Meet the OCS Staff
Melanie Starks, Associate Director. mstarks@wlu.edu (540) 458-8356
Melanie Starks graduated from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2006. Prior to attending law school, she worked as a litigation paralegal at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton and Garrison in New York City and as an international trade paralegal at O'Melveny and Myers in Washington, D.C. Subsequently she moved to Chicago to begin her legal education. While in law school at Chicago-Kent, she was awarded the CALI award for legal writing in her first year and was the recipient of the Kent Justice Foundation Fellowship for public service in both her second and third years. Additionally, while attending law school, she interned at various public interest and government organizations including the Office of the State Appellate Defender and the Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago. Upon graduation Ms. Starks relocated from Chicago to New Haven, where she joined Connecticut Legal Services. She practiced for five years in the Children at Risk Unit providing direct client representation in special education matters. In her role at Connecticut Legal Services, she also engaged in direct advocacy at the state legislature in addition to conducting community outreach through trainings and media presentations. For the past several years, since moving to the Roanoke area, Ms. Starks has been engaged in her community serving in various leadership roles with numerous non-profits and volunteer organizations. She brings her varied and unique perspective to the work she will do facilitating the professional development of both law students and alumni.
Ellen Tombaugh, Associate Director. etombaugh@wlu.edu (540) 458-8022
Eleanore (Ellen) Tombaugh is a graduate of the Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center and brings over 20 years of experience in the legal and professional services sectors. She began her career practicing general civil litigation in New Orleans before transitioning to consulting and program management with PwC in New York City and KPMG in Chicago. Most recently, Ellen worked as a staffing consultant in Chicago, coaching candidates on career readiness and placement strategies. Combining her legal expertise with her experience in consulting and career staffing, Ellen focuses on helping students navigate career opportunities, build workplace skills, and achieve their professional goals.
J. Caleb Simon, Assistant Director. jsimon@wlu.edu (540) 458-8534
Caleb Simon joined the Office of Career Strategy at Washington and Lee University School of Law in October 2024. He earned his master's in Counselor Education from the University of Lynchburg and is a National Certified Counselor (NCC), and Certified Career Counselor (CCC). Prior to joining W&L Law Caleb served as the Assistant Director of Career Services at the University of Lynchburg where he worked with undergraduate students at large and graduate students in the school of business and school of health sciences. Presently, as the Assistant Director of Career Strategy, he provides tailored career advice to law students, with a focus on helping them navigate career exploration, job search strategies, professional development, preparing for interviews and skill-building for successful legal careers.
Daniela Wallace, Recruitment Operations Manager. dwallace@wlu.edu - (540)458-8535
Daniela brings a diverse background in marketing, administration, and nonprofit leadership to the Office of Career Strategy. She holds an MBA with a cognate in Non-Profit Leadership and Management from Liberty University, as well as a bachelor's degree in marketing. Daniela has experience supporting executive leadership, coordinating volunteer programs, and managing marketing and data projects in both nonprofit and corporate settings. She joined Washington and Lee University in 2025 and currently supports employer engagement and recruiting operations, event coordination, and career development programming for law students. Fluent in Spanish and English, Daniela is passionate about student services, cross-cultural engagement, and strategic communication.
2026-2027 Rachford Fellows
Rachford Fellows serve as the liaisons between the OCS staff and the student body. As peer counselors, Rachford Fellows connect more easily with law students, removing some of the barriers that kept students from benefiting from OCS guidance. Rachford Fellows increase student engagement, provide a social media presence, improve communication and feedback from students, generate creative programming ideas, foster professional development, and perform critical document review.
Nina Dascoli is a 3L from Charleston, West Virginia. She attended Elon University in Elon, North Carolina for undergrad, where she served as chapter president of her sorority and as the lead editor on an undergraduate political science research journal. At W&L Law, Nina has served as Vice President of Events for the Women Law Students Organization, worked as a Research Assistant for Professor Trammell and Professor Parella, competed in the final round of the Moot Court Negotiations Competition, and won the Moot Court Client Counseling Competition. Currently, she holds positions as a Lead Articles Editor of the German Law Journal, Rachford Fellow, Negotiations Co-Chair on the Moot Court Executive Board, Law Ambassador for W&L Law Admissions, Head Czar for the Law School Football League, Merchandise Chair for the Women Law Students Organization, and Events Director of the Lewis F. Powell Distinguished Lecture Series. Outside of school, Nina can be found at the yoga studio or spending time with her friends over dinner at ZunZun.
Rosaline Meyer is a 3L from Sacramento, California. She earned her bachelor's degree from the University of California, San Diego, and worked as a legal assistant at both Mintz and Dinsmore & Shohl before attending law school. Rosaline is an active member of the W&L community, serving as Lead Articles Editor of the Washington and Lee Law Review, Co-President of the Women Law Students Organization, and a clinician in the Civil Rights and Racial Justice Clinic. She spent her 1L summer as a summer associate at Bradley Arant Boult Cummings in Birmingham, Alabama and her 2L summer as a summer associate at Eversheds Sutherland in Washington, D.C.
Brown Simmons is a 3L from Montgomery, Alabama. He attended the University of Virginia for undergrad, where he majored in Public Policy and Leadership and Global Studies. Prior to law school, Brown worked as a congressional aide on Capitol Hill for two years. At Washington and Lee, Brown has served as co-president of the Business Law Society and as a Hearing Advisor. Currently, he serves as a Lead Online Editor on the Washington and Lee Law Review and as co-chair of the Robert J. Grey, Jr. Negotiations Competition. Outside of school, Brown enjoys playing golf and keeping up with college athletics."
Office Information
Washington and Lee University School of Law
Office of Career Strategy
Sydney Lewis Hall
Lexington, VA 24450
Phone (540) 458-8535
Fax (540) 458-8168