Global Studies Department Faculty

The main phone number is 804-354-6800.

Mr. Dan Brown attended Virginia Commonwealth University where he received a B.A. in History in 1996 and is currently nearing completion on his Master's Thesis concerning "British Convict Labor in Colonial Virginia". Mr. Brown presently teaches Global Studies and is the Debate coach. Prior to working at the Governor's School Mr. Brown worked as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at Virginia Commonwealth University, taught U.S. History and World History at Amelia Academy, and taught World History (summer session) at Mills Godwin High School. Mr. Brown also has over six years employment in the museum field. He has worked in various capacities at several Richmond area museums including Agecroft Hall, The Science Museum of Virginia, The Museum of the Confederacy, and Petersburg National Battlefield Park. Mr. Brown enjoys playing racquetball in his free time.

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Mrs. Sarah Dwelle is returning to MLWGS after a year at home with her son, Barrett.  She will be teaching Global Studies and AP United States History and serving as co-sponsor of Governor’s School Model United Nations.  She received her BA from the University of Richmond with majors in history and international studies, and a concentration in Russia and Eastern Europe. She is also a graduate of the Master of Teaching program at Virginia Commonwealth University. She has been a teacher fellow of the Virginia Center for the Teaching of International Studies and has studied abroad in Denmark and Russia. Mrs. Dwelle is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Alpha Theta honor societies. In her (very little) spare time, she enjoys visiting with family and friends, traveling, Rock Band, and winning at fantasy football.

Dr. Brenda Ericson has been teaching in the Social Studies Department at the Governor’s School since 2000. A native of Rhode Island, Dr. Ericson received a B.S. in Business Administration from Bryant University and a M.A. in History from Providence College. Following completion of those degrees, Dr. Ericson spent three years living and teaching in China and Taiwan. In 1993, Dr. Ericson began her pursuit of a Ph.D. in history at the University of New Mexico. After more than ten years of study, work, research and a leave of absence from the Governor’s School, Dr. Ericson completed her degree in 2004. The topic of her dissertation was The Making of an Ally: Chiang Kai-shek and American Foreign Policy, 1936-1941.

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Ms. Libby Germer comes from Washington State and brought her love of coffee, rock music, and the great outdoors with her to Richmond.  She has a BA in International Studies from Whitworth College in Spokane, WA and a MA in Teaching from The College of New Jersey.  She has taught for six years and loves her job, especially when she needs a little break from running after her toddling son at home. 

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Mr. Jafnar Gueye is currently a graduate student at Virginia Commonwealth University studying to obtain his M.A in Economics. He has lived in four different countries and fluently speaks 5 languages, and his international background is a pivotal aspect of who he is. He obtained his B.A in Economics at the University of Orleans in France, and has worked as an English conversation teacher there as well. He also participated in several debates and made several contributions on the topics of African development, mainly at the University of Orleans.

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Mrs. Mary Jane McKay offers the Governor's School over 18 years of teaching experience that includes college, middle school, and high school. She is a graduate of programs at Seton Hill College, the University of Kansas, the University of Michigan, and the College of William and Mary. She has attended the College of William and Mary Institute on China, Japan and Korea, and has worked with the MITAS group in Michigan. Besides being Hopewell High's Teacher of the Year for 1991, she was also selected to receive the Phi Delta Kappa Outstanding Educator Award at Virginia Commonwealth University. She also sponsors "Odyssey of the Mind".

Mrs. McKay began the Social Studies program at The Maggie L. Walker Governor's School in August, 1991 by developing the Interdisciplinary Global Studies curriculum. She currently teaches AP courses in Comparative Government, European History, and Human Geography.

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Mr. Matt McGuire comes to the Governor's School after teaching Social Studies for five years in Fairfax County.  He received his BA in government from the College of William and Mary and his MA in history from George Mason University.  Mr. McGuire's electic interests range from constitutional law to cinema studies, but his academic focus is the history of American political culture.  Before becoming a teacher he worked for numerous political campaigns and conducted research for organizations as diverse as the White House Historical Association and Empower America.  When not obsessing about the latest poll numbers or election results, Mr. McGuire enjoys rooting for the Washington Redskins with his family and playing golf with friends.  He teaches AP Comparative Government, We the People and AP American Government and Politics.

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Ms.Jerusha Moses, comes to Maggie Walker as Adjunct Faculty from VCU and will teach World Religions.  Ms. Moses has earned Masters Degrees from both Baptist Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia and Madras Christian College in Chennai, India.  She completed her Bachelors Degree from Women’s Christian College in Chennai, India.  Ms. Moses speaks five different languages; English, Tamil, French, Biblical Hebrew and Biblical Greek.

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Ms. Tinsley Pollard, a Richmond native, is a graduate of Douglas Freeman High School, received her Associate of Arts degree from Peace College in Raleigh, North Carolina, and her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Richmond with a major in History. She is also a certified tennis teaching professional under the United States Professional Tennis Registry (USPTR) and a graduate of the Dennis Van Der Meer Tennis University. She teaches the course of Global Studies and coaches the Tennis Team.

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Mr. Max Smith is in his second year teaching Global Studies and sponsoring Model UN at Maggie Walker.  Previously he taught modern world history and philosophy for Henrico County’s International Baccalaureate program. There he received distinctions as a Meritorious New Teacher from the state and New Teacher of the Year from his school. Mr. Smith received his BA from the University of Richmond with majors in History and Drama, with a concentration on Western Europe and Russia/the Soviet Union.  He received his endorsement in Gifted Education in 2007 and is currently working on his Master’s Degree from the University of Virginia. He is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, Kappa Delta Phi and Phi Alpha Theta honor societies. One of his favorite pastimes is traveling. He has been on a teaching fellowship to Germany (2005) and another in Korea (2008). In the past four years, he’s traveled to Croatia, Turkey, Italy, Greece, the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, England, France and Spain. He also enjoys home improvement, going to the gym, camping, community service and visiting family and friends.

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Mr. Phil Sorrentino received a BA in history from Long Island University (1973), a MA in Secondary Education/Social Studies from Adelphi University (1976) and a MA in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh (1996). Mr. Sorrentino is an experienced teacher who taught Social Studies in Hanover County Secondary School for 15 years and in New York State for 3 years. He teaches AP American Government and Politics, Modern Political Theory and Foundations of Independent Research and Communication.

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Mr. Quincy Waller holds a Masters degree from Johns Hopkins University and has taught the last six years in the Baltimore City Public School System where he taught American Government, World History and elective courses. Prior to his Maryland teaching experience, Mr. Waller taught in a substitute capacity for one year at his alma mater, L.C. Byrd High School in Chesterfield County, where he also coached on both the Varsity and Junior Varsity football teams. Mr. Waller has worked as a camp counselor in a program designed for emotionally disturbed children, and volunteered for Special Olympics and elementary school children mentoring.

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Mr. John Wilkes joined the Governor’s School faculty in 1992 following 11 years of experience in the marketing field.  He holds a BA in History and Government from the University of Virginia, where he graduated with distinction, and a M.T. in Education and a M.A. in History, both from the University of Richmond.  Mr. Wilkes received one of the Richmond area’s R.E.B. Awards for teaching excellence in 1998 and he was nominated for the Disney American Teacher Awards in 1999.  He is a reading consultant for The College Board’s AP U.S. History examination, a clinical faculty member in VCU’s School of Education, and has served as a history education consultant for numerous local and regional organizations. 

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