Panel of Advisors

President Emeritus, Virginia Social Studies Leaders Consortium; Social Studies Supervisor, Rockingham County Public School; Nationally Board Certified Teacher. Civics education has the power to reinvigorate our democracy and reaffirm our core principles. Public education serves as a foundational pillar of democracy, and VPAP's Civics Navigator equips social studies educators with the tools to forge meaningful connections between students and the state and local governments that directly shape their communities. This approach not only deepens student understanding of civic responsibility but also empowers them to engage actively as informed and conscientious citizens. As Tip O’Neill observed that "All politics is local," civics education must similarly begin in our own backyards and the communities in which we live.

Senior Associate for Assessment Policy & Analysis, State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV); MEd & PhD, William & Mary School of Education. The future of our country depends on our collective capacity to care about, understand, and act on issues of public concern. I am hopeful that VPAP's Civics Navigator will inspire and empower educators to inspire and empower their students to embrace the complex responsibilities of membership in a vibrant democratic republic.

M.A. History; Social studies teacher, St. Michael’s Episcopal School; President, Virginia Council for the Social Studies. As a middle school social studies teacher, I know how crucial it is for educators to be able to access reliable and non-partisan civics resources. Virginia’s students and educators deserve outstanding resources like the ones created by VPAP. I’m proud to be part of this process and know Civics Navigator will have a monumental impact on civic education in our Commonwealth.

Director of Education, Virginia Humanities. Educators have their hands full now more than ever and I am excited that there will be a free, accessible, reliable resource from VPAP for both new teachers and teachers who have been in the classroom for years to easily be able to pick up and use.

M.S.Ed, History-Social Science Teacher Specialist for Curriculum and Instruction, Norfolk Public Schools. I decided to join as a panelist because VPAP's goals for students align so closely with my goals for students and the reasons I became an educator: to help students activate their brilliance and sharpen the tools that are needed to engage and perhaps even change their world. Our students have a voice and a story to tell. Civic engagement - formal or informal, traditional or otherwise - is one of the most powerful ways to use that voice for change.

Ed.D. - Ed Leadership & Policy; member - Virginia Commision on Civic Education; Adjunct Professor- George Mason University; former classroom teacher and school division coordinator-K-12 Social Studies. As a curriculum specialist, I have frequently referred to the resources of VPAP to teach state and local government. My goal for the Civic Navigator is to create a greater awareness of these resources so that more teachers will use them to make the study of state and local government relevant and meaningful for their students.

Dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. I am a political scientist, committed to advancing knowledge of government and politics, especially among the younger generations who will carry the burdens of ensuring the preservation of our democratic institutions and norms.

B.A. and M.T., University of Virginia; Government teacher, Chesterfield County Public Schools. Unlike many courses, the content of government and civics classes changes every year. Government teachers need help accessing and curating up-to-date, reliable, and engaging information about politics. Students who recognize their role in our democracy grow up to become informed voters. And VPAP has a much-needed role to play in this process.

PhD, Special Education and Disability Policy, Principal, Henrico County Public Schools. Civic education and responsibility starts in the primary grades. By being a part of the workgroup, we have an opportunity to engage students earlier and help them build the skills needed to have a more informed citizenry which is the foundation of a strong democracy.