Dottie Tweedie is the founding director of The James River Ringers. She has taught a variety of classes at Handbell Musicians of America’s Area III Adult Festivals, Directors Seminars and Bravissimo!, and leads JRR’s annual Ringer Workshop for beginning and advanced ringers. She also served as the guest conductor for the Genesis track at HMA’s Ocean City Festival in March of 2011. In addition, she supports individual directors and choirs by providing customized workshops. She was instrumental in establishing Bravissimo!, Area III’s event dedicated to community and performing groups, and has twice served as program chair for that event.  Her full-time job is office manager for a residential building contractor.

Sue Atkins started ringing handbells in the late 1980s and joined the James River Ringers in 1999.  She is also active as an on-call substitute for churches throughout the metro area.  Through her affiliation with JRR, Sue participated in two AGEHR Area III Bronze Conference Choirs, attended the national Pinnacle event in 2002, and has rung at Distinctly Bronze since 2003.  In her other life, Sue has been a Human Resources professional for more than twenty years.  She met her husband, David, an elementary music teacher, on the college marching band practice field. Their son, Brian, is following in his parents' footsteps – he plays tuba in his college's marching band.

Sara Critz is the newest member of the James River Ringers.  She began playing flute at age ten and started ringing handbells soon after.  Sara grew up performing with her church's handbell choir in Salem, VA.  While in college, she also performed with and directed Asbury UMC's College Handbell Choir in Harrisonburg, VA.  Sara is an 8th grade teacher in the Richmond area and enjoys running, playing the flute, and being outside in her free time.

Cathy Curfman does not remember exactly how long she has been ringing handbells -- time flies when you are ringing!  With her previous handbell experience limited to a church choir, Cathy has loved the challenge of ringing with The James River Ringers for the past four years.  Cathy is an elementary school library assistant, a mother of three children (2 post-college, 1 college) and has been married to her husband for 31 years.

Sharon Freude has been a member of James River Ringers since December 2006 and currently serves as the choir's President.  She recently retired from serving as a full-time church musician, her career since her teenage years.  During that time, she played organ and directed choral and handbell choirs and instrumentalists.  She enjoyed participating in advanced handbell choir workshops.  Still active as a free-lance substitute musician, she also sings in the Richmond Symphony Chorus, is a member of the board for Leadership Program for Musicians, serves on the American Guild of Organists Handbell Festival Committee, directs the Reedville Festival Chorale, and teaches organ and piano.  She and her husband Ken enjoy musical and sports activities with their grandchildren whenever possible. 

Julie Carr is one of the newest members of the JRR, she joined the group in January 2011.  She began ringing when she was 20 years old, and has had opportunities to play duets, small ensembles as well as in choirs.  It didn’t take long before she wanted to share her love of handbells with others. In 1996, she began a youth bell choir at her church, and has led many adult and youth choirs since.  She looks forward to dusting off her skills and living up to the challenges set in front of her by Dottie and the rest of the gang.  She can already tell they not only want to perfect the music played, but have a lot of fun in the process.  She is supported by her husband, Greg, and three daughter, Ashley, Kristin and Molly.  When she’s not ringing, Julie enjoys quilting, volunteering, mission work and traveling.

Cara Griggs joined the James River Ringers in August 2002 and has served as the choir's Secretary since January 2003.  She began ringing with a church youth choir at age 13 and participated in her first quintet one year later.  In addition to ringing with the James River Ringers, she also rings with a church choir.  Cara enjoys her always-interesting career as an archivist.

Dotty Parker is the rebel of the group.  During practice, she refuses to wear handbell gloves.  Not willing to submit a bio for the website, she is at the mercy of the webmaster who has submitted this bio on her behalf.  When not playing handbells, Dotty enjoys driving her Jeep Wrangler with big knobby tires, good cigarettes, and yelling at small children.  She carries a metal spatula in her back left pocket to "really let them know who's boss". Her military philosophies help keep order during handbell rehearsals as most JRR members will admit, "she scares me."  This is all complete fiction of course as Dotty is a very strong ringer and alot of fun to have in the group.  We think she's great even though we are all anxiously awaiting a real bio from her.

Bruno Santos has been ringing handbells since the 7th grade and is our youngest ringer (at 17 years old), and has only been ringing with the JRR for about a year. He has been involved with music since he was a toddler and plays 7 instruments, sings, and currently directs 2 handbell choirs at his church. Other than ringing, he enjoys listening to music, reading, and surfing the web. Graduating from high school this year, he plans on attending Andrews University in Michigan and getting his pre-professional Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree and then a Master of Architecture degree, followed by a Music Degree (hopefully at Julliards).

Jennifer See has been ringing handbells for over 15 years. She plays multiple positions around the table. She plays with her church choir and has been involved in many AGEHR and NPM mass ring events. Formerly a college professor of physiology, she is currently at home with her 4 elementary and preschool age children and works as a regional contact point and educator for a small charity that supports families with an obscure genetic skin disorder that afflicts her children. She also is a Girl Scout troop leader, sings soprano and plays the piano.

Jana Simpson joined the JRR January 2011.  She rang bells in high school and was a member of a 5 octave choir in Plano, TX for several years.  She continued ringing in church handbell choirs in Charlottesville and Midlothian and is part of the bell choir at Woodlake UMC.  She is also an accomplished flute player and performs both solo music and with Woodlake UMC's orchestra.  When she is not participating in music related activities, she is in commercial sales of brick and hardscape products for Southside Builders Supply.  Jana and her husband, Tom live in Chesterfield.  They have 3 sons:  Paul lives in Richmond, John is a freshman at James Madison University, and Adam is at Manchester Middle School.

Matt Spangler has been ringing with the James River Ringers off and on for the past ten years.  He has recently decided to serve on the Board as a Member-at-Large and is excited about the future of this group.  Matt is the Director of Music and Christian Education for Westover Hills United Methodist Church and this year celebrated twenty years of service to this congregation.

LeRoy "Thomas" Warren has been a member of the James River Ringers since 2009.  Introduced to handbells in 5th and 6th grade, his passion for the instrument was rekindled when he joined a 5 octave ensemble at a local church.  A relatively new member, Thomas is a low bass player and now serves on JRR's Board of Directors, helping with the website, advertising and fund raising.  He participated in AGEHR's Distinctly Bronze East 2010 & 2011.  He is an avid mountain biker, grease monkey, and also plays acoustic guitar and piano.

Maryann Wolfe has a love of the low bass bells, or as she calls them, Toys.  She started on the small bells back in 1998, but when a local church needed a bass ringer in 2003, she accepted the challenge.  Maryann has participated in numerous ensemble and massed ringing events including the Bay View Week of Handbells and the Methodist Music and Worship Arts Week since 2007, Distinctly Bronze since 2009 and SCHMEE CA.  She joined JRR in January 2009.  Her dedication shines through as she drives 2 hours, one-way to rehearsal every week.  Beyond bronze, Maryann teaches English composition & creative writing at Bridgewater College.

Jo Ann Youhas has been ringing with the James River Ringers since 2006.  She has served the organization as President and has served multiple terms as Treasurer.  During her 30+ years of ringing handbells, she has attended AGEHR Area II, Area III, National, and local festivals, and has rung in Donald Allured’s Annual Week of Handbells in Bay View, Michigan since 2006.  Jo Ann is retired and lives in Williamsburg, Virginia. Besides ringing bells, she enjoys golfing, gardening, and being with her four grandchildren.