Happy Thanksgiving from the FXBG Advance Family
This Thanksgiving Day, we celebrate and introduce the dynamic and growing group of leaders and creators who are the Advance.
“Give Thanks.” That’s the simple message of this day that the late Martin E. Marty — the esteemed historian of American religion at the University of Chicago — called the most American of holidays.
It is a day to appreciate bounty, and to celebrate the people who come together to form the communities that are the backbone of American greatness.
In trying times, it’s easy to focus what we lack — trying times, however, are when it is most important to give thanks. Thanksgiving was born in the midst of the American Civil War. Lincoln’s proclamation formally establishing the holiday in 1863 is a reminder that even in our darkest times, there is more that draws us together than separates us.
From Lincoln’s proclamation:
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.
In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.
Important words to ponder this morning.
The Advance team has the day off, and each of us wishes you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving.
As is our tradition, on this day we profile the team that daily works to bring you the most insightful, thorough reporting in the greater Fredericksburg region. Thank you for making our work possible. And thank you to every member of the Advance team who gives their all for the region they know as “home.”
— Martin Davis, Editor-in-Chief
Senior Leadership
Advance Founders
Martin Davis (editor-in-chief), Leigh Anne Van Doren (publisher and board member), and Shaun Kenney (columnist and board member) are the founders of FXBG Advance.
Martin has enjoyed a nearly 30 years’ career in journalism, reporting internationally, nationally, and locally on issues ranging from education and religion, to terrorism and sports. His work has appeared in the Christian Science Monitor, National Journal, National Review, PGA Tour Magazine, New York Daily News, and a number of nationwide and statewide publications. He is also the author of 30 Days with America’s High School Coaches, a look at the impact varsity sports coaches have on players, their schools, and the broader community. He is currently writing a book about education, combining his experience in the classroom with his reporting experience to discuss how schools can achieve in spite of the political and structural roadblocks that have stifled creativity and intellectual curiosity among students. The father of three, Martin enjoys gardening with his wife, Thelma; travel; reading; and walking with his dog, Dexter.
Leigh Anne has for more than 20 years published Fredericksburg Parent and Family magazine, and she is a recognized community leader. She has played leadership roles in nonprofits such as Stafford Junction, the Girl Scouts, and Rotary. She was also an early leader in email and web-based marketing for clients here and in D.C., counting national organizations such as the Business Roundtable, National Business Association, and the National Center for Education and the Economy as clients. Leigh Anne holds the distinction of envisioning the Advance before anyone else, placing the idea for a nonprofit newsroom on her vision board years before the Advance was a thought in Martin’s or Shaun’s minds.
Shaun is former chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, and most recently served on the staff of Attorney General Jason Miyares. He is the founder of The Republican Standard and was the powering force behind the launch of The New Dominion Podcast, an Advance product. Shaun is respected across the state for his incisive, tightly argued writing. Shaun and Marty share a passion for journalism that embraces, instead of runs away from, the multiple partisan perspectives that define the community we share. An unrelenting advocate of civility and vigorous debate, Shaun is a driving intellectual force in the Advance’s approach to our work.
Advance Editorial Team
Adele Uphaus is managing editor and correspondent for the Advance. Her expertise in education writing and investigative reporting are well-recognized. She has received multiple awards from the Virginia Press Association throughout her career for her extraordinary work. Adele is also, arguably, the most-trusted journalist in central Virginia, appreciated for her listening ear, ability to accurately report complex issues, and incisive writing style. She manages the day-to-day flow of copy at the Advance, as well as our staff of freelance writers, in addition to continuing to report the most important news in our area.
Vanessa Sekinger is the editor of Sunday Books and Culture, pulling together weekly the finest book reviews, columns, and cartoons in the region. Now in her third year with the Advance, Vanessa has been inspirational in bringing books aimed at younger readers to our pages, and successfully handles the first drafts of Drew Gallagher’s writings.
Advance Board Members
The Advance is served by eight current board members and one ex-officio member — Martin Davis.
Julia Payne is one of the Advance’s newer Board members. She is a Fredericksburg native and the Managing Editor of The Contrarian, one of the fastest-growing independent media outlets recently launched on Substack. She brings extensive experience in media and communications—from the White House to the NFL to founding her own public relations firm.
Craig Vasey is the Advance’s Board chair and has been with the organization since the Board was first formed. A retired professor of religion and philosophy at the University of Mary Washington where he long served as department chair, Craig was a leader in opening doors for women and minorities during his time on the faculty. At the Advance, Craig is appreciated not only for his steadfast leadership of the Board, but for his friendship and effervescent smile.
Cori Blanch and Megan Samples are also relatively new to the Board. Cori and Megan co-own Curitiba coffee shop on Caroline Street, and Megan works fulltime at the Continuum of Care dealing with affordable housing issues as well as challenges in addressing homelessness. Cori is a co-host and technical leader for the New Dominion Podcast, and Megan co-hosts as well.
John Van Hoy owns Creative Color in Fredericksburg and once hosted a local political talk show. One of the Advance’s original Board members, John brings expertise in marketing and design as well as deep experience in standing up and running successful businesses.
Bruce Saller enjoyed a long career in engineering before coming to the Advance’s Board. He brings a passion for environmental issues and writes a weekly column about the ways consumers can save money on their energy use (see more below). Bruce is involved with a number of local organizations and enjoys playing tennis.
Shaun Kenney and Leigh Anne Van Doren are original members of the Board, and Leigh Anne is a former Board chair. Read more about them in their profiles under “Advance Founders.”
Advance Advisors
Dr. Janet Gullickson is the recently retired president of Germanna Community College, which she led through an unparalleled period of growth. A longtime Advance reader, Janet has come alongside the organization to help guide its long-range planning and will be part of a special new project to be announced in January.
Charlie Payne Jr. is a well-respected land-use attorney with Hirschler Law Firm in Fredericksburg. Payne’s family has deep roots in this region, and with the exception of a brief jaunt to Michigan for law school, Charlie has stayed close to his native Virginia. In addition to advising the Advance on legal issues, Charlie is the Advance’s biggest Grateful Dead fan.
Kevin Hughes is a long-time resident of the City of Fredericksburg and believes in the critical importance of local journalism to a growing, vibrant, and engaged community.
Creative Talent
Advance Columnists
The Advance enjoys a number of talented columnists. Arguably our best-known, however, isn’t pictured. Donnie Johnston has been writing since he could put pencil to paper; he became a regular contributor to the Free Lance-Star in 1999. That gig lasted until recently, when he joined the Advance. Today, he delivers his popular, commonsense insights about local life, farming, and politics both national and statewide to the Advance’s readers with a healthy dose of humor and the occasional sharp critique that both delights and at times irritates his longtime fans. Never dull, frequently thought-provoking, always welcoming, the Advance is honored to be the platform on which Johnston has continued to entertain central Virginians.
Another regular columnist, also not pictured, is Alan Herrmann. Alan writes our classic film reviews, bringing fresh insights into classic movies from the glory days of Hollywood.
Eric Bonds is a professor of sociology at the University of Mary Washington and regularly writes for the Advance about environmental issues. Most recently, he worked with two of his students to produce original reporting on undocumented people living here in the Fredericksburg region. A graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder, Bonds is involved locally in environmental issues.
Bruce Saller writes the weekly “Environmental Cents” column, which explores practical ways that people can save money by better understanding the many electric materials in their homes. Beyond this, the column also explores energy issues, droughts, and climate. An engineer by training, Saller is active in a number of local nonprofit organizations. He also sits on the Advance’s Board.
Drew Gallagher has been writing a weekly humor column for the Advance almost from the paper’s beginning. He also regularly writes book reviews. Prior to joining the Advance, he was a prolific reviewer for the Free Lance-Star newspaper. It’s as a humorist, however, what Drew is best known for in the pages of the Advance. Combining original research with a taste for the ironic and the absurd, Drew has that rare ability to make people both think deeply and laugh out load. His proudest moment? Being told by Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger at a press conference that she reads him, adding, “You’re funny.” Huzzah.
Advance Writers
Hank Silverberg has enjoyed a long, distinguished career in journalism, having spent many years at both WTOP and USA9. The author of four books and an adjunct professor of journalism at Northern Virginia Community College, Silverberg’s voice and writing have been a part of the D.C. fabric for more than two decades. He joined the Advance two years ago writing principally about transportation and government.
Penny A Parrish is a long-time book reviewer for the Free Lance-Star who joined the Advance when FLS ended its book coverage. Since joining our team, Parrish brings her wit and passion for a good story to her many reviews of fiction and nonfiction works. Beyond writing, Penny is an accomplished photographer whose work can be seen at PennyAParrishPhotography.com and is displayed at Brush Strokes Gallery in downtown Fredericksburg.
Sophie Hubbard is a new member of the Advance team. A student at the University of Mary Washington majoring in marketing, Sophie has become a regular contributor writing about local businesses. Her keen observations and ability to cut to the heart of what makes a local business click have quickly made her a favorite with Advance readers.
Dennis Wemm is the Advance’s theatre critic. A retired professor of theatre at Glanville College, Dennis has become a regular fixture on the growing and dynamic theatre scene.
Chasqui Mooney-Guerra is originally from Colorado but has lived in Fredericksburg since he was in grade school. A recent graduate from the University of Virginia where he studied English and politics, he loves watching movies (and writing about them) and telling anyone who’ll listen about the latest pulpy fantasy novel he’s reading. He will be writing about local politics while applying for graduate school next fall.
Angela Davis is one of the Advance’s movie critics, writing the popular “Three Things to Stream” column that runs on Fridays. A graduate of George Mason University where she studied English and French, Angela lives in Fredericksburg and also works as a substitute teacher.
Hailey Zeller has since the fall been writing the Advance’s “What to Do This Weekend” column. She also writes occasional pieces of local interest, like her recent piece for Halloween about witchcraft in Virginia. Hailey is a freshman at William & Mary University and recently graduated from James Monroe High School.
Advance Cartoonist
There are political cartoonists, and then there is Clay Jones. With a long list of national awards to his credit, and a litany of cartoons for publications ranging from newsrooms as powerful as CNN, to smaller newspapers across the country, Clay is known for drawing it straight. Combining the latest news with a distinctive cartooning style that both satirizes and captures his subjects’ personalities, Clay’s drawings don’t just capture Fredericksburg and its surrounding locales, they are integral to the city’s being. Unfortunately, this fall Clay suffered a stroke and has taken a hiatus to recover. Slowed, but not stopped, Clay is slowly working his way back to cartooning. The Advance wishes him all the best in his recovery and encourages our readers to support his recovery by contributing to his Substack site.
Advance Podcasting
Now in its third season, the New Dominion Podcast continues to host the most interesting politicians and civic leaders in the region for discussions about the issues and challenges the community faces. Shaun, Martin, Cori, and Megan anchor the show.
Administrative Team
Advance Administrative Staff
Beginning January 1, 2026, the Advance welcomes Leena Sabo to our team. A Fredericksburg native now living in Boulder, Colorado, Leena will be serving as the Advance’s subscriber and business support person. From keeping subscribers connected with the latest happenings at the Advance and addressing their questions, to supporting businesses that advertise with our media organization as well as managing our social media presence, Leena will play a crucial role in strengthening the Advance’s connections to the Fredericksburg community. Join us in welcoming Leena to the team. You’ll be hearing from her in January!
Local Obituaries
To view local obituaries or to send a note to family and loved ones, please visit the link that follows.
Support Award-winning, Locally Focused Journalism
The FXBG Advance cuts through the talking points to deliver both incisive and informative news about the issues, people, and organizations that daily affect your life. And we do it in a multi-partisan format that has no equal in this region. Over the past year, our reporting was:
First to break the story of Stafford Board of Supervisors dismissing a citizen library board member for “misconduct,” without informing the citizen or explaining what the person allegedly did wrong.
First to explain falling water levels in the Rappahannock Canal.
First to detail controversial traffic numbers submitted by Stafford staff on the Buc-ee’s project
Our media group also offers the most-extensive election coverage in the region and regular columnists like:
And our newsroom is led by the most-experienced and most-awarded journalists in the region — Adele Uphaus (Managing Editor and multiple VPA award-winner) and Martin Davis (Editor-in-Chief, 2022 Opinion Writer of the Year in Virginia and more than 25 years reporting from around the country and the world).
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This article is published under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND. It can be distributed for noncommercial purposes and must include the following: “Published with permission by FXBG Advance.”
Geez, what an eye-opener to who's now behind 'FXBG Advance'. Glad I also subscribe to 'Potomac Local News' for unbiased news. Whatever happened to the 4th Estate as a 'watchdog'?