Donna Liu Ashworth 劉秀敏
School Principal; Adult Class Teacher
Donna was born in Taiwan and studied sociology in Tung Hai University before she moved to the US in 1986. Taking care of her family has always been her priority in life. On top of teaching language classes, she also enjoys the coffee culture. She has been working for a coffee giant for quite some time.
- 1992 - 1997 Taught Mandarin Chinese in Richmond Chinese School (RCS).
- 1997 - 2002 Family relocated to HK, Donna earned two teaching certificates from Hong Kong University School of continuing education on subjects of Putonghua teaching and teaching Chinese as a second language. Donna was employed by Kumon educational Institute as a Chinese language teacher during the period of living in Hong Kong.
- 2003 - 2014 After moving back from HK to the US, Donna continued to teach in RCS.
- 2004 - 2008 Taught Mandarin Chinese to the engineering department at Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex corporation.
- 2009 - Currently serving as a Mandarin interpreter for C&M Multilingual Inc.
- 2014 - 2016 Relocated to Mainland China.
- 2017 - 2021 Served as the principal of RCS.
- 2021 - Served as the adult conversation class teacher
- 2022 - Serves as the principal of RCS
d.ashworth.trcs@gmail.com
Ed Frankhouser 范德沃
Website Administrator
Ed is originally from Western Pennsylvania and moved to Richmond in 2014 for work. He has 25+ years as an engineer in telecom. He has travelled abroad to Taiwan on two occasions and enjoys the culture. In addition to maintaining the school's website he looks forward to learning Mandarin.
RENÉE (REN) E. WARREN-MEBANE
Board Member
Renée E. Warren-Mebane is an accomplished media executive and strategist with extensive Management, Production, Journalism and Writing experience.
Ms. Warren-Mebane is the president of Arielle-Wren, Inc. and co-founder of Noelle-Elaine Media, Inc. She has been able to incorporate all her passions; from real estate to producing to planning events to mentoring and teaching young minds -- she manages it all.
She is the co-author of You Buy the Peanut Butter, I’ll Get the Bread, The Absolutely True Adventures of Best Friends in Business and served as an Adjunct/Assistant Professor at New York University where she taught Social Media & Event Public Relations. She taught at NYU for more than a decade. Ms. Warren-Mebane has also lectured at Long Island University, Old Dominion University, Marymount Manhattan College, Norfolk State University, and many New York City high schools. And, is a licensed New York Real Estate Agent, REBNY© member and active at Weichert Properties SOHO.
She received a Bachelor of Science from Old Dominion University and Master of Arts from Columbia University; completed Southern Illinois University’s post-graduate program in London analyzing the British media and a Certificate in Finance from New York Institute of Finance. She has received numerous awards and accolades including the Forty Under 40 Achievement Award and Old Dominion University Distinguished Alumni Award and in 2019 inducted in the school’s Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame
Phoebe Gur-Chiang
Board Member
Dr. Phoebe Gur-Chiang earned a Bachelor of Agriculture degree at College of Chinese Culture, followed by a Master and a Doctor of Animal Science degree at Michigan State University. She also earned a Registered Dietitian Certification at Wayne State University. In addition to her current clinical dietetic position at Farmville Dialysis Center, she has taught at Virginia State University and served at Hanover Health District. Past job experience includes positions as Adjunct Professor, District Nutritionist, Mandrin and Culture Teacher, Principal and Chair. Currently, she is chair of the Richmond Chinese School Board and has a daughter who earned a Diploma of Graduation from Richmond Chinese School.
Sarah Braggs
Parent Coordinator
Sarah Braggs is mother of 3 children. Reece, Morgan and Michael Braggs. Morgan Braggs is a second year member of the Richmond Chinese School.
Sarah is originally from North Carolina and came to Richmond Virginia in 2006. She is proud to be a part of the school and chose it because of the small group learning.
"I'd want to make sure all doors stay open for my children. Morgan enjoys learning Mandarin, and this is a great place to support and explore his interest. I am proud to serve as Parent Coordinator for the Richmond Chinese School."
Rebecca Wu
Intermediate Teacher
In 2020, as a Chinese language teacher at Richmond Chinese School,
the teenager students enjoy my interactive, creative and lively
teaching style. Through my creative and interesting teaching methods,
the students have learned a lot of Chinese listening, speaking, reading
and writing in a happy and creative environment. And let the students
in the Chinese listening, speaking, reading, writing has made great
progress.
Susan Chen
Preschool Teacher
Susan Chen is a native Mandarin speaker from Zhanghua, Taiwan. She holds a bachelor's degree in Pedagogy and a minor in Child Psychology from Mackenzie Presbyterian University of Sao Paulo. Her passion is teaching, especially teaching Chinese Language to children.
Mrs. Chen has more than 20 years of teaching and tutoring experience. She taught private Portuguese Language classes to elementary and middle school Chinese speaking students, when she was a university student in Brazil. She worked at "Escola de Educacao Infantil - Happy Kids" in Sao Paulo Brazil after she graduated from University.
After she moved to the US, Mrs. Chen had an opportunity to teach Mandarin for Preschool and Chinese Language Enrichment Classes at Westwood Christian School. She also gave private Mandarin lessons to elementary school, middle school, and adult students in Miami Florida.
Mrs. Chen moved from Miami to Virginia with her husband. She was teaching Chinese Language Immersion Preschool at Communikids and the Richmond Chinese School until she had her first child. This year, Mrs. Chen is back to the Richmond Chinese School, where she will be the Preschool Class teacher. Mrs. Chen loves teaching and playing with children. She teaches small group Immersion Preschool Class on the weekdays. She likes to spend her free time on outdoor activities and trips with her husband and two treasured sons.
Dr. Hong Chartrand
Secondary Teacher
Dr. Hong Chartrand is a public health professional and a Chinese linguist by training. She was born and grew up in China and received her bachelor’s degree in Chinese language and literature from Peking University. She holds a doctoral degree in public health from the University of Arizona. She taught Chinese language and civilization at colleges in China and the United States, respectively, and volunteered to teach Chinese to kids at a local Chinese school in the United States some years ago.
Winny Chen 陳慧予
Treasurer/Elementary Class Teacher
Winny previously taught the Adult Class in 2018-2020 for the RCS. In the last two years, Winny sometimes substitutes for the other classes. Winny is also the Treasurer for the RCS.
The Elementary Class is very active and the students are very smart. Winny enjoys the interactions with her students. By the end of the class, the students will know their Chinese names, numbers, culture and traditions, and many words in Pinyin and Chinese characters.
Donna Liu Ashworth 劉秀敏
School Principal; Adult Class Teacher
Donna was born in Taiwan and studied sociology in Tung Hai University before she moved to the US in 1986. Taking care of her family has always been her priority in life. On top of teaching language classes, she also enjoys the coffee culture. She has been working for a coffee giant for quite some time.
- 1992 - 1997 Taught Mandarin Chinese in Richmond Chinese School (RCS).
- 1997 - 2002 Family relocated to HK, Donna earned two teaching certificates from Hong Kong University School of continuing education on subjects of Putonghua teaching and teaching Chinese as a second language. Donna was employed by Kumon educational Institute as a Chinese language teacher during the period of living in Hong Kong.
- 2003 - 2014 After moving back from HK to the US, Donna continued to teach in RCS.
- 2004 - 2008 Taught Mandarin Chinese to the engineering department at Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex corporation.
- 2009 - Currently serving as a Mandarin interpreter for C&M Multilingual Inc.
- 2014 - 2016 Relocated to Mainland China.
- 2017 - 2021 Served as the principal of RCS.
- 2021 - Served as the adult conversation class teacher
- 2022 - Serves as the principal of RCS
Ed Frankhouser 范德沃
Website Administrator
Ed is originally from Western Pennsylvania and moved to Richmond in 2014 for work. He has 25+ years as an engineer in telecom. He has travelled abroad to Taiwan on two occasions and enjoys the culture. In addition to maintaining the school's website he looks forward to learning Mandarin.
RENÉE (REN) E. WARREN-MEBANE
Board Member
Renée E. Warren-Mebane is an accomplished media executive and strategist with extensive Management, Production, Journalism and Writing experience.
Ms. Warren-Mebane is the president of Arielle-Wren, Inc. and co-founder of Noelle-Elaine Media, Inc. She has been able to incorporate all her passions; from real estate to producing to planning events to mentoring and teaching young minds -- she manages it all.
She is the co-author of You Buy the Peanut Butter, I’ll Get the Bread, The Absolutely True Adventures of Best Friends in Business and served as an Adjunct/Assistant Professor at New York University where she taught Social Media & Event Public Relations. She taught at NYU for more than a decade. Ms. Warren-Mebane has also lectured at Long Island University, Old Dominion University, Marymount Manhattan College, Norfolk State University, and many New York City high schools. And, is a licensed New York Real Estate Agent, REBNY© member and active at Weichert Properties SOHO.
She received a Bachelor of Science from Old Dominion University and Master of Arts from Columbia University; completed Southern Illinois University’s post-graduate program in London analyzing the British media and a Certificate in Finance from New York Institute of Finance. She has received numerous awards and accolades including the Forty Under 40 Achievement Award and Old Dominion University Distinguished Alumni Award and in 2019 inducted in the school’s Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame
Phoebe Gur-Chiang
Board Member
Dr. Phoebe Gur-Chiang earned a Bachelor of Agriculture degree at College of Chinese Culture, followed by a Master and a Doctor of Animal Science degree at Michigan State University. She also earned a Registered Dietitian Certification at Wayne State University. In addition to her current clinical dietetic position at Farmville Dialysis Center, she has taught at Virginia State University and served at Hanover Health District. Past job experience includes positions as Adjunct Professor, District Nutritionist, Mandrin and Culture Teacher, Principal and Chair. Currently, she is chair of the Richmond Chinese School Board and has a daughter who earned a Diploma of Graduation from Richmond Chinese School.
Sarah Braggs
Parent Coordinator
Sarah Braggs is mother of 3 children. Reece, Morgan and Michael Braggs. Morgan Braggs is a second year member of the Richmond Chinese School.
Sarah is originally from North Carolina and came to Richmond Virginia in 2006. She is proud to be a part of the school and chose it because of the small group learning.
"I'd want to make sure all doors stay open for my children. Morgan enjoys learning Mandarin, and this is a great place to support and explore his interest. I am proud to serve as Parent Coordinator for the Richmond Chinese School."
Rebecca Wu
Intermediate Teacher
In 2020, as a Chinese language teacher at Richmond Chinese School,
the teenager students enjoy my interactive, creative and lively
teaching style. Through my creative and interesting teaching methods,
the students have learned a lot of Chinese listening, speaking, reading
and writing in a happy and creative environment. And let the students
in the Chinese listening, speaking, reading, writing has made great
progress.
Susan Chen
Preschool Teacher
Susan Chen is a native Mandarin speaker from Zhanghua, Taiwan. She holds a bachelor's degree in Pedagogy and a minor in Child Psychology from Mackenzie Presbyterian University of Sao Paulo. Her passion is teaching, especially teaching Chinese Language to children.
Mrs. Chen has more than 20 years of teaching and tutoring experience. She taught private Portuguese Language classes to elementary and middle school Chinese speaking students, when she was a university student in Brazil. She worked at "Escola de Educacao Infantil - Happy Kids" in Sao Paulo Brazil after she graduated from University.
After she moved to the US, Mrs. Chen had an opportunity to teach Mandarin for Preschool and Chinese Language Enrichment Classes at Westwood Christian School. She also gave private Mandarin lessons to elementary school, middle school, and adult students in Miami Florida.
Mrs. Chen moved from Miami to Virginia with her husband. She was teaching Chinese Language Immersion Preschool at Communikids and the Richmond Chinese School until she had her first child. This year, Mrs. Chen is back to the Richmond Chinese School, where she will be the Preschool Class teacher. Mrs. Chen loves teaching and playing with children. She teaches small group Immersion Preschool Class on the weekdays. She likes to spend her free time on outdoor activities and trips with her husband and two treasured sons.
Dr. Hong Chartrand
Secondary Teacher
Dr. Hong Chartrand is a public health professional and a Chinese linguist by training. She was born and grew up in China and received her bachelor’s degree in Chinese language and literature from Peking University. She holds a doctoral degree in public health from the University of Arizona. She taught Chinese language and civilization at colleges in China and the United States, respectively, and volunteered to teach Chinese to kids at a local Chinese school in the United States some years ago.
Winny Chen 陳慧予
Treasurer/Elementary Class Teacher
Winny previously taught the Adult Class in 2018-2020 for the RCS. In the last two years, Winny sometimes substitutes for the other classes. Winny is also the Treasurer for the RCS.
The Elementary Class is very active and the students are very smart. Winny enjoys the interactions with her students. By the end of the class, the students will know their Chinese names, numbers, culture and traditions, and many words in Pinyin and Chinese characters.