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We are so grateful for our volunteer instructors who give graciously of their time to provide courses for LLI. If you're interested in joining our volunteer faculty, click the button below to let us know!
Mike Abbott is a lieutenant with Chesterfield Fire and EMS Mobile Integrated Health Program and has been a member of Chesterfield Fire and EMS since 2002. In 2012, Mike began working with the Virginia State Police Med Flight I Program. He is a paramedic and a registered nurse.
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Dori Abell is a passionate senior care liaison with a background in sales and marketing, a license in health and life insurance, and years of experience as a special events director. She is currently working on a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration and hopes to open several group homes in the Richmond area at some point in her career. Dori joined the Amada Senior Care team in March of 2022, as Marketing Director and Community Liaison to help spread brand awareness while assisting seniors and their families navigate important aspects of in-home care and finding the right senior living solution through placement assistance. In addition to her role at Amada, Dori acts as Funding and Resource Specialist for Long-Term Care Consultants LLC which focuses on helping seniors understand long-term care insurance policies and claims management. Outside of work, Dori sits on the board for Pink Chair Project RVA as Director of Special Events and oversees their fundraising efforts. Her hobbies include reading, cooking, hiking, playing tennis and pickleball, and spending time with family and friends. Dori is deeply rooted in her Christian faith, and her mission in life is to be a beacon of God’s light and love.
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Pasquale Accardo is Professor Emeritus in VCU's Department of Pediatrics. He has published a half dozen volumes and several papers on G.K. Chesterton and is the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement from the American Chesterton Society.
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Melissa Ackley LCSW, is Prevention Services Manager at Chesterfield Mental Health Support Services and co-chair of the Chesterfield Suicide Awareness and Prevention Coalition.
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Helena Agnew has been sewing for as long as she can remember. It started with doll clothes she hand-stitched from scraps of fabric she found in her mother’s sewing room as a young girl. She became interested in historical costume making several years ago. Since then, she has been researching, learning historic tailoring, and creating garments from the 16th through 19th centuries. As a recently retired art educator, Helena has devoted her time to creating an extensive costume collection and loves to play “dress up” with any friends who are willing!
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Kenneth Alford is an LLI member, frequent historical consultant for television productions, and a contributor to news articles involving looted Nazi Treasures. He is the author of The Spoils of World War II, Great Treasure Stories of World War II, Allied Looting in World War II, Hermann Goering and the Nazi Art Collection, Sacking Aladdin's Cave, American Crimes and the Liberation of Paris, Monetary Men, and co-authored Nazi Millionaires.
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Mary Kay Anderson has always loved crafting and has taught scrapbooking for 20 years. Some of her other interests include cross stitch, embroidery, card making, diamond art, sewing, cartonnage, jewelry making, and making things with the Cricut, but what she enjoys most is doing projects with friends. Mary Kay has been an LLI member since 2024.
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Daniel Arkin is all about adventures, most of which are part of the classes he teaches at LLI. Students are bound to hear stories and jokes relating to landscape architecture, non-profits, construction, building and flying his own airplane, tractoring, motorcycling, welding art, training velociraptors, and the use of technology of all flavors. He is best known as a storytelling technology guru, having presented since the early 1980s, cutting edge topics at conferences and in classrooms across the country, encouraging adult learners on anything and everything technology. Nowadays, he splits his energy between taming the outdoor spaces on his three-acre property in Chester and teaching an ever-growing collection of classes, always packed with valuable information sandwiched between a healthy amount of humor and sarcasm. Danny has been an LLI member since 2018.
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Amy Armstrong PhD, is an associate professor with the VCU College of Health Professions in Rehabilitation Counseling. She received an MA in Rehabilitation Counseling from Michigan State University and a PhD in Education from VCU. Amy provides training related to well-being, positive psychology, appreciative inquiry, and leadership. She enjoys traveling, the water, her dog Callie, and her family and friends. She also loves to laugh.
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Cindy Arnold is a librarian at the Chesterfield Public Library Midlothian branch. She has a masters in Library Science from Louisiana State University and has worked as a librarian since 2001 both in public and school libraries. Cindy enjoys assisting people as they pursue their learning goals. She has lived in Midlothian since 2003 and likes exploring all that Virginia has to offer.
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Susan Atkins is a Chesterfield Master Gardener and long-term Virginia gardener. She is interested in the development of healthy soil and how it relates to healthy food, people, and the environment. Her scientific education, healthcare career, and frequent family farm visits help her study and interpret the scientific and practical aspects of gardening. Experienced in teaching children and professionals, she is eager to interact and share with others.
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Brian Austin PhD, is a retired professor of psychology who, earlier in his career, practiced as a clinical psychologist. His passion for studio art blossomed upon becoming a member of LLI. Brian looks forward to sharing his passion for creative expression with others in the classroom. He can be reached at 804-378-8004 or at baustinphd@verizon.net.
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Kate Ayers joined ReEstablish Richmond in 2013. She was motivated by her participation in the “Just Faith” program, a class focusing on social justice issues around the world. Kate holds a master’s degree in teaching and worked for eleven years as a special education teacher and department chair in Hanover County, while also serving as a volunteer mentor for refugees in the Richmond community. Kate is currently a member of the Office of New Americans Advisory Board, and her dedicated efforts continue to build a supportive, trustworthy community for refugees and new immigrants living in Richmond.
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Stephanie Balarzs Douglas was born in Chesterfield County and is a longtime Powhatan resident who has been scrapbooking and taking pictures since the days of box cameras! She runs her own small business through the direct sales company, Creative Memories. Stephanie has been an independent advisor for over 20 years and has been ranked in the top one percent of her company for the last seven years in a row. She understands the beauty of sharing, remembering and cherishing life’s special moments with family and friends through pictures and scrapbooks.
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Diane Barbour has been a member of LLI since 2010. Growing up in New Jersey, she enjoyed drawing and painting as a hobby, but never took any art classes. When she retired from her job as a chief information officer, she enrolled in art classes at LLI and the VMFA Studio School. Diane has taken art classes with many of the LLI art instructors. She enjoys painting in oil and watercolor, particularly birds and animals.
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Reamey Belski is a certified End of Life Doula (EOLD) and Advanced Care Consultant with Crossover Doula Services. She received her EOLD training through Doulagivers Institute and is a Qualified Advance Directive Facilitator through the VA Department of Health. She holds a bachelor's in hospitality management from Johnson & Wales University. Reamey’s work with Crossover Doula Services began when she helped care for her aging grandmother during the last few years of her life. Crossover Doula Services allows her the platform to provide tailored support to those in her community who are at the end of life or who want to plan for the future. From legacy projects to vigil planning, to post-death bereavement support, she is committed to creating a peaceful and dignified experience for those navigating this profound transition, and a comforting space for those left behind. She works with clients in the greater Richmond area, and often hosts public events and Death Cafes focused on positive end of life conversations and the importance of planning. A Richmond native, Reamey enjoys spending time outdoors, hiking the Buttermilk trail, and exploring new restaurants in the city. She is a mom to two black rescue cats and a dog.
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John Bennett PhD, was an engineering faculty member at the University of Connecticut for 29 years and was dedicated to helping students prepare for success in engineering employment. This meant that students were able to address the situations and opportunities that yielded outcomes that improved people’s lives. He has lived in Virginia since 2016 and has offered classes at the Lifelong Learning Institute since 2020.
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Pamela Biasca Losada MS, PCC-ICF has worked directly with clients for over 20 years and has been a psychologist, business owner, coach, speaker, author, and immersive guided meditation facilitator. Pamela helps clients overcome things like chronic stress, people-pleasing, and perfectionism, so they can lead lives of ultimate joy, wellness, and fulfillment. Additionally, she provides coaching at multiple companies, facilitates workshops, and seminars, and has been a guest on several podcasts.
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Millie Bishop has been the Revenue Recovery Manager with Chesterfield Fire and EMS for nine years. She was a prior medic and has an accounting degree. Millie has a passion to help people.
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Sorana Blackfoot moved to the U.S. from Romania in 2002 and built a successful career in the financial industry to make it worth the sacrifice of uprooting herself. During her 15-year career in finance, she learned that a lot of women are uncomfortable with their finances and therefore, are left in a very precarious situation if/when they are alone due to divorce or widowhood. In January 2018, Sorana published her first Amazon best-seller, “New World, New Dreams: My Money Story,” sharing the money lessons she learned by living on two continents and through three different regimes. Sorana is a prosperity mentor who teaches women to create, preserve, and transfer their wealth by building better relationships with their money. She put this passion into a second best-seller, “Money Mindset Makeover” – a 21-day challenge to help people improve their understanding of how money really works.
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Donna Blackwell was raised in Northern Virginia and has lived her life advocating for civil and human rights. She was a co-founder of Black Women United for Action, a NAACP Youth leader, and a board member for the Human Rights Commission, the Human Relations Council, and the Fairfax History Commission. Before moving to Chesterfield, Donna was the administrative assistant and research analyst for Fairfax Legal Aid and Bar Association. An LLI member since 2016, she has been the instructor of Black Lives Matter course and is serving as Chair of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.
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Edward Blackwell has taught a variety of subjects for over thirty years. Much of his time was with Chesterfield County Public Schools, but he has also worked with Richmond City Public Schools, VCU and a local private school. Mr. Blackwell has a B.A. and M.A. in English, as well as a large concentration of courses in history and education. He has taught on middle, secondary, and collegiate levels, and his courses have included English, writing, history, civics and economics, as well as alternative education. He is keenly interested in the English Renaissance and writes sonnets, but he also enjoys helping others with prose writing techniques. Mr. Blackwell loves studying and lecturing about the American Civil War. When teaching social sciences, he believes it is essential to combine the development of U.S. government with its resulting historical effects.
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Mary Bradstock is a native Virginian—born in Richmond and raised in Chesterfield County. She is a member of The Country Style Dancers of Richmond and has been dancing at LLI since 2009 and teaching since 2012.
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Tracey Brooks was honorably discharged from the United States Marine Corps Reserves. She has various Aerobics and Fitness Association of America Group Exercise & Personal Trainer Certifications, including Kickboxing (IFTA), Zumba and Yoga. Tracey has been teaching and training since 2002. She is energetic and knowledgeable! She also has the ability to motivate and inspire clients regardless of physical fitness level and encourages habits that are life changing.
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Sherella Brown is a certified Jazzercise fitness instructor who specializes in combining dance and exercise in her work with active adults.
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Annabelle Bugay is the Coordinator of Volunteer Recruitment, Retention, and Recognition at Feed More. Previously, Annabelle worked for nonprofits in Colorado and New York City, providing immediate relief services to those experiencing homelessness and food scarcity. Annabelle is thrilled to bring her passion for community service to her hometown of Richmond through Feed More’s extensive mission of hunger relief. She especially loves engaging with her local community and inviting others to the table at Feed More – whether that’s through involvement with volunteer programs or sharing information about the organization’s history, mission, and services.
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Jennifer Burnett has a long list of hobbies and interests, but giving back and helping others is her passion. After earning a bachelor's in psychology and a master's in special education from Mary Baldwin University, she taught severe and profoundly disabled students for more than 20 years. Now, she has chosen to help others in a different way, as the volunteer coordinator for Traditions Health. This new venture has taught her that there are many hidden benefits to volunteering.
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John Byrd is an award-winning ventriloquist and has been performing as a ventriloquist in the Richmond area for the past 25 years. He graduated from the Virginia Military Institute and received a master’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. He retired from the Commonwealth of Virginia with 38 years of service. He also retired from the Army Reserve as a Lieutenant Colonel.
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Ken Carlson is a former electrical engineer with an enthusiasm for music, the dramatic arts, and group participation. He joined LLI in 2019 and enjoys playing tuba and string bass with several bands and ensembles, including the LLI Lifelong Musicians group.
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J. Diane Carter is an experienced bridge player and encourages people who have not been regular players to join the fun bridge group. She has been an LLI member since 2017.
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Linda Caruthers CSA, LTCP, is the founder and CEO of Long-Term Care Consultants, Inc., Richmond’s only dedicated long-term care insurance agency providing long-term care planning and caregiver support resources to individuals and employer groups. She has specialized in long-term care insurance since 2000 and earned the Long-Term Care Professional (LTCP) designation from America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) in 2005 and the Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) designation from the Society of Certified Senior Advisors in 2006.
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Keith Chambers is a lifelong resident of Chesterfield County and has worked for Chesterfield Fire and EMS for over three decades where he currently serves as the Assistant Chief of Community Risk Reduction. In this position, he provides strategic oversight and daily management of the Fire Marshal's Office, Chesterfield County Emergency Management, and Public Information where they use engineering, education, enforcement, economic incentives, and emergency response to plan, mitigate, respond to, and recover from all types of emergency events and natural or man-made disasters. Keith has been enjoying the outdoors with his wife, Jane, since 1989.
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Zach Chancellor MD, is a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon with Cardiothoracic Surgical Associates in Richmond, Virginia. Dr. Chancellor earned his Doctor of Medicine from University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson, Mississippi and completed a general surgery residency and cardiothoracic surgery fellowship with University of Virginia Health System. He also completed a postdoctoral research fellowship with University of Virginia.
Dr. Chancellor is board-certified by the American Board of Surgery. He provides patients with surgical care for complex and common conditions of the heart, lungs, and chest. He is experienced in coronary artery bypass, management of aortic and mitral valve disease, and surgical management of atrial fibrillation. During his residency, he served as resident member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, Thoracic Surgery Residents Association, and American College of Surgeons. His research has been published in several medical journals, and he has received numerous awards and honors, including the American Heart Association Young Investigator Award. When he’s not seeing patients, Dr. Chancellor enjoys playing tennis and spending time with his family.
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Anne Clendenin is a member of LLI who enjoys dancing and has been playing Spades for years. She wants to continue sharing her love for Spades with other members at LLI!
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Poly Cline has been teaching watercolor at LLI since 2020. A Texas transplant, she is an avid artist, gardener, and cook.
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Susan Coffey has been a member of LLI since 2009 and has taught various communication-type courses over the years. She has a doctorate in Communication Studies from UVA. She loves taking art and craft classes, including jewelry making, oil painting, watercolors, acrylics, and sketching.
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Carol Colacurcio is a sound practitioner and classically trained musician who has certifications in "The Use of Cross-Cultural Sacred Music for Therapeutic Applications" and "Music in Hospice." She has worked with people in hospice and with groups for bereavement, abuse, and suicide, as well as presented on sound healing at conferences nationally. Some of her methods include breathing techniques, toning, and experiential listening with the results of helping to relieve stress, pain, and depression, as well as stabilizing body rhythms and improving concentration, focus, and motivation.
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Richard Commander earned his MS in chemical engineering from VA Tech in 1965. In 2001, he retired after 30 years of working as a chemical engineer at Hercules. Dick has been a resident of Chesterfield County (Enon) since 1979 and has served as Chairman of the Board for the Hopewell Food Pantry for 15 years. He has 35 years of experience making presentations on budgeting and is currently presenting for the Caritas Works Program. He has also presented various classes in Armstrong HS, as well as the Henrico County and Chesterfield County adult night school. Dick’s favorite topics to teach are money management and self-esteem, and his hobby is eBay.
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Kate Conn joined LLI in 2018 after retiring from Chesterfield County Public Schools. She has many interests and hobbies. Kate gets much joy from playing banjo, autoharp, banjo uke, and the "Limberjack" with the Company's Coming band. She loves to sing harmony.
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Claude Cooper was a professional engineer for 40 years, working for the state of Virginia, Fairfax County, and the city of Richmond. He earned a BS in civil engineering and a MS in engineering management. His experience was primarily in administering and enforcing building codes and land development ordinances and regulations. He is a Midlothian resident and has been an LLI member since 2019.
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Madison Costner is a physical therapy assistant who has been practicing since 2021 and has developed her skills doing inpatient work. She loves teaching people how to take control of their health, building confidence and making connections through exercise. Madison enjoys low-impact activities such Pilates and yoga, which aid in stress reduction and promote self-reflection. She believes that we should never stop learning and hopes her students will leave the class with something new.
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Jennifer Cottle is the Education Manager of the MacArthur Memorial in Norfolk, VA and has been at the museum since 2019. She graduated from Appalachian State University in 2014 and worked as an archaeologist for several years before going into the museum field. In December 2023, she received her a MA in Public History. Her capstone project focused on the WWII civilian internment camps in the Philippines.
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Luke Coukos was a pharmacist for 50 years and has helped many people through their struggle to understand their health issues. He is honored to help guide a class which shows Jesus' humanity and love for everyone.
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Maria Crostic is a bilingual Prevention Specialist at Chesterfield Mental Health Support Services. She has her degree in Psychology from Virginia Tech and enjoys helping people of all ages! Maria prioritizes well-being and incorporates daily practices such as journaling, reading, and expressing gratitude. Maria loves to craft on her Cricut during her spare time.
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Roy Dahlquist recently retired from the Virginia Economic Development Partnership in 2015. He was an economic advisor to Governors Kaine, McDonnell and McAuliffe on issues related to Asian business opportunities and challenges, serving as Managing Director, International Business Development - Asia. He met with high level government and business leaders throughout Asia. Roy first retired from Alcoa/Reynolds Metals Company in 2006 with 30 years of global and domestic service. He was Managing Director of Food Packaging Operations in China and Director of International Business Development for the Food Packaging Division, overseeing operations worldwide. He traveled to over 60 different countries developing global business relationships and opportunities. He met with international, federal, state and local government officials including governors and federal agency heads. Roy currently serves as Vice President of the Madison Village Homeowners Association located in Charter Colony and serves on the Board of Directors for the Salisbury Country Club Senior Men’s Association. He has a BS degree from Saint Joseph University in Philadelphia and has been an LLI member since 2016.
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Billie Darlington is a Mobility Coordinator for Chesterfield County. A mother of three and a grandmother of nine, Billie loves helping the community through her job. Knowing that she’s helping people makes her work rewarding!
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Cece D'Arville serves as the Education Coordinator at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, alongside a talented group of educators and docents that provide in-person and virtual student programs, teacher outreach, and community-based programming year-round. Growing up in Virginia sparked her interest in history from a young age, and she loves talking about the rich and complex history of her home state with museum visitors. She is passionate about public history and helping people understand how landscapes and public art shape historic narratives.
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Beverly Davidson is a retired elementary school teacher and an avid crafter who has dabbled in many different mediums over the years. While continuing to take classes herself, Bev has taught crafts to other adults and children and has participated in craft shows as a vendor. She has been an LLI member since 2019.
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James Davidson is a Vice President of Investments for Davenport & Company and Certified Financial Planner™ practitioner with more than 18 years of industry experience. He currently serves as an Ex-Officio member on the LLI Board of Directors and manages the LLI Endowment Fund.
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Susan Davies is helping out in the oil painting workshop. She has been painting for five years and is still a rookie but loves the fun of it. She taught elementary school in three states for 40 years before retiring and joining LLI in 2017.
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Teresa Day has been dancing ballroom socially for more than 15 years, taking lessons all the while to improve her ability to dance the many American School smooth and rhythm dances popular in Richmond. Teresa enjoys helping others learn this fun way to sharpen physical, mental, and social skills all at once. She has been an LLI member since 2021.
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Jennifer DeRusha has been a member of LLI since 2015 and has 38 years of teaching experience including Chesterfield Adult Education, Allbrands, Collegiate Cougar after-school program for children, and the YMCA. She was past president, vice president, secretary and founding member of Hospitality Quilters Chapter, Richmond Quilters Guild. Jennifer is a member of and Membership Chairman of the Richmond Central VA Chapter of the American Sewing Guild. She has 50 years of sewing experience, including her own line of reversible clothing for children, has completed 100+ quilts and featured three quilt shows of her own work. Jennifer is a juried artist in watercolor, colored pencil, pastel and mixed media, and is a member of Bon Air Artist Association as well as the MidAtlantic Pastel Society. She graduated from VCU in 1969 with a degree in science and has been tap dancing at LLI for four years.
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Kimberley Dickerson retired in 2023 from Chesterfield County, where she was an elementary school assistant principal. Since then, she started Kreative Gifts by S&K. Kimberley loves making seasonal and sports-themed items and sharing her creations with others. In her free time, she enjoys playing co-ed softball, hiking, and spending time with her grands.
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Brie Dixon has been a nurse since 2008. She worked in the trauma and burn intensive care unit at Chippenham Hospital until 2022, when she became the injury prevention and outreach coordinator. Brie has always been dedicated to helping her patients achieve the best possible outcomes, and now she is able to impact the community by giving them the tools to help prevent an injury-related hospitalization.
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Shawn Doran is a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones in Midlothian. He focuses on helping people with navigating investments, saving on taxes, important estate planning items, long term care planning, creating income in retirement, and making sure they have a solid plan. Shawn and his wife, Lisa, enjoy spending their free time with their seven children, playing sports and enjoying the outdoors.
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Kyndall Drumheller has been employed in various roles by the Virginia War Memorial since April 2012 and currently serves as the Assistant Director of Education. She received her BA in History from Randolph-Macon College and her MA in American History from Liberty University. While in graduate school, she completed an education internship at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia, where she conducted tours and summer camp programs, and performed research on the involvement of African Americans on D-Day. Kyndall recently served on the Board of the Greater Richmond Association for Volunteer Administration as Treasurer. Currently, she is working on the Virginia War Memorial’s Veterans Database - a massive project that locates photographs and information on the nearly 12,000 Virginians who have been killed in action from World War II to the Persian Gulf War.
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Diane Drummond has been an LLI member since 2009. She began making headbands, hair bows and jewelry for her beautiful granddaughter and has continued adding to her repertoire of craft skills, which she happily shares with her fellow LLI members in a variety of classes. Diane is especially interested in early settlers and Indian crafts used in everyday living.
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Eric Faw began working for Chesterfield County Juvenile Drug Court in 2004 and began his current role at Prevention Services in 2017. He loves to travel, and he and his wife frequently visit other countries.
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Kimberly Felder is a Hearing Instrument Specialist. She founded Clarity Hearing in 2018 with the belief that everyone should be able to afford hearing. Originally from Upstate NY, she came from a large farm family with eight siblings and cherished the time she spent growing up in a small country setting in the Mohawk Valley. In 1990, Kimberly started working for the audiologist who became her mentor and who inspired her to work with the hearing impaired. For over 30 years, she has helped the hearing impaired understand their hearing loss and find the solution to understanding speech again. Continuing education is an important part of keeping up with this industry, and Kimberly makes it a top priority as the technology available is changing all the time. She has been an LLI member since 2022.
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Bob Ferguson has been an active member of LLI since 2008 and has served on the LLI Board of Directors since 2015. He has a Ph.D. in Chemistry and worked at NIH before moving to Richmond. For 38 years he worked in various capacities at Philip Morris/Altria prior to retiring in 2012. Bob has varied interests including Science, History, Literature, and Theater. He has performed with LLI’s Readers Theater group, Bifocals, Huguenot Community Players, and River City Community Players. He writes plays (with Vic Thompson) and acts with LLI’s own Young at Heart Actors (YAHA).
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John Fisher graduated from VA Tech in 1975 and received an MBA from the University of Baltimore in 1984. During his 44-year career as an electrical engineer at a defense contractor, he worked on the manufacturing, testing, and design for radar systems including the F-16, F-22, and F35. As part of his manufacturing experience, he completed Six Sigma Black Belt training in 1998. He is a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. John retired to Midlothian from Ellicott City, MD in 2019. His retirement interests include golf, history, and the intersection of technology and the larger world. John and his wife, Harriet, have been LLI members since 2022.
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Catherine Fitzgerald Wyatt is the Education and Outreach Manager at the Library of Virginia, where she is responsible for the development, coordination, and implementation of educational resources and public programming, including: the Library’s online educational resources for K-12 students, teachers, and the general public; public programming aimed at various audiences over in-person and distance learning platforms; and grant-funded programming. She also develops and maintains the department’s social media presence and website and promotes the Library’s resources at state and national conferences. Catherine holds a MA and is ABD in history from Rice University. She has knowledge of, and experience in, the field of history and humanities education, especially for K-12 students, teachers, life-long learners, and the public. Prior to coming to the Library of Virginia, she served as a history instructor at Rice University, and she worked in the public history field at Drayton Hall (SC), Fort Sumter National Monument (SC), and Henricus Historical Park (VA).
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Valerie Fowlkes is a Sr. Clinician and Prevention Consultant for Chesterfield County Mental Health Prevention Services. As a preventionist, Valerie wears many hats. Valerie provides parent education, leads prevention programming in elementary schools, and facilitates suicide awareness and prevention programs for middle and high school students. Driven by being of service to others, she takes pride in providing the best training possible as an ACE Interface Presenter, a Mental Health First Aid Adult Instructor, self-care and wellness advocate, and as a committee member of the Trauma Informed Leadership Team (TILT) and the Diversity and Inclusion Team (DAIT). Valerie uses her positive attitude and tireless energy to promote mental wellness, trauma-informed care, and wellness, as well as to encourage others to overcome their challenges by building resilience. Valerie is inspired by her husband and their two daughters. In her free time, Valerie likes to spend time with family and friends, plan events, and travel to new and interesting destinations.
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Marti Franks loves Watercolors! She has been painting since 1997, starting out with Ellie Cox and continuing with Sarah Hoyle, Chris Wynn, and Susan Stuller. She has participated in many workshops with nationally known artists, including John Salamien, Mary Whyte, Ted Andrews, Alvaro Cassinett, Tony Van Hassett, Frank Webb, and Jean Spicer. Marti is a past president of the Bon Air Artists Association and has served as a co-chair of its events, Art Affair and Artful Healing. She exhibits at Crossroads Art Center and at various venues with the Bon Air Artist Association.
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Martha Frickert is retired and now serving as community advocate on several boards. She previously served as a member and president on the LLI Board of Directors.
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Marc Friedlander is a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) helping families navigate the difficult assisted living and memory care arenas. He has had personal experiences with both sides of his family and could have used an advocate during the difficult decision-making process. Marc is a member of the Richmond Senior Network. He has an undergraduate degree in Psychology from The George Washington University and an MBA from Montclair State University. Marc enjoys living in the beautiful Richmond area with his wife and two kids. In his spare time, he is on the board of his neighborhood swim team.
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Sierra Garland is excited to teach simple and practical tips on gratitude and joy that individuals will be able to incorporate into their everyday lives. She works as a Preventionist for Chesterfield Mental Health and is a former elementary teacher and school counselor. She is also an outpatient therapist and is working towards becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor. Sierra enjoys looking for “bits of joy” in her everyday life and activities which include playing and coaching basketball, playing with her pup Ginger and spending time with family.
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Amma Gatty is the Founder and Executive Director of Culture Encounters, a nonprofit promoting cultural appreciation and unity. Born in Ghana, Amma's rich cultural background and migration to the United States in the early 2000s have profoundly influenced her work. She holds a bachelor's degree from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, an MBA from Strayer University, and a graduate certificate in Family Life Education from North Carolina State University. Amma began her transformative journey with The Next Star Arts Program in 2015, which evolved into Culture Encounters. Her nonprofit organization fosters understanding among diverse communities through cultural exchanges and educational programs. Amma's leadership and commitment to lifelong learning are evident in her multifaceted roles as a Family Life Educator and Coach. Beyond her professional life, she is a devoted wife and mother, passionate about the culinary arts and creating inviting spaces for family and friends. Amma's compassionate and resilient nature continues to inspire and lead efforts in cultural education.
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Paul Glancy is a former high school and college instructor who earned his BA in history and MS in education with a focus on broad-field social studies from the University of Wisconsin. Paul spent 14 years in the newspaper business, including as part of the USA TODAY start-up team, and he drew from his experience to develop newspaper-in-education curricula. He has been a VP of Marketing and Business Development for the Martin Agency and Director of Sales for WebsiteAlive/Alive5. A current substitute teacher for Chesterfield County schools, Paul is interested in German history and the Third Reich, including books, movies, and other sources on the Holocaust, and has a keen interest in the Middle East conflict. Paul has been an LLI member since 2022.
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Carolyn Goble has been an LLI member since 2019 and enjoys playing games and cycling.
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Arthur Goldberg is a semi-retired CPA from the Bronx who moved to Virginia after living and working in Miami for 40 years. He and his wife, Arlene, enjoy the scenery and climate in Virginia and the friendly people they’ve met at LLI. Arthur plays Bingo, Mah Jongg, and Hand and Foot, and he excels at jigsaw puzzles.
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Don Golladay is from Woodstock in the Shenandoah Valley. As a child, his mother took him to church where he was exposed to gospel music and joined the choir. At home, he sang harmony to the radio and Lawrence Welk. When his friend learned to play the banjo, Don bought a guitar, and they formed a duo playing the local “hot spots.” In high school, Don was in the concert band, chorus, and acapella group, which formalized his musical skills. Afterwards, he moved to Richmond where he earned a degree in mathematics and was hired by a local private school where he taught math and coached football and lacrosse. Don was invited to join a bluegrass/gospel group where he learned to play upright bass. Since then, Don has been in various groups and entertained folks with bluegrass, old time, folk, and Americana music. He enjoys singing and playing bass, guitar, and mandolin for anyone who is willing to listen.
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Diana Gomez is the Manager of Volunteer Recruitment, Retention, and Recognition at Feed More in Richmond. Before joining Feed More, Diana lived in Orlando, Florida, where she worked in HR for Universal Orlando Parks and Resorts and owned a trucking logistics company. Passionate about uplifting the community and supporting those in need, Diana is dedicated to making a positive impact. In her free time, she skates on a roller derby team, works towards authoring her first novel, and enjoys spending time in nature.
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Bill Good participated in Civil War reenactments for 10 years as an infantryman and in the ambulance corps. He has a wealth of knowledge about the Civil War. He has been a member of LLI since 2007 and enjoys history, genealogy and woodcarving.
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Cynthia Graunke has been a member of LLI since she moved to Midlothian in 2014. She serves as a Road Scholar Ambassador and an officer in a local chapter of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE.)
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Lissa Greenlee has been an executive in the voluntary health space for over twenty years. She is currently the Executive Director for the Alzheimer's Association of Greater Richmond and the Central and Western Virginia Chapters. Previously, Lissa worked with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for 19 years. She has a heart for seniors and is passionate about ensuring that no family in our community navigates Alzheimer's or another dementia alone. In addition to her regular duties, Lissa has been certified as a Research Champion with the Alzheimer's Association which enables her to speak on the most cutting-edge research in dementia. Outside of work, Lissa enjoys spending time with her husband Ryan and their twins, Ava and Parker.
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Ryan Greenlee CFP®, is the Chief Operations Officer and Chief Compliance Officer for Barrett Capital Management, LLC. Ryan brings over 20 years of Fortune 500 experience to Barrett Capital and is able to draw from a diverse background in strategy, finance, technology, compliance, risk management, and operations. Since joining Barret Capital in 2022, he has enjoyed putting his diverse skillset to work, ensuring compliance, operational efficiency, and sound strategies to guide individuals and families toward their life goals. Ryan holds a BS in Communications from James Madison University, an MS in Management of Information Systems from University of Virginia, and is a CFP® Professional. Before joining Barrett Capital, Ryan worked for several Fortune 500 companies including GE Financial Assurance (now Genworth Financial) and McKesson Medical-Surgical. Ryan has experience with senior needs planning, Medicare supplement programs, long-term care insurance, life insurance, annuities, employee benefit planning, and ERISA regulations.
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Mark Grubbs is originally from and grew up in Richmond, VA. He has lived in several states and in South Korea. He has a B.S. in Aerospace and Ocean Engineering from Virginia Tech, and an M.A. in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. Mark has worked with computers for the last 35+ years in several occupations: engineering, aircraft piloting, teaching in universities abroad, and in vocational ministry. In 2016, he began his own business, Mark’s Help LLC, in which he helps people in their homes with their technology, mostly computers and smart phones. Mark began teaching at LLI in 2015 and hopes to continue into the foreseeable future.
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Sabrina Guerin thinks being financially confident starts with having the right skills and tools to make smart financial decisions. With over seven years of financial education experience, Sabrina is passionate about enriching lives in her community by giving people the support they need to reach their financial goals. Sabrina is a certified financial counselor and holds her MBA from the College of William and Mary. In her spare time, Sabrina loves giving back to her alma mater and currently serves as President on the SPCS Alumni Association Board at the University of Richmond.
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Mary Gutberlet M.Ed., has been interested in meditative and positive energy practices for physical and spiritual health since she was in graduate school. She attended Tai Chi classes elsewhere in the Richmond area in the late 1990s. After retiring, she joined LLI in 2015, primarily because Tai Chi instruction was offered. She has been a student in Damir Strmel's Tai Chi classes since the Fall of 2016. Mary has bachelor's and master's degrees in general and special education. During her 37.5 years in Education, she taught in two Virginia public school divisions as well as in the Hospital Education Program at what is now known as Children's Hospital at VCU. She eventually became an outpatient Educational Consultant. In this role, she served as an advocate for her patients and as the liaison between various medical teams and the school teams of her patients. Mary enjoys going to museums, plays, concerts, and movies. She likes to travel, is an avid reader, loves the beach and the mountains, and very much enjoys walking and hiking.
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Phyllis Harris is a social ballroom dance instructor in the American Style. Throughout her 30+ year career, Phyllis has taught in Richmond, Colonial Heights, Williamsburg, and Virginia Beach. Working with people of all ages, from middle school children and teens, to seniors who are "young at heart," and every age in between, she truly enjoys helping folks discover the many benefits of social dancing.
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Jess Harshbarger is the branch manager of Chesterfield County Public Library’s Midlothian location. She has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Mary Washington and a Master of Library and Information Science from Kent State University. She has worked in public libraries since 2006, has worked at Chesterfield County Public Library since 2012, and has been the branch manager of Midlothian Library since 2015. She lives in Brandermill with her husband, two children and three dogs. In her free time, she enjoys listening to live music, acrylic painting, and reading.
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Linda Hawkins is a retired cardiac nurse and the CEO and Founder of the nonprofit, Recover Hope, which seeks to fight human trafficking and provide restoration for its victim/survivors. Linda has been working in anti-human trafficking since 2016 with the goal of bringing awareness to the issue for the safety of our community. She and her colleagues at Recover Hope have a goal of offering two-year free residences for those who have been trafficked that will facilitate successful healing, restoration, and a path to reenter mainstream society in a healthy and productive way.
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Ted Heck grew up in Richmond, VA and graduated from Open High in the mid-1980s. His master’s thesis was on services for victims of hate crimes against LGBTQ people. This led him to help found the Virginia Anti-Violence Project where he served on the board as treasurer and then president. Ted has volunteered with many other organizations, including the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, and Side by Side. He works in HIV prevention at the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), where he serves as Transgender Health Services Specialist. He often facilitates the Richmond Transformers transmasculine support group as a peer member. Finally, Ted is a Quaker who is active in Richmond Friends Meeting. He and his spouse live in the Blackwell section of Richmond with their two cats. For this workshop, he is NOT representing VDH.
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Bernard Henderson is the President Emeritus and Funeral Celebrant for Woody and Nelsen Funeral Homes. He worked as Legislative Assistant in the Virginia General Assembly; Assistant Tally Clerk of the U. S. House of Representatives; Assistant to the Commissioners of the Virginia State Corporation Commission; Administrator for the Virginia Bureau of Insurance; director of the Virginia Department of Commerce and the Virginia Department of Health Professions; and Senior Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth with Cabinet-rank during the Warner and Kaine administrations. He serves on the boards of the Shepherd’s Center of Richmond, the Capital Area Agency on Aging, and the Virginia Holocaust Museum. Bernie was educated at Thomas Jefferson High School in Richmond, Old Dominion University, Loewen University, and Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. Bernie and his wife, Marie, have two daughters and four grandchildren.
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Robin Hoerber was born three months prematurely and developed Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) which resulted in total blindness. Raised in New Jersey, Robin was taught to be as independent as possible. She earned her bachelor’s in psychology with a minor in English from Dickinson College and her master’s in vocational rehabilitation counseling from East Carolina University. Robin has worked as a vocational rehabilitation counselor, a missions program coordinator, at a call center, as a Disability Rights Advocate, as a braille instructor, and as a rehabilitation teacher. She has worked with many populations including clients with a wide variety of disabilities, elderly people, persons struggling with substance abuse, and the homeless. Now retired, she serves with her church and the local Lions Club, takes classes at LLI, bakes, provides disability awareness programs, volunteers with Camp Rainbow, and spends as much time as possible outdoors and visiting her son, his wife, and her granddaughter.
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Deb Hood is a retired professor from John Tyler Community College where she taught Information Technology and mathematics classes in person and online for 22 years. She has an MA in Counseling and Guidance from Western Kentucky University and an MS in Computer Technology in Education from Nova Southeastern University. Deb’s favorite pastimes are reading banned books and ballroom dancing with her husband, Mike Recant.
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Shauna Hooker is a Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardener, who focuses on vegetable gardening and medicinal herbalism. Currently, she is working on her advanced water stewarding certification. Shauna is a charismatic and interactive teacher, who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University, with minors in religion and substance abuse. She went on to earn a Master of Arts in Management and Leadership from Liberty University. Shauna is a National Certified Addictions Counselor (NCAC) and a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC). She is a fourth-generation farmer, a wife, and a mother.
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Beckey Huddleston is a trauma-informed advocate with over three decades of experience guiding families in navigating complex legal and housing systems. She has dedicated her career to serving the community by empowering people with tools to build strength and foster independence. She’s been married to her best friend, who is a Navy veteran, for nearly 30 years and is the mother to one adult son. Beckey's passion for helping families is now shared with her husband full-time after joining his financial services practice in 2023 as an independent insurance agent.
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Robin Hulbert PhD, has been a Master Gardener with Chesterfield County since 2013. She achieved this goal after she retired from 30 years of service with the Virginia Department of Corrections, where she served as the Chief Psychologist for all adult facilities and Probation and Parole Districts within the Department. As a Master Gardener, she loves instructing and providing information to the community. She is particularly interested in sustainable gardening, the essential role that native plants have in the landscape, and attracting and supporting pollinators.
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Marie Ireland has taught craft classes with LLI for many years. She enjoys paper crafting, pottery, quilting, and more.
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Anette Isaacs MA, is a historian and public educator who has presented hundreds of programs on more than 40 different topics pertaining to Germany’s history, politics, and culture all over the United States. She holds master’s degrees in American studies, political science, and history. German born and raised, Anette is currently residing in Miami, FL.
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Patricia Jackson has a brown belt in Jiu Jitsu style Karate and many years of experience teaching and performing Qigong. Together with her daughter and grandkids, she lives in a big wooden house in the Brandermill woods.
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Walter Jackson has been a practitioner of Tai Chi and Qigong since he took his first classes in 1964. Since then, he has earned a sixth-degree black belt in Jiu Jitsu and has become fully accredited in Tai Chi and Acupressure (Shiatsu). Over the last 50 years, he has taught hundreds of classes for his San Diego organization, the Walking Tiger Tai Chi Club. After retiring from a career as an electrical engineer and a video producer, Walter and his wife moved to Richmond to help raise their two grandchildren. They live with their daughter, her husband, and their two grandkids in a big wooden house in Brandermill.
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B. Ellen Johnson PhD, holds two degrees in nuclear engineering and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering. She studied and performed research in the energy field for over twenty years before switching careers to teach and tutor high school math and physics. Dr. Johnson strives to make math, physics, and engineering engaging and understandable to students at all levels.
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Nanc Jones attended Radford University where she majored in special education, and then spent years working in the dental field in both pediatrics and oral surgery. Nanc has always had an interest in the arts and one of her favorite creative outlets is home design. Her other artistic endeavors have included jewelry making, collage and mixed media art projects, and ancestral scrapbooking. When Nanc is not creating, she enjoys traveling, antiquing, reading, gardening, and researching genealogy. Nanc is always excited for opportunities to learn new skills: her latest endeavors are watercolor painting and woodcarving. She’s not afraid to learn as she goes!
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Peppy Jones was born and raised in Midlothian, Virginia and graduated from Midlothian High School. Peppy is a graduate of University of Richmond and worked in the construction industry for 40 years. Since 2011, he has been the Director of Mid-Lothian Mines and Railroads Foundation and is a member of the Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia.
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Tanya Jones MS, is a Supervisee in Social Work working for the Jeremiah Foundation. She has experience working with adults and seniors and advocating for those with any type of disability.
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Frances Judd is a Jersey Girl who used her nursing education to travel to Minnesota, Texas, and Virginia. After retiring, she became involved in the Salisbury Garden Club. Fran joined LLI after hearing about the Institute during a pedicure. She has two sons. One lives in Lexington, KY which is great for the races, and one lives in Minneapolis which is great for everything else. Her four grandchildren live in Kentucky.
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Rick Kaerwer was born and raised outside of Boston and has lived in Chesterfield County for over 30 years. He is happily married with grown twin sons. A big fan of ukuleles, Rick has been playing since 2018 and has been singing since he was a wee lad. From 1976 to 1979 Rick played the guitar and he currently enjoys playing in the LLI Lifelong Musicians group. Rick has been an LLI instructor since 2022.
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Randall Kaker was born and raised in Wisconsin (Go Pack!) and got his degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He moved to Virginia in 1980 and taught Math and Statistics for Chesterfield Schools from 1980 until he retired in 2011. Randall has been very happily married since 1975 and has two children who live nearby. He has been playing the guitar since 1961 and truly enjoys the Lifelong Musicians group and all the friends he has made there.
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Audrey Kane PhD, OTR/L, is an assistant professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at VCU. She has a long association with VCU and recognizes their position in the local Richmond community. Dr. Kane values collaborations that provide learning opportunities for students as well as community participants.
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Shaival Kapadia MD, has been a highly respected cardiology and medical community leader for over 20 years. He has earned “Top Doc” status for decades due to his dedication to personalized and participatory precision medicine. Throughout his career as a physician and entrepreneur, he has strived to create a connected cardiovascular care model. While the “heart” of his practice at James River Cardiology is the care of patients with general cardiology needs, Dr. Kapadia also works with the team to enhance the patient experience and extend care beyond the clinic's four walls. He received his medical degree from the University of Virginia and then completed his residency in internal medicine at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. He went on to complete a fellowship in cardiology at Brown University at Rhode Island Hospital. He is board-certified by the American Board of Cardiovascular Disease.
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Dorota Kawka E-RYT 200, took her first yoga class in 1996 while pregnant with her first child and instantly fell in love with it. She was certified to teach yoga in 2008 and has been teaching ever since. Dorota especially enjoys working with older adults, teaching a variety of Chair Yoga, Senior Yoga and Gentle Yoga classes at different locations in the Richmond area. She is delighted to be able to share her practice with the LLI family.
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Jennifer Kell LCSW, is the Executive Director of the Jeremiah Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit that provides trauma recovery for adults through Robin's Hope, and provides outpatient counseling through Inner Touch. With over 20 years of experience treating trauma survivors, Jennifer has a passion for helping those of all ages heal.
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Suzanne Kelly is a retired Chesterfield County teacher with degrees in business education and English. She taught for 47 years in North Carolina and in various county junior and senior high schools. In 2001, she and Dr. Sarah Mansfield created Teachers for Tomorrow, a program for juniors and seniors interested in becoming teachers. The program has been used at James River and Midlothian High Schools since then. Suzanne began her teaching career in Chesterfield in the LLI building in 1969 and returned as a member in 2015.
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Linda Kerman earned her master’s degree in education from the University of Massachusetts. She taught literature courses in high school and community college, frequently moderating class discussions, and now assists students who are composing essays as they apply for college and specialty programs. Linda has one adult son and three grandchildren, all of whom are bookworms. An LLI member since 2016, she enjoys reading and playing with her two pet birds.
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Rick Kinnaird has been interested in ancient places since the fourth grade, maybe earlier. He has travelled the world investigating ancient places and sometimes flying kites (another passion.) He follows oftentimes in the footsteps of his childhood hero, Richard Halliburton, who along with Amelia Earhardt and Charles Lindburgh, were the most famous people in America in the 1930s. Halliburton called his travels and adventures “Romance.” Fascinated by ancient places and cultures, Mr. Kinnaird has gone to see for himself and to learn what has been discovered since Halliburton ventured out into the world.
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Evelyn Klumb is the past president and member of the Oxford Garden Club in Richmond and The Gardeners of Watchung Hills in New Jersey. She is a member of Ikebana of Richmond and studies Ikenobo, Sogetsu, Ohara and Keika Kazan. Evelyn worked with a floral designer in New Jersey and enjoys sharing the art of floral design. She became an LLI member in 2022.
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James Knego is a retired hippie with degrees in philosophy, political science, and executive leadership. He spent over 30 years working in the communications industry managing large sales organizations in VP and Executive Director roles. It is his belief that our individual lives have purpose and meaning with unlimited possibilities. Jim has been an LLI member since 2022.
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Christopher Kolakowski is the Director of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum and former Director of the MacArthur Memorial. He has written and spoken extensively on military history.
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Bette Kot MLIS, is a retired librarian whose passion is genealogy. She has been looking for her children's ancestors for about fifty years with some interesting results and many questions still remaining. Bette welcomes others with the same interest to join her classes for adventures into the past.
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John Krug has a personal reason for becoming an Oasis Senior Advisors owner- his parents. John and his family went through the process alone and endured four separate assisted living presentations while searching for the right home for them. When he saw the exponentially more pleasant experience his brother-in-law had while using a senior placement service, he knew the benefits that this could bring to families searching for the right senior living solution.
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Girish Kulkarni is an engineer and passionate meditator and meditation instructor. He is blessed with a wife and two lovely children.
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Trupti Girish Kulkarni has been meditating for over 20 years and has been a certified instructor since 2006 with the Heartfulness Institute. She was born and brought up in India and earned an MS in Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Kansas. T worked in Pharmaceuticals as a project manager and is now retired to enjoy the real life. She is blessed with a husband and two kids. She loves self-development, meditation, traveling, cooking, reading, painting, drawing, as well as teaching math, meditation and cooking. T has been an LLI member since 2015.
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William Kump is retired military and has been a collector of various United States currencies for over 30 years. He has a deep interest in history and gold panning. Bill joined LLI in 2011 and enjoys woodcarving.
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Steve Kunnmann has been an LLI member since 2013. He also serves as Treasurer on the LLI Board of Directors. Steve has degrees in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Tech and an MBA from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.
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June Laffey is Senator Hashmi’s Chief of Staff. She began her political career as an organizer with the Democratic Party of Virginia in 2019, working in Senate District 10. Prior to joining Senator Hashmi's office, she worked in electoral politics in the City of Richmond, in the nonprofit sector, and at the Virginia General Assembly. June is a Christopher Newport University alumna, where she graduated with honors in Political Science and Environmental Studies.
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Randall Lanning has a passion for aviation history and enjoys sharing it with others. He was commissioned through the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where he graduated with a BA in history in 1973. He earned an MA in history from Central Missouri State University in 1977. His 30-year Air Force career encompassed 12 assignments, which included nine years in Europe, a tour at the Pentagon, and a residency at the Air War College. His assignments were divided into four broad areas: guided missile operations, political-military affairs, academia, and command. He retired from active duty in 2003, and entered the Air Force Junior ROTC program, teaching at high schools in NJ and IL. He completed this 14-year "second career" with full retirement in 2017. Randy is a recently retired docent at the National Museum of the USAF and is currently a volunteer docent at both the Virginia War Memorial and Virginia Holocaust Museum.
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Rachel Lawson is the Program Manager for the Alzheimer’s Association supporting the Greater Richmond Chapter. She has been with the Alzheimer’s Association since July 2018 after completing her internship with the association in the Spring of 2018. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Promotions and a Master of Science in Public Health, both from Lynchburg College. Prior to the Alzheimer’s Association, she worked in medical office administration and non-profit health organizations. Rachel always strives to bring education and awareness to those impacted by all forms of dementia through the services and support of the association.
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John Lemza graduated the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1976. He served over 20 years in the Army with more than eight years abroad in Asia and Europe. His last assignment was at the Pentagon. He graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with an MA in History and from George Mason University with a PhD in History. His research interests are post-1945 America, the Cold War, the history of immigration, consumerism, and military history. John currently teaches history at Virginia Commonwealth University. He has been a member of the LLI teaching faculty since 2005. He is a member of the LLI, sits on the Board of Directors, and currently serves as President. He has published three books, American Military Communities in West Germany: Life in the Cold War Badlands, 1945-1990 (2016); The Big Picture: The Cold War on the Small Screen (2021); and Charles A. Willoughby and the Anti-Communist Crusade (2024).
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Juana Levi is a retired registered nurse who studied Art History at the University of Maryland. She is a mother of two daughters, who are both teachers, and a grandmother of four. She and her husband have been LLI members since 2013.
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Eric Levitan is the founder and CEO of Vivo. After witnessing the decline of his parents’ quality of life, he realized he wanted to better understand the aging process so that he could help them. That’s why he started Vivo – a safe, engaging, and impactful program to guide older adults to a safer and healthier life. More information on the research he found and the solution he recommends is available at www.teamvivo.com/.
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Annebel Lewis is a Socio-Cultural Anthropologist whose primary research is in ritual, belief systems, and mythology. She is retired from California State University Fullerton and from Southern California Kaiser Permanente Medical Group. She appeared in Who's Who in American Women in 91-92 and has been published in various professional journals. Annebel has been a faculty member of LLI since 2007 and serves on the Board of Directors.
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Jeffrey Litt is a general surgeon in Richmond, VA and is affiliated with HCA Virginia and the Burn and Reconstructive Centers of America. He received his medical degree from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and has been in practice for eight years. Dr. Litt specializes in burn surgery and surgical critical care and is experienced in wound repair and healing, burn care, trauma and surgical critical care, severe burn management, and burn reconstruction. Bringing cutting edge technologies and techniques to Richmond is his passion, and he is increasingly nationally recognized for expertise in new burn-care techniques like “spray-on-skin,” utilizing lab-grown “skin” grafts, and clinic-based minimally invasive skin grafting techniques for taking care of complex serious burns and wounds.
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Russell Lundeberg CPA, is the owner and Chief Investment Officer of Barrett Capital Management, LLC. With over 25 years of industry expertise, Russell specializes in crafting retirement-focused strategies. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Richmond in accounting, a master’s degree in management information systems from the University of Virginia, holds a CPA designation, and is Series 65 registered. A sought-after speaker at investment forums throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, and the Caribbean, Russell's insights have been featured in renowned media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Bloomberg Television, Reuters, CNN/Money, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, TheStreet.com, Smartmoney.com, The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, and Investor’s Business Daily.
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Joanna Lurie has a master’s degree in health administration and a Bachelor of Science in medical biology. She is a certified medical technologist by the American Society for Clinical Pathology at a master’s level and is certified in database design. Joanna was the chemistry laboratory supervisor for twenty years in a major Long Island hospital and the laboratory information systems coordinator for six. She taught clinical chemistry as an adjunct professor for the State University of NY at Farmingdale. Now at St. Gabriel’s Parish, she serves as lector and is a member of Women in God’s Spirit (WINGS) spirituality group. She has participated in the Bible study group since 2007 and has taken over 50 Bible study classes. She has served on the Adult Faith Formation ministry and taught in the Children’s Faith Formation ministry. Joanna has served on the LLI faculty since 2006.
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Sharon Macauley joined the LLI in 2009 when she took her first line dance class. It’s been a passion ever since then. Now she enjoys sharing this fun and social activity with newcomers.
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Virginia Maloney has been an LLI member since 2021 and enjoys playing games.
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Marilyn Mare is a retired Chesterfield County teacher who taught at J. B. Watkins Elementary School. She joined LLI in 2007 and is an active member who volunteers whenever needed. She also enjoys teaching Mah Jongg to fellow LLI students!
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Michael Mariscalco MD, specializes in sports medicine, arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder and knee, and shoulder replacement surgery. He played collegiate soccer and was drafted into Major League Soccer. As a former athlete, he understands how musculoskeletal problems can significantly affect patients, both physically and mentally. He listens to each patient and strives to provide individualized care while incorporating the latest technology. Dr. Mariscalco has been with the OrthoVirginia group in Richmond since completing his fellowship training in 2013. He is married and is the proud father of four children. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family going hiking and biking, and coaching youth soccer.
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Karen Masley comes from an artistic family and has been drawing and painting since she was very young. Having no formal art education, she began to take art more seriously in her thirties when, as a member of various art groups, she was mentored by well-known artists in Texas and Florida. Now at LLI, Karen has enjoyed classes with Brian Austin, Marti Franks, and Hal Cauthen. Karen loves to look for inspiration in nature, capturing vivid colors and textures in her work and bringing her interpretation of the beauty and gloriousness of God's creation. Though she occasionally works in other mediums, Karen's favorites are watercolor and colored pencil. Karen has been an LLI member since 2017.
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Leslie Matthews is a citizen of both the US and the UK and has pursued her studies and a career on both sides of the Atlantic. She studied with Metropolitan Opera sopranos, Judith Raskin and Clarice Carson in New York, and with Madame Lo Siew Tuan in the UK. Beginning her career as a mezzo, Leslie made the switch to the full-lyric/dramatic soprano repertoire, including; Fiordiligi in “Cosi fan Tutte”, the Countess in “Figaro,” Leonora in “Il Trovatore,” Amelia in Ballo in “Maschera,” Mimi in “La Boheme,” First Lady in “Magic Flute,” Maddalena in “Andrea Chenier,” Violetta in “La Traviata,” the title role in “Tosca,” and Giulietta and the Voice in “Tales of Hoffmann.” Leslie founded the Metropolitan Lyric Theatre in the NYC area and now resides in Chester.
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Sarah Matthews taught elementary art for 34 years in Chesterfield County. She won numerous local, state, and national awards, including Art Educator of the Year for the State of Virginia. Sarah published magazine articles and taught dozens of workshops. She loved teaching others how to teach and mentored over 25 student teachers and currently supervises student teachers for VCU. Sarah appreciates how they keep her on her toes and teach her new things all the time. She was a mural painter for 20 years and has worked in schools, daycare centers, and private homes. Since retiring, she has begun selling smaller-scale work at art shows and boutiques, working in mixed media, mainly acrylics. Sarah is passionate about bringing the joy of art to all and believes anyone can learn the basics and find joy in the process.
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Alan McCrea is a transplant from the Philadelphia suburbs with some South Carolina heritage. He studied mechanical engineering at Cornell and did graduate study in control theory in Aachen, Germany. Alan also worked for industrial companies there and in Austria. In 1967 Robertshaw Controls Company hired him in Richmond to develop what was probably the world's first computerized energy management system for commercial buildings. Early projects included the International Monetary Fund headquarters in Washington and the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston. After fourteen years, Alan began consulting in control and microprocessor applications and now has fun publishing word puzzles. He's enjoyed being a member of LLI since 2012.
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Linda McDorman has been in the fitness industry since 1990 and is certified by the American Council on Exercise as a Group Fitness Instructor, AFAA for Personal Training, Yoga Alliance RYT200 for many yoga formats, Stott Pilates, and Mad Dogg Spinning for cycling. In 2024, she obtained her Barre Above certification. Her passion is helping others become healthier and stronger through exercise.
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Douglas McRae completed the ballroom teacher training course at Simply Ballroom Dance Studio and has been ballroom dancing for over 25 years. He has taught for USA Dance chapters in Richmond and the Tri-Cities, The Dance Space, and has helped with beginner classes at Rigby's Jig. In addition, Doug DJs dances several times a month. He and his co-instructor, Teresa Day, have been dancing together for several years. Doug has been an LLI member since 2023.
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Patricia Meek graduated from VCU with a bachelor’s degree in interior design. She spent most of her working years operating a commercial interior design company before retiring so she could focus on renovating houses.
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Beth Mercer taught choral music in Chesterfield County for 33 years and retired in 2012. She has spent the last 44 years working in musical theater, where she has directed and choreographed numerous shows for various schools, local churches, and community theater. Beth is so happy to have been a member of the LLI community since 2018.
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Mark Mikuta is a principal with Estate Settlement Solutions, LLC. He has worked in internal audit, corporate finance and real estate management and development. Mark received his BS in accounting from the University of Richmond. He is a member of many professional organizations and is also a Certified Financial Planner.
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Charles Miller MD, was raised in Detroit, Michigan, received his BA from Kalamazoo College in 1982, and earned his Doctor of Medicine from Loyola University of Chicago in 1986. In 1987, he completed a surgical internship at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center in San Antonio, and he finished his residency in neurosurgery at Loyola in Chicago in 1993. He received the Congress of Neurological Surgeons’ Annual Resident Award in 1991. Dr. Miller served on active duty throughout his residency and then, as an Air Force neurosurgeon, from 1993 to 1998 in Biloxi, Mississippi and Landstuhl, Germany. He was commissioned into the Air Force Reserve in 1982. Dr. Miller practiced neurosurgery in South Dakota from 1999 to 2014 and retired from the South Dakota Air National Guard in 2002. He joined Neurosurgical Associates in January 2015.
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Mark Miller PhD, LPC, CSAC, is currently serving as the Midlothian Supervisor on the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors. For the past ten years, he has served as a professional counselor at Brightpoint Community College and, prior to that, served for thirteen years at Chesterfield Mental Health as a senior clinician and services supervisor working with folks of all ages diagnosed with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Dr. Miller also works in private practice with clients and couples who are dealing with a variety of mental health challenges, which include substance abuse.
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John Morgan III, grew up in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. He earned an associate’s degree at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College and his bachelor’s from Guilford College. John has worked in procurement at VMFA, VDOT, VCU/MCV, Dominion Virginia Power (VEPCO), and Miller & Rhoads. In college, he learned to play the guitar and has added fiddle, mandolin, banjo, and harmonica along the way. John has been performing in the Richmond area since 2008 and has been privileged to play music with Jimmy Payne, Mark Campbell, Harold Hausenfluck, Trip Johnson, Doug Shackleford, Larry Wiley, Kate Conn, and Don Golladay. He currently can be found making music with Company’s Coming and Stand Your Ground.
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Angie Morriss is a Certified Bereavement Counselor with Crater Community Hospice, where she works part-time as an outreach assistant, educating the community about the non-profit’s services and programs. Angie is a member of the Chesterfield Council on Aging, the CCA Caregiver Committee, and the Tri-Cities Alzheimer’s Council. She is also a board member for the Petersburg Home for Ladies.
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Dorothy Moses has been an LLI member since 2008. She’s an aspiring writer and has participated in several critique groups.
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Jennifer Moss has served as the Outreach and Education Director for Bliley’s Funeral Home in Richmond, Virginia since 2016, providing end of life care education to groups around the commonwealth. Prior to her employment at Bliley’s, Jennifer served as a community outreach liaison for the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Victim Compensation Program where she provided education on victim’s rights in the criminal justice field for over 15 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
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Wayne Moyer is a 2004 graduate of the University of Richmond School of Continuing Studies and holds a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts. He retired from Lowe's after 10 years as a kitchen designer and has been active in numerous volunteer organizations. He is currently active with the Brandermill Midlothian Woodlake Lions Club as a past president and current eyesight coordinator. Wayne has been an LLI member since 2017.
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Mary Jane Murphy has a BS in Home Economics Education and a B.A. in Studio Art. She brings 25 years teaching experience to LLI and has been a member at Chesterfield LLI since 2010.
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Thomas Neviaser is a retired orthopedic surgeon of 33 years who specialized in knee and shoulder conditions. He has written or co-written over 40 peer review articles, presented many papers and instruction courses, and developed surgical procedures for the knee, elbow, and shoulder. He is an emeritus member of the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons and a founding member of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons. Tom has been an LLI member since 2023.
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Debra Ogilvie is with Richmond Hearing Doctors, is a Virginia native, and grew up in Hampton. She received her Bachelor's degree from James Madison University, her Master's degree from The George Washington University in Washington, DC, and her Doctorate of Audiology degree from Salus University in Pennsylvania. Debra has been practicing Audiology since 1995, coming to Richmond in 1999. She spent 12 years working in a local private practice until deciding to become an owner herself. She has always appreciated both the technical and personal sides to Audiology – finding the best hearing solution for each individual person. Debra is a fellow of the American Academy of Audiology, a fellow of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology, and is a Board Member of the Virginia Board for Hearing Aid Specialists and Opticians. She and her husband enjoy spending time with their son, daughter, and extended family.
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Judith Onesty loves to create! Although she loves to cook, she doesn’t want to spend hours in the kitchen and, in the 1990s, began creating recipes that follow her mantra of “tasty, healthy, and quick.” When she is not preparing delicious and easy food, Judith enjoys art in many forms. She has been learning and teaching jewelry-making for over 20 years and is an experienced storyteller. Judith has been an LLI instructor since 2018.
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Timothy Pace received a Juris Doctorate degree from Creighton University in 1972, and was a senior adviser to the Board of Veterans Appeals from 1972 to 1990. After presidential appointment, Timothy served as Administrative Law judge for the Social Security Administration from 1990 to 2014 handling primarily Medicare cases and Disability claims. In that capacity, he presided in various courtroom proceedings along the east coast at hearing sites in eight states and in the District of Columbia. From time to time, he was called upon to lecture to fellow judges and administrative personnel on the nuances of ever-changing laws governing the administration on Social Security benefits. He has been a member of LLI since 2014.
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Josh Pachter recently retired from a fifty-year career as a college educator, most recently at Northern Virginia Community College. In addition to teaching, he is a writer, editor, and translator of short crime fiction. In 2020, the Short Mystery Fiction Society awarded him its Golden Derringer for Lifetime Achievement. He has been an LLI instructor since early 2022.
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Mike Pagel taught high school physics and chemistry in public and private schools for 40 years before retiring in 2013. He has been a student and teacher of the Bible since college. In his church he has taught two-year overviews of the Bible, in depth studies of individual books, and courses in creative Bible teaching techniques. He has been involved in the leadership of the Bible Discussion class since becoming an LLI member in 2017.
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Carri Pandolfe has lived in every major city on the west coast and is originally from Canada. She moved to RVA in 2001 and has loved it ever since. She’s a mentor, creative and an adventurer who currently works in the LLI Office. Carri resides here in Midlothian with her husband and two adult children.
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Conner Parrish owns Blossoming Roots Farm and Supply in Ashland, Virginia. They are a local cut flower farm with a mission to protect and nurture the environment. Connor has been a nature lover since the sudden loss of his father at an early age, when he quickly realized that nature grounded him. After becoming a beekeeper in college, he began to understand the therapeutic benefits of the natural world. Flower farming entered the picture as he was planting flowers to feed his bees. Today, Blossoming Roots donates a portion of its profits to pollinator conservation each month and Conner is living his dream to help the world become a better place.
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Kathy Parrish is the Adult and College Group Education and Outreach Coordinator for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
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Paula Peaden began her professional career as a registered nurse after receiving her Bachelor of Science degree from Mount St. Mary’s College. She received her legal education from Antonin Scalia Law School. Currently, she is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and the Special Needs Alliance and Estate Planning Council of Richmond. Paula practices law in Trust and Estate Planning, Trust and Estate Administration, Elder Law, Long Term Care & Disability Planning, Special Needs Trusts, and Guardianships. She was named the best Elder Lawyer in Richmond in the Best Lawyers in America® and was voted by Peer Recognition as 2022 Virginia Lawyer of the Year as published by Best Lawyers®. Her knowledge and professionalism are evidenced by other accolades, including her appointment to the Virginia Business Legal Elite and the Class of Leaders in the Law, Best Lawyers in America® for Trusts and Estate, Virginia Super Lawyers for Trusts and Estates and Elder Law and AV-rated by Martindale Hubbell Preeminent Women Lawyers.
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Rabah Penn is a mother to four beautiful children. After working for several years in healthcare and legal administration, she is enjoying a more balanced and purposeful life as an independent contractor and an up-and-coming IT professional while working full time in Corporate Security and Intelligence. Rabah loves spending time with her family, serving her church as a City Coach Leader and eGroup Leader and her county as a Deputy Chief Officer of Elections. She was previously on the Board of Directors as Secretary for Recover Hope but now volunteers as her schedule allows. After experiencing and overcoming significant trauma, Rabah finds great joy in giving back and helping others find peace, hope, healing, and victory in their own lives.
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Beverly Perdue has been creating in oils and watercolors for the past thirty years. She has been recognized with several national and international awards in both mediums. Her style of teaching is to guide and encourage students to find their own individual art voice.
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Robert Perkins graduated from Middlebury College in 1954 and from the University of Vermont College of Medicine 1958. He completed his residency in OB-GYN in 1962 at the National Naval Center and served in the US Navy Medical Corp from 1958 to 1965. After leaving the service, Dr. Perkins had a private practice in Attleboro, Massachusetts, for 30 years and was the Chief of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Sturdy Memorial Hospital. He has been a medical consultant to Hospice and a Compassion and Choices member since 2015.
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Sandy Phillips has a degree in Music and Music Education. She continued her studies at the University of Richmond, VCU, and Westminster Choir College. Her performance majors were piano and organ, with a minor in vocal production. She taught public and private school music in Virginia, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois and has also been a church organist and choral director. She has performed in musicals, and other theatrical productions and has been an instructor at LLI since 2013.
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Jennifer Pollard was born and raised in Hawaii and, after moving to Richmond, continued to return home every year to visit her mom. She loves sharing about Oahu with other people who are interested in visiting the island. Jennifer knows many tips and tricks that can help fellow travelers plan the best trip possible, like where the locals eat or where you can purchase souvenirs at a reduced cost.
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Amy Pridemore MBA, serves as the Executive Director of the VCU Financial Success Center by Virginia Credit Union and is an Instructor in the VCU School of Business Finance, Insurance and Real Estate Department, specializing in personal finance education. With a passion for empowering individuals through financial literacy, Amy leverages her extensive experience to oversee the center's mission of enhancing financial well-being within the VCU community and beyond. Under her leadership, the center offers comprehensive programs and services aimed at equipping students and community members with essential financial skills. Amy's commitment to education extends beyond the classroom through innovative outreach initiatives and partnerships, ensuring that her impact on financial education reaches diverse audiences throughout Richmond and the state of Virginia.
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Anita Prince is a native Virginian and has been a resident of Chesterfield County since 1980. She retired in 2018 after 44 years of service to the Commonwealth in five different agencies, including Social Services, the Department for Children, the Department of Education, the Department of Correctional Education, and the Department of Corrections. Anita served as a member of the faculty at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in the School of Social Work and the School of Education. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology/Biology from Radford College and her master’s degree and Doctorate in Adult Education from VCU. She currently volunteers at Joy House working with homeless women, on the African American Committee of the Chesterfield Historical Society, and more recently with the Lifelong Learning Institute. Anita has been an LLI member since 2022.
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Carol Pritchard is a French teacher who taught beginning, intermediate, advanced and adult education classes for forty years. She taught in the school systems of Baltimore City and County, Maryland; Pittsford, New York; and Chesterfield County, Virginia. Locally, she taught at Monacan High School (until 1994) and James River High School (until 2008). She retired from CCPS in July 2008 and has been a member of LLI since 2009.
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Jeremy Pryor Esq., is a principal attorney at the law firm Carrell Blanton Ferris & Associates, PLC. His areas of practice include elder law, estate planning, and incapacity-related litigation. As an empathetic and fierce advocate for his clients’ rights, Mr. Pryor concentrates on securing Medicaid coverage for nursing home care needs and safeguarding assets from the costs of long-term care. In addition, he helps clients become guardians and conservators through court proceedings. Mr. Pryor received his undergraduate degree, cum laude, from James Madison University and his Juris Doctor cum laude in 2007 from Regent University's School of Law. Actively affiliated with the legal community, Mr. Pryor has memberships in the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Virginia Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and ElderCounsel.
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Lucas Ramirez is the son of Rachel Ramirez, Executive Director at LLI in Chesterfield. He is an avid reader, and he loves learning, dinosaurs, robots, puzzles, playing on playgrounds, riding his bike, and playing anything with his father, Luis, and his little brother, Levi. Since he was born in 2018, Lucas has spent countless hours at LLI and loves seeing members and making them laugh with stories and jokes. Lucas is homeschooled and is a student at the Classical Conversations Charter Colony community that meets one half-day weekly during the school year.
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Rachel Ramirez has been the Executive Director at LLI in Chesterfield since March 2014. She previously worked for four years in IT and as a Financial Team Manager for a nonprofit in Mechanicsville. Before that she was an Assistant Branch Manager with First Market Bank in Richmond and a Store Manager at Starbucks Coffee Company. Rachel has enjoyed attending and serving with Clover Hill Church since 2003 and is grateful for the opportunities she has had to work with Give Hope 2 Kids, a children's home in the mountains of Honduras. Rachel earned a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership and Management from Regent University in 2006 and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration with a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from VCU in 2018. Rachel and her husband, Luis, love spending time with their two boys, their family and friends, as well as biking, hiking, and traveling!
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Waite Rawls retired at the end of 2019. He previously served as the President of the American Civil War Museum Foundation. He received a B.A. at Virginia Military Institute and was awarded an M.B.A. and J. D. by the University of Virginia. Some of the positions he held in the banking, investment, and money markets fields were: Managing Director, Chemical Bank, New York; Vice Chairman, Continental Bank, Chicago; Executive Vice President, The Chicago Corporation; and Chief Operating Officer of Ferrell Capital Management, Greenwich, Conn. He also led a start-up technology company and has been a visiting or adjunct professor at University of Virginia's Darden Graduate School of Business Administration and Illinois Institute of Technology.
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Michael Recant has been active in the field of LGBTQ justice since the mid-2000s. As head of the First Unitarian Universalist Church LGBTQ-Straight Alliance committee, he helped to establish the first ROSMY Alternative Prom for LGBTQ+ High Schoolers in the RVA area. Mike is a trained Sexuality Educator in the "Our Whole Lives" curriculum jointly developed by the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ. The Our Whole Lives program operates under the idea that well informed youth, young adults, and adults make better, healthier decisions about sexuality than those without complete information. OWL strives to be unbiased and teaches about heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual, non-binary, and transgender sexual health. Mike has been an LLI instructor since 2024.
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David Reynolds earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Lynchburg in 2016. He now manages the CORA Physical Therapy in Midlothian, VA where he specializes in the treatment of patients with musculoskeletal and neuromuscular disorders. David believes in leveraging the body's natural healing processes through movement and encouraging patients to manage their impairments with less reliance on medications and surgeries. On several occasions, David has participated in medical missions as a physical therapist in North Africa, including mentoring and teaching local providers and taking PT students from various universities on clinical rotations.
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Katie Reynolds is the Manager of Tour Services at Agecroft Hall and Gardens. She has been working at the museum since 2004 and holds a B.A. degree in history. She looks forward to welcoming LLI students to learn about the unique historic home, British history, and the gardens.
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Dennis Rhoades DO, FACMQ, RMC, is the Regional Market Medical Director at CareNow Urgent Care and oversees the clinical operations and quality improvement of 24 urgent care centers in the South Atlantic Division. His mission is to provide high-quality, patient-centered, and cost-effective care to the communities he serves, leveraging expertise in electronic medical records (EMR) implementation and optimization. He is an author and educator with a Doctor of Osteopathy degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and a fellowship in medical quality. He enjoys sharing his knowledge and insights on family medicine, osteopathic medicine, and medical quality through writing, speaking, and serving on various committees and conferences.
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Audrey Ross is a native of Midlothian, Virginia. She attended Midlothian Elementary School, and graduated from Carver High School in Chester, Virginia in 1968. Then, she attended N.C. Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, NC, earning a BS in Professional Biology in 1972, and later, a Master of Public Health from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine focusing in Occupational and Environmental Public Health. Audrey has worked as a Microbiologist; Quality Assurance Specialist; Regulatory Affairs Professional; Safety and Public Health Professional; and retired as a Scientist Sr. from the Commonwealth of Virginia in 2009. In retirement, she occasionally substitutes for Chesterfield County Public Schools, and enjoys gardening, fishing, photography, participating in church and community activities and events, and researching the “Rich History” of African Americans in Midlothian and Chesterfield County. Audrey is a member and historian of the Historic First Baptist Church of Midlothian; a member of the Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia’s African American History Committee; and member of the Board of Directors for the Midlothian Mines and Railroad Foundation. Audrey also serves on the Midlothian Implementation Team, and in 2023, was inducted into the Chesterfield County Senior Volunteer Hall of Fame.
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Matt Rowlett has been a tour guide at Agecroft Hall since 2021. He is a lifelong resident of the Richmond area and received his associate’s degree from Brightpoint (John Tyler) Community College. Matt was a volunteer at Pamplin Historical Park prior to working at Agecroft Hall.
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Gordon Russell has experience in both graphic design and corporate America. After graduating from VCU (RPI of the College of William & Mary) with majors in graphic design and advertising, he entered the fast-paced advertising industry in Richmond and then, in Atlanta, Georgia where he ran his own agency. Next, Gordon made major career shifts to work for Bell South and In-flight Publishing. He was the Senior Vice President of an international computer company, the Dean of a School of Design, and a Campus Director of Academic Affairs. No matter what he pursued, creativity always played an integral role.
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Patricia Ryther is retired from a career in banking and insurance. In retirement, she’s enjoyed studying 19th century American History, and teaching classes on notable environmental figures from that era. She has a degree in English Literature and has taught at the community college level. Pat has been an LLI member since 2018.
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George Saunders is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University. A lifelong student of railroad history, he has been an active member of the Old Dominion Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society for more than 40 years. Contributing in countless capacities, including serving on the board of directors, he currently serves as the facilities rental manager for the chapter’s museum in Richmond, Virginia. In the past, George has done PowerPoint presentations on “The Development of Trains in the South and their Use in 1864” and “Railroad Communications in 1864” at the American Civil War Museum, the Richmond Railroad Museum, and LLI as part of the Sesquicentennial lecture series on the war.
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Les Schaffer is a long time LLI instructor and a seasoned storyteller, teacher, and storytelling coach. A founding member of the Tell Tale Hearts Storytellers Theater Company and the TwoTellersTelling Tandem Storytellers, Les presents original and traditional stories in a variety of settings including concerts, schools, churches, theaters, senior living facilities, libraries, classes, workshops, story-slams, and conferences. His current passions involve coaching other tellers and hosting LLI’s monthly Super Senior Storytelling Slam. Les maintains that a good story will get you out of just about anything and that all of his stories are true, especially the made-up ones.
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Cryst'l Scheer is a NEDA (National End-of-life Doula Alliance) proficient end-of-life doula and small business owner who supports end-of-life education and community outreach. She has a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Oregon State University, professional training through Peaceful Presence in Bend, Oregon, and her End-of-life Doula Professional Certificate through the University of Vermont’s Larner School of Medicine. Cryst’l sees clients in the Williamsburg area and provides remote and in-person presentations, training, and workshops. Trained as a Qualified Advance Directive Facilitator, Cryst’l believes it is never too early to start preparing for a thoughtful and intentional final stage of life. She is also a certified Guided Autobiography instructor through the Birren Center for Autobiographical Studies, and a certified Legacy Navigator through Living Wisely. A native Oregonian, Cryst'l enjoys spending time with her family, road trips, hazelnut lattes, and Halloween.
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Bonnie Scimone serves as the Lead Community Outreach and Marketing Specialist for The VirginiaNavigator Family of Websites. Bonnie has been with the organization since 2006. She graduated from Longwood University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics and received her Elementary Education Teaching Certificate from Virginia Commonwealth University. Bonnie has one son in Georgia, one daughter in Chesterfield and five grandchildren. Bonnie resides in Chesterfield County and serves Central Virginia and Tidewater.
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Tom Seaborn is a native of Newport News, Virginia and holds a BS in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech. After serving three years as a company grade officer in the Army Medical Service Corps, he started his career in Consulting Engineering and Construction Management. In 1998, he became the design manager of semiconductor wafer fabrication plants for Motorola and Siemens. Tom has been a member of LLI since 2018 and has been active in the genealogy and memoir writing classes.
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Tara Semtner AIA, is an architectural graduate of the University of Virginia, where she minored in art history. She has worked as an architect, a project manager, and in real estate sales.
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Alap Shah MD, has an interest in treating patients with atrial fibrillation and improving patient knowledge and quality of life. Along with other physicians at Virginia Arrhythmia Consultants (VAC), he is one of a select group of electrophysiologists across the country who can perform catheter ablations safely and effectively with minimal to no radiation exposure to patients. He was the Director of the Afib Center of Excellence at the Kansas City Heart Rhythm Institute. His philosophy for treating patients is to help them fully understand their disease and their management options.
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Emme Simon is an Energy Intuitive, an Energy Codes Facilitator, and an Integrative Love Life Coach. Emme empowers women to transform their lives from the inside out by changing their energy and restoring their true nature of radiant health, wholeness, love, and happiness. Her intention is to see the entire planetary family living in health, wholeness, and a consciousness of life more abundant.
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Kevin Skellett is a pastor at Southside Church, founder of Love Never Ends ministry, and a member of the Chesterfield Suicide Awareness and Prevention Coalition.
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Jaime Smiley MS, OTR/L, CAPS, is an occupational therapist who serves as a healthcare consultant, educator, and aging in place specialist. Jaime is a 2001 graduate of VCU's occupational therapy program and has decades of experience in senior care as a therapist, director, clinical educator, and vice president of therapy services. Jaime is also an adjunct instructor in VCU's Department of Occupational Therapy and South University's Occupational Therapy Assistant Program. Her passion lies in helping the aging population secure healthy lifestyle options and in providing training to encourage seniors to become educated consumers of services.
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Shelvey Smith has been involved with doing handwork since she was young. Shelvey began cross stitching, then crocheting, and at the beginning of 2022, learned to knit at LLI. It has been very enjoyable! She has met a lot of nice people willing to share their knowledge and friendship, and she hopes others will come join the Needleworkers United group. Shelvey has been an LLI member since 2019.
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Sheryl Smith has been an organic gardener for many years. In 2017, she became interested in making her yard even more environmentally friendly. After reading Doug Tallamy’s Bringing Nature Home, she developed a strong interest in native plants. She is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist volunteer, a member of Wild Ones, and a member of the Virginia Native Plant Society. In May 2022, she organized the first annual Native Plant Garden Open House in the Richmond area. In October of 2022, she organized the first annual native plant swap, which included hundreds of free plants!
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Fred Soltow retired after serving for 45 years as clergy in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America at churches in West Virginia, Arizona, and Virginia. Fred became an advocate for End-of-Life planning after losing three grandparents in one year and watching the tension that the absence of preplanning caused in his family. Since 1975, he has taught classes, lectured, and been part of task forces advocating for advanced planning and end of life issues. Currently, Fred serves as a volunteer for Compassion & Choices and works to support Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) legislation in the State of Virginia.
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Jean Beverly Stagg needed a new hobby after she experienced a major life change. Art was something her friends were doing, and it drew her in. Around 2013, Jean began taking lessons in watercolor and soon her interest and talent grew to include other mediums. She began showing her work around town and became a commissioned artist. In 2016, she joined the Chester Artists Association, where she served as president and still serves as vice-president. The club has grown tremendously over the years and welcomes new members – feel free to ask Jean about it! Jean has been an LLI member since 2019.
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Katie Starr PhD, RD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine and Research Health Scientist at Durham VA Medical Center. Dr. Starr is also Co-Director of the Duke Center for Aging Clinical Nutrition Laboratory, and her research and professional experience focuses on understudied, older adult populations at high risk for chronic health conditions and functional disability. She is also the Chief Scientific Advisor for Vivo.
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Mark Stella has an interest in Tai Chi that started with a trip to China 27 years ago. His formal Tai Chi journey began in Cincinnati where he studied with his first instructor who had spent two years in China learning Tai Chi and Chi Gong. Then, he studied under Amber Hue, owner of the Sun Moon Dojo Tai Chi & Enrichment School in Ohio, and who had over twenty years of teaching experience. Later, Mark continued his training by learning from Larry Murray who shared his interest in Chi Gong and the Chinese teaching of healing sounds.
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Kendalle Stock has been in the field of insurance in Chesterfield since 1985. A graduate of High Point University, Kendalle also earned her Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation in 1999. She has owned her own multi-line insurance agency, worked in the long-term care (LTC) insurance field, and in group benefits. In 2013, she decided to make Medicare her primary focus, realizing how so many people were overwhelmed and confused by this program. Her passion is to help educate her clients so they understand the options well enough to make informed decisions about this important part of retirement. More information can be found on her website: CommonwealthMedicareAdvisors.com
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Damir Strmel has been practicing Tai Chi since 2000 and has been sharing his Tai Chi journey with the LLI community since 2016. In 2021, Damir began sharing his longstanding interest in ethnomusicology by offering Cuban and Brazilian percussion classes in which students learn the fundamentals of polyrhythmic drumming. His third love is developing and employing quantitative investment strategies. He occasionally shares his insights with workshops that focus on his current research and development.
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Kerrigan Sullivan (She/Her) is currently the Department Chair of Performing Arts at Brightpoint and the Producing Artistic Director of the Lynn Theatre. Kerrigan has been in over a hundred plays since she began her career at the age of six. Some of her favorite professional credits include “A Christmas Carol” at Madison Square Garden and “The Batman Forever Stunt Show” at Six Flags Great Adventure. Locally, her favorite roles include Becky in “Becky’s New Car” at CAT Theatre and Dinah in “The Quality of Life” at HATTheatre. She directs locally including, “Wings” (RTCC nominated for Best Director), “The Fourth Wall,” and “This World We Know” at Firehouse Theatre Project. Kerrigan holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from NYU’s Tisch School for the Arts and a Master of Fine Arts from Brooklyn College.
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Wayne Swatlowski began his adult career as a catholic priest and served for 15 years in various areas of Appalachia. After resigning and marrying, he worked with various non-profit homeless and low-income housing organizations. Wayne graduated summa cum laude from Clown College at John Tyler Community College (now Brightpoint), has been clowning around for about 15 years with Clowns of America International and local Virginia Clown Alley #3. He retired three years ago and is now enjoying volunteer activities, reading, and watching birds and Netflix movies from his recliner. He continues to use bubbles, rocket balloons, and perform a little magic as Basa (his clown alter-ego) and loves the opportunity it provides him to be with kids and the young at heart. Wayne has been an LLI member since 2019.
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Nicole Thomas-Jackson EdD, has been in the fitness industry for over 20 years. A certified fitness instructor since 2001, Nicole has taught group fitness classes in a variety of settings, including high and low impact aerobics, lite physical fitness, and senior fitness. Nicole has also taught elementary physical fitness and currently holds an elementary teaching certificate and administrative endorsement.
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Victor Thompson earned a BA in English Literature from Middlebury College (1963), an MA in English Literature from Rutgers University (1966), and a PhD in English and American Literature from Rutgers University (1972). He has published the following books: Eudora Welty: A Reference Guide (1976); The Trumpets of Jericho: A Romantic Novel about Bands and Musicians in the American Civil War (2004); Safe at Home: Baseball and Other Forms of Life in a Small New Jersey Town (2007) and Muses of Fire (2021). Vic has also written numerous articles and book reviews and performed with the Readers Theater and the Ya Ha Players at LLI. He taught at the University of Cincinnati (1966-1970) and Thomas Nelson Community College (1970-present), where he is now a Professor Emeritus and Adjunct Professor. He is married with three children and four grandchildren. He enjoys singing with the Virginians Barbershop Harmony Society, wood carving, swimming, dog walking, and more! Vic and his wife, Sharon, have been LLI members since 2013.
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Donna Tolliver has always been interested in the liberal arts and the social sciences, earning her BA in English literature and psychology, and her MS and PhD in clinical psychology. In more recent decades, she has been enjoying country life on a horse (and dog, cat, and parrot) farm in rural Virginia, while also loving the rich history and vibrant cultural arts scene of our region. Donna has performed in local theater productions with Southside Area Community Theater, Bifocals at CAT, and LLI's own Advanced Readers Theater.
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James Triesler has been educating and entertaining students of all ages for over thirty years. He currently serves as the Director of Education at the Virginia War Memorial and as Historian for the National Battle of the Bulge Association. Jim has a BA in political science from East Carolina University and a MEd from Virginia Commonwealth University. For twenty years he taught social studies at Clover Hill High School in Chesterfield County. He and his students were the recipients of a Save Our History Award, from the History Channel, for their class project on WWII. Jim has been the Chesterfield County Teacher of the Year and the Virginia Region One Teacher of the Year. He loves learning and teaching about history!
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Apurva Trivedi DO, is a board-certified, fellowship-trained surgeon, affiliated with Surgical Associates of Richmond, who specializes in vascular and endovascular surgery. Dr. Trivedi is originally from Salem, Virginia and earned his bachelor’s in biology from the University of Michigan. After finishing his medical degree at Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg, he completed general surgery residency training at Geisinger Health System in Pennsylvania, where he was recognized as resident teacher of the year. He went on to do his vascular surgery fellowship at Jobst Vascular Institute in Ohio. Dr. Trivedi is board certified by the American Board of Surgery in general surgery and board-eligible in vascular surgery. He performs vascular surgery for a variety of conditions involving arteries and veins and is a Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation with the Alliance for Physician Certification and Advancement. Dr. Trivedi has presented numerous research studies and been published in numerous medical journals. He is a member of the American Colleges of Surgeons, Society of Clinical Vascular Surgery, and Society of Vascular Surgery. In addition, he is certified in Advanced Trauma Life Support. When not in surgery, he enjoys spending time with his family, watching sports, and playing golf.
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Julia Van Buskirk enjoys dancing, cooking, sewing, knitting, and spending time with her family. She is happy to have been an LLI member since 2018.
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Stone Wahl has a PhD in Quantum Physics; was published in Aerodynamics, in Physics, and in Finance; was lead investigator for a patent in DVR processes; and was on an Emmy-winning team. After working as a software development analyst and project manager in various industries, he made a career change in 2018 to full-time grandpa and professional disc golfer (PDGA #68590). Stone is active in his church choir, Bible studies, and children’s ministry, and serves as the treasurer for the River City Disc Golf Club, which he led through 501(c)3 certification and through which he runs youth clinics and tournaments. He has been an LLI member since 2019.
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Samuel Ward received his PhD in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, specializing in orbital mechanics. He taught classes at UT Austin and worked for the Air Force at U.S. Space Command and Air Force Space Command. He completed a 30-year Air Force and Air Force Reserve career as a pilot and as a Mobilization Augmentee at Air Force Space Command and the 50th Air Force Space Wing, where the GPS constellation is managed and operated. He also holds an Airline Transport Pilot rating with the FAA.
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Geneva Weidhaas has a BA in American Studies from the University of Virginia and a penchant for public history. She has spent three years elevating the power of place in historic houses across the Richmond region and now works as the site coordinator at the John Marshall House, a Preservation Virginia historic site. Preservation Virginia is no stranger to LLI, and Geneva is excited to be a part of the LLI faculty!
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Heather Weidner has been a cop’s kid, technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager. Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. She writes the Pearly Girls Mysteries, the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries, the Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries, and the Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries. She is a member of Sisters in Crime National, Central Virginia, Chessie, and Guppies, and the Grand Canyon Writers, International Thriller Writers, and James River Writers. Heather blogs regularly with the Writers Who Kill.
She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a pair of Jack Russell terriers.
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E. Ayn Welleford PhD, has taught extensively in the areas of lifespan development, developmental gerontology, trends in gerontology, and ethical decision-making. As an associate professor and the gerontologist for Community Voice, she works to make our community a great place for all people to GROW older by bridging classroom and community, affirming and equipping our workforce through appreciative education, and supporting us all in learning to love our longevity. Dr. Welleford leads VCU GeroAging Community and Continuing Education whose mission is to equip and affirm Virginia’s eldercare workforce community to bring forth meaningful change. She has been known to say, “Let’s do something that does something.”
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Donna Whitfield was born and raised in Newport News. She received a BA in English from the College of William and Mary and went on to teach English in grades 6-12 for thirty years. In the early 2000s, she took what was to be the first of many beading classes and was hooked. Donna was an artist in residence at the Crossroads Art Center, and today she specializes in bead embroidered necklaces and bracelets. She teaches two beading courses, one to make a beaded lanyard for the LLI name tag and the other to make a necklace with matching earrings.
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Jenny Wiley PhD, a Richmond native, earned her BS at the College of William and Mary and her PhD at Virginia Commonwealth University. Before her retirement in 2022, she designed and supervised a decades long federally funded program of preclinical research focused on the investigation of the neural mechanisms underlying the pharmacological effects of cannabinoids (including those found in the cannabis plant). She is a former tenured professor in the medical school of Virginia Commonwealth University and an Emeritus Distinguished Fellow at RTI International, located in Research Triangle Park, NC.
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Lynne Wingfield retired from Chesterfield County Public Schools after a 36-year career where she worked as a middle school health and physical education teacher, an instructional specialist for health and physical education, and as the Employee Wellness Coordinator for Chesterfield County Government and Schools. In addition, Lynne has served on local and regional boards and coalitions including the Virginia Heart Disease and Stroke Alliance, the Chesterfield Coalition for Active Children, C-Fit Community, Virginia Health and Physical Education Association, and the Swift Creek YMCA. Lynne received her BS in Health and Physical Education and her master’s in educational administration and supervision from Virginia Commonwealth University. Lynne now holds a part-time position with Chesterfield County in community engagement and is staff to the board of the C-Fit Community nonprofit, whose focus is to inspire, enhance, and engage Chesterfield's residents and visitors to live a healthy and well lifestyle.
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Lee Winne grew up on his parents’ guest ranch near Reno, Nevada. He attended local public schools, graduating from the University of Nevada, Reno with a B.A. in Journalism. For three years during college, Lee worked as a photographer and reporter for the local afternoon newspaper. Following college, he was commissioned an officer in the U.S. Army where he was assigned as a public information officer and troop commander in the Transportation Corps. After the military, Lee attended law school, graduating with a Juris Doctorate degree from the California Western School of Law in San Diego, and was admitted to the State Bar of California. Lee then enjoyed a 40-year career in contract management with the engineering and construction industry. His work included assignments on oil, gas, petrochemical, power generation, and nuclear projects in the USA, as well as more than 10 years on work assignments in the Middle East, Asia, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Lee is now retired and spends his time on church activities, reading, and taking classes at LLI Chesterfield, where he has been an active member since 2022.
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Alan Winter graduated with honors in history from Rutgers, studied creative writing at Columbia’s Graduate School of General Studies, and earned advanced degrees from NYU and Columbia. Winter has authored six novels including “Wolf” and “Sins of the Fathers,” which he co-authored with Herbert J. Stern. Both of these books challenge the historiography of Hitler’s early years and the Nazi rise to power by incorporating primary resources into historical novels. His novel “Savior’s Day” was selected as a Kirkus Best Book Selection of 2013 and of which Kirkus said, "Winter’s command of his historical material is impressive, as is his skill at shaping his characters.”
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Sharry Woods LCSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Chippenham Hospital’s Tucker Pavilion, where she is the director of clinical operations.
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Michael Wriston has been an adjunct member of the faculty at the University of Richmond for over 25 years and is the founder and president of The Reinvention Factory and The Competitive Edge. An established and published expert on leadership development and the creation of high-performance teams and cultures, Dr. Wriston has most recently developed broad and practical expertise on the development of talent, nurturing personal resiliency and enabling people to discover their gifts, their story and their life's purpose to ensure that they're able to fulfill their destiny. A native Vermonter and guardian of the environment, Dr. Wriston is a long-time soccer coach and the proud father of four remarkable sons.
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Howard Wynn is a retired recreational supervisor for the VA Department of Juvenile Justice. When this former paratrooper and Vietnam veteran isn't glued to an art project, he enjoys Phase 10, backgammon, corn hole, and any other sports-related activity. His mother's experience with Alzheimer's was a pivotal moment in his life that has inspired and encouraged him to share his creative talents.
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