In a Rosslyn office building filled with more than 60 classrooms, conversations happen daily in languages from around the world. For many instructors, it is their first job in the United States. For the students—military and diplomatic professionals—it is preparation for representing the United States abroad.
That intersection of global cultures has defined ICA Language Services, an Arlington-based, family-owned business serving clients across the DC Metro area and now celebrating its 40th year.
Originally founded in April 1986 as a small, 6-classroom language school, ICA’s trajectory changed when Deidre Doyle joined the organization later that year. An entrepreneur with a background in organizational behavior and former Assistant Director of the now-closed Washington School for Secretaries, Doyle quickly recognized the opportunity to build something larger.
As a military spouse, she brought a firsthand understanding of military structure and culture—insight that helped shape ICA’s focus on supporting military professionals preparing for assignments overseas.
Doyle became a partner in 1993 and eventually sole owner in 2009, guiding the company’s expansion into a major language training and testing provider. Today, ICA operates a full-service language training facility in Rosslyn and has delivered nearly five million hours of instruction and more than 30,000 language assessments in over 120 languages. ICA also provides training on military bases throughout the US and abroad.
But the company’s story is also a family one.
Lexie Casey, Doyle’s daughter and now President and CEO, quite literally grew up in the business—organizing books in the school’s library as a child, later working the front desk during high school and college, and teaching ESL after graduating.
After building a career in business development, marketing, and proposal writing for government contractors, Casey returned to ICA in 2009. She became a partner in 2014 and took over day-to-day operations in 2015, when Doyle became Chair of the Board.
Today, Casey continues to expand the company’s reach while maintaining the culture her mother established.
ICA has employed more than 1,300 people from 131 countries, creating a workplace where languages, cultures, and perspectives intersect daily. For many instructors, the company provides an entry point into the U.S. workforce, allowing them to use a skill deeply tied to their identity—their native language.
That environment, Casey says, is part of what makes the organization unique.
“For 40 years, ICA has been focused on supporting the individuals who serve our country around the world,” Casey said. “Just as important is the community we’ve built here in Arlington, bringing together people from different cultures and creating a place where those perspectives are valued and celebrated.”
Certified by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, ICA provides language training and testing designed to prepare professionals for real-world performance in diplomacy, security, and global engagement.
Four decades after its founding, the company remains rooted in Arlington, while its impact continues to reach far beyond it.
