Donna Liu Ashworth 劉秀敏
School Principal
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
Ruby Huang 黄瑜如
Elementary II Class Teacher
Yu-Ju (Ruby) started her studies in Business Administration from Shih Chien University, Taipei, Taiwan and earned her Master’s degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She has many years of experience in Business Administration and Marketing. Ruby is very sociable and is passionate about teaching Chinese and learning about different cultures. She homeschooled her children in Traditional Chinese and manages a Chinese learning group providing opportunities for people to learn Chinese.
r.huang.trcs@gmail.com
Jessica Luan 欒佳萍
Preschool Class Teacher
Jiaping (Jessica) grew up in Taiwan and went to college in Taipei City. She came to the States in 2002 to go to Marshall University in West Virginia where she earned her Master of Business Administration degree. She moved to Richmond, Virginia for an employment opportunity in 2006 and has stayed since then. Jessica commits to creating a comfortable and fun environment in her preschool classes in RCS. She believes that it will help boost her students interest in learning Chinese.
j.luan.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.
Winny Chen 陳慧予
Treasurer/Elementary I 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 I 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
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
Ruby Huang 黄瑜如
Elementary II Class Teacher
Yu-Ju (Ruby) started her studies in Business Administration from Shih Chien University, Taipei, Taiwan and earned her Master’s degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She has many years of experience in Business Administration and Marketing. Ruby is very sociable and is passionate about teaching Chinese and learning about different cultures. She homeschooled her children in Traditional Chinese and manages a Chinese learning group providing opportunities for people to learn Chinese.
Jessica Luan 欒佳萍
Preschool Class Teacher
Jiaping (Jessica) grew up in Taiwan and went to college in Taipei City. She came to the States in 2002 to go to Marshall University in West Virginia where she earned her Master of Business Administration degree. She moved to Richmond, Virginia for an employment opportunity in 2006 and has stayed since then. Jessica commits to creating a comfortable and fun environment in her preschool classes in RCS. She believes that it will help boost her students interest in learning Chinese.
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.
Winny Chen 陳慧予
Treasurer/Elementary I 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 I 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.