Contact us: [email protected]
Invest in the future of Democracy
About VA Civics
Values that Guide us
Understand
the needs of teachers and their challenges in the 21st century classroom
Respect
the Constitution and the rule of law without partisan bias
Advocate
for reasoned debate, civil discourse, and respect for the opinions of others
Commit
to proven civic education programs and research on program efficacy and teaching methodologies
Respond
quickly to current and emerging needs in curriculum development and teacher training to remain relevant and effective
Participate
with program partners through active engagement, ensuring mutually beneficial partnerships to increase the reach and impact of civic education programs statewide.
Our Program Staff
Meet our Board of Directors
VA Civics is governed and operated by a dedicated team of civic education experts and enthusiasts.
Our Advisory Council
Let’s Connect
We’re always looking for Coalition parters and partnership opportunities to provide the best, most robust professional development experiences for teachers. Reach out if you’d like to get involved.
© 2024 All Rights Reserved.
Amelia Bochain
Amelia Bochain has devoted her professional life to effective social studies education that fosters civil discourse. As a classroom teacher for nine years, she implemented project-based learning that focused on civic engagement and encouraging effective discussion skills. She is particularly passionate about the We the People program, where she coached teams that placed in regional, state, and national competitions.
State Coordinator
Jen Patja
Jen Patja has dedicated her career to strengthening constitutional self-government through her work with Virginia Civics, the Center for Civic Education, and Montpelier’s Robert H. Smith Center for the Constitution, where she served as Deputy Director. Jen is a co-founder of Virginia Civics, and served as a House of Delegates-appointed member of the Virginia Commission on Civic Education, a state legislative commission, from 2014–2024. She is the producer and editor of “Rational Security,” a weekly foreign policy and national security roundup, and “The Lawfare Podcast,” a daily audio production in cooperation with the Brookings Institution. She is also a speaker with the U.S. Speaker Program at the U.S. Department of State. Jen has held teaching and research positions at the University of Virginia, most notably in Criminology and the school’s University Internship Program with the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. She received her master’s in Sociology from the University of Virginia, and a bachelor’s in English from the University of California, Berkeley.
Co-Executive Director & Chief Operating Officer
Emily Voss
Emily Voss comes to civic education from the museum world, where she was passionate about making museums relevant to the modern world. She currently serves as the Manager of National Programs for the Center for Civic Education. Prior to that, she served as the Education Director at the Robert H. Smith Center for the Constitution at James Madison’s Montpelier where she spent the past decade developing programs for adult professionals that invited engagement with America’s founding documents. She served as the Virginia State Coordinator of the We the People program for 10 years and is a co-founder of Virginia Civics. Emily holds a BA in History from Gettysburg College, and an MA in Museum Education from the Cooperstown Graduate Program (SUNY). She and her family currently reside in central Virginia.
Co-Executive Director & Chief Programs Officer
