Staff
Executive Director
Joe Callahan
joec@826dc.org
Joe Callahan joined 826DC as the Deputy Director in June of 2010, and became the Executive Director on January 1, 2011. Prior to this, he worked as a writing professor at both American University and the George Washington University. In addition to teaching, he has worked and consulted for a wide range of non-profit organizations, including public policy institutions, museums, and a renowned literary magazine. Joe received his BA in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and in 2008 received his MA in Writing with a focus in nonfiction from Johns Hopkins University.
Programs Assistant
Jimmy Keith
james@826dc.org
Jimmy Keith began interning with 826DC just before the center opened in October of 2011, and took on the role of Program Assistant on January 1, 2012. Prior to that, Jimmy graduated from the University of Virginia in 2010 with a B.A. in Spanish. Jimmy has experience working at a writing center and assisting Spanish speakers with English language acquisition. He would like to one day moonlight as a professional bowler.
Volunteer and Events Coordinator
Dillon Babington
dillon@826dc.org
Dillon Babington came to 826DC as a volunteer, and officially joined the staff in December of 2011. She is a literacy enthusiast and former guerrilla librarian. Dillon earned degrees in American Studies and Metalsmithing after studying at Towson University and American University in Rome. Having grown up on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, Dillon is an avid sailor and expert crab picker. Her favorite book is Jelly Belly by Dennis Lee.
Fellows
Dana Carlson, Chief Curator, Museum of Unnatural History
Dana has been a fellow at 826DC since September 2010. She holds a BA in Russian language and literature from George Washington University. She also volunteers at the Museum of Natural History, but we don’t hold that against her. Dana is an international boomerang champion (really) and can eat super, super spicy food without sweating.
Interns
This year we are welcoming in a new batch of interns (as well as some extremely awesome returning interns), 10 wonderfully funny, hardworking and enthusiastic young men and women. They are so truly incredible that we’d be lost without them (not to mention bored to tears when kids aren’t in the center for field trips or after school tutoring). But we’ll stop bragging about how great they are and have them do it instead.
Nora Rose Allen (After School Tutoring Intern) is a bossy, hyper-sensitive writer/gadabout who wants to impress you with her banjo playing skills and knowledge of sharks. She writes a weekly column at iPinion.us and spends a lot of time thinking about cheese.
Samantha Goodman (Workshops and Events Intern) is the reigning champion of Exploding Snap, a rather dangerous game that should never be played near flammable household products. A born adventurer, Samantha spends her spare time searching the world for the elusive Crumple Horned Snorckack, and wishing she had attended Hogwarts rather than Beaux Batons.
A.C. McGrath (Programs Intern) was named after the popular heating and cooling system. She recently graduated from U.Va, where she majored in English and cancelled television shows on DVD. Before coming to 826DC, she drew cartoons in her notebook of important figures in the publishing industry at Columbia University. She does not really ski.
Emily Newhook (Programs Intern) lives in Arlington, Virginia, and graduated from William and Mary last year, where she majored in English. When she’s not at 826, she works at Artisphere, an arts center in Rosslyn. She also makes a mean sandwich.
Robin O’Neil (Development Intern) is the second most interesting man in the world. Named after the legendary hero, Robin Hood, he stands for all that is good in this world. As the scion of Homer, Robin graduated with a degree in English-Creative Writing from Rhodes College in 2011. He loves to eat burritos.
Alma Paez (Programs Intern) from Wildomar (not Voldemort), California, is new to the East coast and to the snow. She is hoping her Liberal Studies and Spanish majors at the University of California, Riverside will come in handy as she works with new students. Maybe one day she will run for some awesome position, like babbler of all times or curator of a rock.
Jesson Rata (Museum of Unnatural History Intern) always introduces himself by saying, “Trouble is my middle name, adventure is how I play my game. I came from the land of tomorrow, filled with joy, laughter, and never sorrow. My limbs are long and strong, I like to dance to a cool tune I sing-along. I travel around the world, going in circles sometimes I hurled. Nice to meet you my new friend, how do you do? Introduce me your name, please don’t be lame, and say something that’s also very true.”
Caitlin Whelan (Programs Intern) is a hopeless romantic super-bohemian who likes tea, foreign films and the smell of laundry detergent. Someday soon, she hopes to live in a dream world where she exists as a starving writer in a fancy Boston apartment. If she could be anything else, she’d be a mermaid or an eagle. If she could go anywhere else, she’d go where no person has ever been before: Atlantis.
