The Virginia Geographic Alliance promotes geo-literacy by providing effective professional development programs that enhance the teaching and learning of geography and that demonstrate the value of geographic knowledge and spatial thinking to educators, policy makers, and community members.

Our Vision:

The Virginia Geographic Alliance fosters and supports the enduring power of the geographic perspective in social, environmental and geospatial sciences as they develop in schools, universities, businesses, governments and communications media to advance geo-literacy. Acquiring geographic knowledge, skills and technologies enables people to become productive citizens and lifelong learners who

►recognize the importance of place and local-to-global connections,
►understand changing human-environment interactions, and
►apply environmental and spatial perspectives in decision-making and problem-solving.

VGA Executive Committee

  • Annie Evans

    State Coordinator

    Annie Evans has spent over half her life teaching history, civics, and geography in Virginia’s K12 public schools. With New American History, she collaborates with a network of educators across the country to create learning resources to inspire the next generation of educators, public historians, and community leaders. Embracing inquiry and place-based learning, she serves as co-coordinator of the Virginia Geographic Alliance and a National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellow and Certified Educator.

  • Chris Bunin

    State Coordinator

    Chris Bunin teaches Social Studies and Geospatial Technologies at Albemarle High School in Charlottesville, Virginia. He is also Assistant Professor of Geography at Piedmont Virginia Community College. Chris believes that strong instruction values voice and choice, integrates emerging technologies, utilizes the inquiry process, and defies ability ceilings. Bunin has committed himself to providing his colleagues in the field with the geospatial technologies tools they need in their classrooms. These include award-winning maps, mobile applications and guides for expeditionary learning. For example, the National Geographic's online course "Mapping as a Visualization and Communication Tool in Your Classroom,” and “An Applied Geospatial Curriculum for Middle Schools” and Esri’s “Geo Inquiries for U.S. and World History.”

  • Shannon White

    Treasurer

    Dr. Shannon H. White, GIS Certificate Coordinator for William and Mary’s Center for Geospatial Analysis, has focused on outreach, teaching & research in GIS and geospatial education for nearly 20 years. Shannon’s work has focused on promotion of geospatial technologies, geographic analysis and spatial thinking throughout her career. She has worked with audiences ranging from geospatial professionals, to college and university students and faculty, and to K-12 educators and youth. She has worked in leadership roles in local, state, regional, national and international groups of researchers and geospatial technology users.

  • Frances Coffey

    Social Media Coordinator

    Frances Coffey teaches AP Human Geography and World History and Geography in Fairfax County. She has served as a Table Leader and Early Table Leader at the AP Human Geography Reading. Frances has participated in extensive international geographic field work, and currently serves as the Social Media and Communications Coordinator for the Virginia Geographic Alliance.

  • Executive Committee At Large

    Bob Morrill

    Bill Carstensen

    Georgeanne Hribar

    Bob Oliver

    Judith Painter

  • VGA Steering Committee

    T he VGA Steering Committee consists teachers, university professionals and other educators throughout the commonwealth. All of these individuals are dedicated to promoting geo-literacy