Michelle Kelso

Mitchelle Kelso is an Assistant Professor of Sociology and International Affairs at George Washington University, and Director of the GW Human Services and Social Justice Program. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. Her research focuses on historical sociology, race/ethnicity dynamics, and visual methods, particularly examining Romani (Roma/Gypsy) experiences during WWII and contemporary social justice issues.

Her work includes ethnographic studies of collective memory, aging, and education systems. Notable projects involve documenting Romani Holocaust survivors through film and academic publications. Kelso has directed NGOs promoting Holocaust education in Romania and produced the award-winning 2005 documentary Hidden Sorrows, screening internationally. She teaches qualitative methods, program evaluation, and NGO management.

Publications include co-editing Tragedia Romilor in Transnistria (2009) and Through Our Lens (2009), analyzing Roma persecution and cultural preservation. Her research bridges academic scholarship with civil society initiatives, emphasizing marginalized group advocacy.