About Us

Sarah loves history. It may have started when she lived in Guatemala as a young girl, exploring Spanish ruins in Antigua. Or during her summers in Kentucky, learning about her family and its genealogy. At age 10, Sarah decided to become an archaeologist and held on to that passion for years.                       

She graduated from the College of William and Mary with a BA in English Literature and went on to a nearly two-decade long career at the Voice of America in Washington, DC. There she was a writer, producer, and show-host, earning a national commendation from American Women in Radio and Television. And she found an outlet for her love of history by writing radio documentaries. 

In 2005, Sarah and her husband Dan moved to Danville because of their shared love for Victorian architecture. She gravitated to the Danville Historical Society, serving on its board from 2010 to 2016 – four of those years as president. After a four-year hiatus, Sarah rejoined the board in 2022 and is honored to have been elected again to serve as president.

Sarah Robertson was born and raised in rural southern Virginia.  She has always had a love for historical homes and set her eyes on owning a home on Millionaire's Row when visiting Danville for the first time in early 2005.  Sarah and her husband Shaun fell in love with the Paxton-Grant house at 815 Main Street and moved their family of seven into the home in 2017.  The family loves living so close to the revitalization taking place in the River District and are excited for the opportunities on the city's horizon.    

 Sarah believes that to appreciate where you are you must understand where you have been, so she gladly joined the board in late 2022. She has developed a passion for the Society's work. Sarah is a registered nurse and has focused the majority of her career on population health initiatives in rural communities.  She obtained her nursing diploma from the Danville Regional Medical Center School of Nursing, her BSN from Averett University and is actively pursuing her Master's in Nursing Informatics.

Lonnie F. Jones was born in Danville, Virginia in 1964 and attended Pittsylvania County Schools, graduating from Gretna High in 1982 and Brown Institute of Broadcasting in Fort Lauderdale Florida.
He moved from Chatham to downtown Danville in 2021. Lonnie has worked at WMNA, in Gretna, Virginia; WODI , in Brookneal, Virginia and. WKDE in Altavista, Virginia, serving as Program Director, Music Director, and on-air personality. He also was in retail management.

Lonnie serves as the Community Review Board person at the Danville Police Department and as Vice President of The Young At Hearts. He is membership chairman of The Old Dominion Classic Sports Car Club and volunteers at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History. His interests include architecture, community involvement and development, classic cars, fountain pens, and an occasional cigar. Lonnie is also a advocate for fellow patients with Chronic Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Karice Luck is currently a Community Initiatives associate for Virginia Humanities, developing statewide partnerships, supporting cultural heritage projects in southern Virginia and working with the General Assembly African American Cultural Resources Task Force.

Karice collaborates with local community members to sustain a network of cultural organizations committed to positive change. Karice is a public historian and genealogist who has done extensive research on the Pittsylvania County area, specializing in family history. One of her current projects includes the development of the Danville Research Center for African American History & Culture.

She is the founder of the Danville/Pittsylvania County Chapter of the Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society (AAHGS). In 2019, she was appointed by Governor Northam to serve on the Virginia Board of Historic Resources. Karice is also the proud owner of Our History Matters, LLC that provides heritage tours, historic preservation consulting and genealogy services.

Monti is a seasoned professional in the hospitality industry with over two decades of diverse and demanding responsibilities. His passion for delivering exceptional customer experiences has been a driving force throughout his career. In addition to his impressive professional achievements, Monti is a recognized advocate for diversity and mentorship in the hospitality industry. With his extensive industry experience, outstanding leadership capabilities, and an unyielding dedication to excellence, Monti Felaya continues to leave a profound impact on the hospitality sector. He is a driving force for innovation, consistently establishing new benchmarks for exceptional service and guest experiences.

Petrina has been a resident of Danville since 1994, she currently serves as the President/CEO for Tri-County Community Action Agency in Halifax, VA. Though she was born and raised in New York City, she remembers fondly the many summers spent in Danville, VA with her aunt and uncle who were natives. Petrina began looking more into Danville history to provide historical context at family gatherings. She is excited to be a part of the Danville Historical Society and looks forward to doing what she can to preserve history for future generations. Petrina holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from UNC at Greensboro and a Master of Science in Training and development from the University of Saint Francis.

Dean Hairston is a native of Southside VA having grown up in Pittsylvania County.  He graduated from Tunstall High School and later received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Averett University and a Master of Science Degree in Sociology/Criminology from Longwood University.  Dean retired from the Danville Police Department as the Deputy Chief after a 37-year career.  He currently works as the Director of Security for Caesars Virginia Casino and Resort.

Dean is married to Dr. Angela Hairston, Superintendent of Danville Public Schools, and together they have a blended family of seven children, including two daughters-in-law, and five grandchildren. He considers himself an amateur historian; however, he has been featured in or worked with a number of media entities such as HBO, PBS, CSPAN, CBS, History Channel, NPR and several other media outlets on a variety of history projects.

Dr. Andrew Hessler is originally from Wooster — a small, historic, college town in Ohio.

Andrew moved to Danville in 2018 with his fiancé, Nikki, to work and live closer to his relatives. During their stay in the River District, he became as interested as ever in both the region’s history and its bright future. In 2019, Andrew was appointed by Danville City Council to the River District Design Commission (RDDC) — a board which reviews architectural changes, planning, and development to downtown. In 2020, Dr. Hessler also became a member of Danville’s Riverview Rotary Club, The Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History (DMFAH) and added to the Board of Directors for the Danville Historical Society.

Andrew is excited to continue work highlighting Danville’s architecture and local preservation through our annual Historic House Tour. He has also enjoyed diving into the archives for old postcards, photos, and online-archive newspaper stories.

Mary Massie Barnes is a native of Danville, VA, raised in the Almagro community. She retired after 22 years working for Danville Public Schools, and was formerly employed at Hughes Memorial Home and the Rowan Salisbury School System.

Mary is an active member of Bible Way Cathedral and a community and youth advocate, as well as a life member of the NAACP. In addition, Mary is the founder of Love in Action, vice-president of Mothers Stronger TwoGether, a volunteer with the Danville Police Department, and a member of The Health Collaborative. She is also known to many as “Miss Bunny,” the former owner/operator of a business in the Five Forks area of Danville.

Kiara Dixon is from Martinsville and Henry County. She moved to Danville about four years and is a Senior Float Sales and Service Representative at First Citizens Bank. When she is not at work, Kiara likes to spend time with her family, taking walks on the trails or long rides through town. She says that Danville is a beautiful city, from the river to the historic buildings and houses. She is hoping to learn more about Danville, its history and the many things it has to offer, by serving on the board of the Danville Historical Society.  

Adam Jones is a native of Danville who was raised in the Schoolfield district. He owns and has operated a local business in the downtown River District (The Brick Running & Tri Store) for the last 11 years. He lives with his wife, Joy, and daughter, Vivian, in the Old West End where they enjoy local entertainment, sports and fitness.

Michael McNeely was born in Virginia and raised in the Danville/Pittsylvania Co. area. Michael was a 1994 graduate of Chatham High School.

He graduated from University of Southern California with a Masters of Clinical Social Work and is a children’s mental health provider.

After living in several larger cities on the East Coast, Michael returned home and moved into the Old West End in 2004. Michael has enjoyed historic architecture and restoration from a young age.

Steve moved to Danville from Florida about three years ago. He is the owner and Senior Project Manager for Hammer Hill Computers on Wilson Street. He has over 30-years experience as an IT professional, skilled in computer repair, Microsoft Word, management, entrepreneurial finance and business development.

Carmen Kesel is the Director of Marketing for Caesars Virginia in Danville. She has worked for the gaming and hospitality industry for over 17 years, in casinos from Tunica, Mississippi to Las Vegas, Nevada to Cripple Creek, Colorado and now here in Danville! While her focus is on Marketing/Advertising, Entertainment, and Special Events, she also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and Health Sciences. Carmen also serves on the Board of Directors for the Danville Concert Association and the Danville Science Center Special Events Committee.