establish his home, law practice, and tradition of public and community service.

    “I have always held General Marshall as being the most under appreciated Americans of the 20th Century and his leadership, exemplary citizenship, and service above self character attributes remain today as a beacon for all Americans.”

    Randy’s leadership in and service to the Leesburg and Loudoun County community has taken many forms over the past 25 years. A founding member and two-term Chairman of the Loudoun County Economic Development Commission as well as a founding member and chair of the Rural Economic Development Task Force, he takes particular pride in the “100,000 Acre Solution,” a detailed plan for strengthening the economic base of rural Loudoun County while preserving scenic areas and open space. Randy has consistently advocated for public policies that create jobs, preserve a favorable business climate, and lead to meaningful transportation improvements. His service to the community has included years spent on the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the Loudoun County Finance Board, the Citizens’ Tax Equity Committee, and the Loudoun Judicial Center Task Force. In 2010, Governor Bob McDonnell appointed Randy as his Deputy Counselor and Advisor, a position he held until he decided to seek elective service in 2011 as the delegate from the newly created 10th House of Delegates District of Virginia. Randy served three terms in the House of Delegates, representing Frederick, Clarke, and Loudoun Counties.

    Randy, an Eagle Scout, has been an avid outdoorsman and conservationist from his early days as a Boy Scout. He has remained active with the Boy Scouts of America, twice serving as District Chairman of Scouting in Loudoun County, as well as serving as Scoutmaster of both Leesburg Troop 998 and 2010 National Scout Jamboree Troop 521. In 2010, in appreciation of his years of work for what he has called “the most successful youth leadership movement in the history of the world,” Randy was awarded Scouting’s highest adult leader recognition, the Silver Beaver.

    In addition to his degrees from Duke and Washington & Lee, Randy also holds a Diploma in Theology from Virginia Theological Seminary and has served as Lay Eucharistic Minister and Visitor in the Episcopal Church. Randy has taught constitutional law at the law school,

    college, and high school levels, and particularly has enjoyed serving as a guest lecturer at Heritage High School where he has taught US and Virginia Government, with a concentration on George Mason’s Virginia Declaration of Rights, a foundational document that was relied upon in the drafting of both the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights.

    During his three terms in the House of Delegates, Randy patroned and secured passage of many significant pieces of legislation improving our regional and rural roads, fostering transparent and ethical government operations, strengthening our local schools, and encouraging economic development, deployment of affordable broadband to underserved areas, and expansion of solar and renewable energy opportunities by private landowners. After carrying legislation to fund the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) to be Northern Virginia’s preeminent body overseeing and funding transportation improvements to our region, Randy served as the House of Delegates’ representative on the NVTA for many years. Since passage that legislation in 2013, the NVTA has financed app. $2.5 Billion in congestion-relieving road and transit improvements in Northern Virginia. Committed to bipartisanship, civility, and consensus legislation, Randy has earned the respect and support of a wide variety of stakeholder groups who do not generally concur on matters of public policy.

    Professionally, Randy is the Managing Partner of the Loudoun County Office of Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley & Walsh, PC, recognized as Virginia’s preeminent law firm in matters of land use and local government law. Randy holds the highest “AV” rating for lawyers by Martindale Hubbell and has been ranked as one of America’s “Best Lawyers” in the field of land use law by US News and World Report. He is a member of the Bar of the United States Supreme Court and most recently wrote a brief amicus curiae on behalf of many legislators in the case of McDonnell v. United States that lead to a unanimous ruling by the United States Supreme Court overturning an unjust criminal conviction of Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell.

    Randy is a PADI-certified Master Scuba Diver and a trained Wilderness First Aid Responder who enjoys hiking and mountain climbing. Randy has been married since 1991 to his wife, Teresa, a certified Master Gardener, who is equally committed to giving back to the community, including service on the Town of Leesburg’s Planning Commission and Board of Architectural Review, and service on the board of directors of the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier. Together with their son, Jack, a Duke University graduate now attending Georgetown University Law School, Randy and Terri live in and are the stewards of their historic home in Leesburg, built in 1899 and a designated National and Virginia Historic Landmark.

  • After graduating from West Virginia University 1976 and a short stint as a pharmacist with Drug Fair in Alexandria, Bruce opened Leesburg Pharmacy in the fall of 1976. He later owned three other pharmacies (Purcellville, Lansdowne and The Plains Pharmacies) and a home health care company (Esprit Homecare) over the next 33 years. He sold his last two pharmacies (Leesburg and The Plains) to his staff in August of 2009.

    Bruce was named CEO of the National Community Pharmacist Association in 2001. Over his tenure, he grew the association’s presence in the U.S. and around the world. USA Today named NCPA one of the top healthcare lobbies in the United States in 2009. Bruce retired from the association in 2010.

    During Bruce’s tenure at NCPA, he founded SureScripts, a company focused on connecting prescribers and pharmacies to facilitate electronic prescribing of medicines. SureScripts has grown to be the dominant means for prescription prescribing in the U.S. Bruce was co-chair of the SureScripts board of directors through 2010.

    Bruce also led the formation of Mirixa, a company focused on connecting pharmacists with those who want to engage them (typically health plans) in the delivery of clinical services. Mirixa has grown to be the industry leader in medication therapy management and other clinical services provided by pharmacist. In 2008, Bruce was instrumental in launching Mirixa in Australia, where it has become the dominant means for Australian Pharmacy to engage in clinical activities. Bruce served as chairman of the Mirixa board of directors until his retirement.

    Since leaving NCPA, Bruce has been a consultant in the health care industry. He works with a number of clients throughout the U.S., helping them address pharmacies’ role in our evolving healthcare system.

    Bruce has long been a fan of George Marshall because of his service to the world, the United States and Leesburg. His interest is driven by a “desire to see General Marshall’s legacy both in terms of accomplishments and his approach to leadership broadly recognized.”

    Bruce and his wife of 39 years, Rachel, live in Leesburg. They have four children, three of whom live in Leesburg, and nine grandchildren.

Staff

  • Born and raised in Montréal, Canada, Valérie worked as a social worker for 2 years, she changed careers to become Project Manager. In 2007, Valérie moved to Leesburg, Virginia to manage software development projects. After 13 years in the tech world, Ms. Beaudoin accepted the challenge to manage the George C. Marshall International Center, promoting its mission to bring to life the timeless values of selfless service and unwavering integrity to develop visionary leaders worldwide.

    Whether it be in Canada, or in the United States, selfless service has always been Valérie's passion. In her teenage years, she was a volunteer camp counselor before being promoted to camp director for 5 years. In that position she oversaw all camp activities and managed over 50 teenage volunteers. After she moved to Leesburg and looking forward to doing more, she joined the Rotary Club of Leesburg in 2013. She was elected President of the club for the 2020-2021 Rotary year. As a club member, she works on many club projects, and participates in all activities. In 2014, she was named the Rising Star of the Rotary Club and in 2015 and 2018 she was named Rotarian of the Year by the club’s presidents. In 2017, she was elected President of the Perry Winston Scholarship Fund and still holds this office. She has also been supportive of non-profits including Sadie’s Smile, A Farm Less Ordinary, Loudoun Hunger Relief and most recently, Roots Grow Wings (the Loudoun County chapter of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library).

    “These are days for courageous men with unselfish purpose.” - Marshall, speech at Trinity College, June 15, 1941

  • Marshall historian Rachel Yarnell Thompson, a former high school American history teacher and curriculum specialist, has for 22 years been a student of George C. Marshall at his museum home here in Leesburg, Virginia where he and his wife lived from 1941 until his death in 1959. Her extensive knowledge of Marshall’s life in this small Northern Virginia town has given Thompson a unique understanding of a remarkable leader whose personality was sometimes hidden by his outwardly austere and inscrutable personality. In 2014, the Center published her full-length biography of this famous general titled: Marshall--A Statesman Shaped in the Crucible of War, which has been highly praised.

  • Pete Janhunen has spent more than two decades developing and implementing winning strategic communications efforts. He forged his skills in Washington, D.C., where he served in senior roles at The Pew Charitable Trusts, Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF). Pete led the IAFF’s public relations department through the events of September 11, 2001, when the union lost 347 firefighters in New York City. He has deep experience in communications training, strategic planning, media relations, crisis communications and executive coaching. A West Point graduate, Pete served as an Army officer for eight years (including several deployments) before earning a master’s degree in public communications from Syracuse University on a fully funded University Fellowship. He is the founder of 155 Strategies, a strategic communications firm that brings a warrior’s edge to worthy causes.

  • Dan Beckett has more than three decades of experience as a Chief Revenue Officer in the software industry leading a team of 100 and managing portfolios worth more than $200 million. In this role he brought a solutions-oriented team approach to client relations. Dan, who has fostered a culture of volunteerism throughout his career, is committed to applying his acumen and experience to the mission of sharing General Marshall’s enduring example of selfless service and integrity with the leaders of today and tomorrow.

    Dan enjoys adventure travel and photography, and he has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity for more than 20 years. A graduate of Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA, Dan has served as a field archaeologist, mountain climbing guide and captain in the Merchant Marine.

  • Ms. Koester has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Indiana University and is currently pursuing a Master of Education in Educational Technology from James Madison University. With 8 years of retail sales experience, Ms. Koester supports the development efforts of GCMIC.

    Ms. Koester was homeschooled and it cultivated a love of history and learning that endures. Her specialty subjects are classic films, 1940s fashion and swing music. As a Leesburg resident for more than 10 years, Ms. Koester enjoys exploring local businesses and restaurants and finding new ways to support them. She supports the non-profit efforts of the annual Ladies Board Rummage Sale and the Twice is Nice thrift shop by volunteering her expertise on vintage items.

Docents & Greeters

Thank you to all of our dedicated docents & Greeters at Dodona Manor!

Docent Lead: Bill Brooks

  • Blane Ampthor

  • Bill & Dianne Babics

  • Pam Banks

  • Joe Becek

  • Rick Berry

  • Brenda Best

  • Mike Cash

  • Ryan Doraiswamy

  • Dave Farr

  • Ben FitzGerald

  • Bill Gianfagna

  • Lory & Grant Gustafson

  • Elizabeth Harvey

  • Bob Holcomb

  • Peggy & Rich Ivey

  • Rob Jones

  • Amber & Jack King

  • James Learmont

  • Brighton Lieu

  • Chang Liu

  • Claire Luisi

  • Roger Majak

  • Jack Mansfield

  • Marty Marks

  • Silas Matteson

  • Barbara McClellan

  • Christopher Miller

  • Tom Mulrine

  • Cynthia Parsons

  • Jeff Platt

  • Bob Pohtos

  • Richard Rhoades

  • Brynn Scherrer

  • Annabelle Shotton

  • Shaun Smith

  • Susan-Jane Stack

  • Audrey Stelle

  • Dave Struba

  • Bob Tagg

  • Audrey Tennant

  • Rachel Thompson

  • Michelle Thrush

  • Alexi Von Keszycki

  • Jennifer Welti

  • Russ Woolard

  • Eve Young

Restoration & Garden Volunteers

Thank you to all of our dedicated docents & Greeters at Dodona Manor!

Garden Manager: Jackie Ellis

  • Bruce Dewar & Julie Overman

  • Diane Jenquine

  • Mary K Lee

  • Larry & Kitty Messner

  • Tom Watson

Thank you to Leslie Stutzman-Solitario and the River’s Edge Landscapes team for all of their support.