Geitra Mickelson is a life-long United Methodist who has joyfully served the church in a variety of capacities. Before she answered God’s call to pastoral ministry, she was active in worship planning, music ministries, children and youth activities, and Stephen Ministry. Most recently, she served as an associate pastor at Galilee United Methodist Church in Sterling, VA, where she focused primarily on worship design and community outreach.

An Ohio native, Geitra received her Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts from Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio. She was also certified and licensed to teach secondary English and Theater, but became involved in arts management instead. After working for the Akron Symphony Orchestra, the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestra at The Kennedy Center, she took some time off to raise her family alongside her husband, Neil.

Geitra and Neil attended high school together, married in 1998, and initially resided in Long Beach, CA, where Neil was stationed as a U.S. Air Force officer at Los Angeles Air Force Base. Three years later, the military relocated them to Annandale, VA. They moved to Herndon in 2004, where they have been ever since, and Neil is now a Principal and Program Manager at Booz Allen Hamilton.

Together, they’ve been blessed by their three children. Their twin sons Adrian and Gabriel attend Langston Hughes Middle School and enjoy computer programming, arts, and playing piano and drums. Their daughter Amelia starts her junior year at South Lakes High School in the fall. She enjoys creative writing, playing piano, and is very active in choir and a capella groups.

Geitra answered her call to ministry while at Sterling United Methodist Church, became a licensed local pastor in 2017, and received her Master of Divinity from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC in 2020. She is looking forward to sharing her passion, creativity, and her love of God and all God’s children with Centreville UMC.