WHO WE ARE

Michael O. Varhola (President)

Gnosis Project founder Michael O. Varhola is an author, editor, and lecturer who currently lives in southeastern Minnesota. He has authored or co-authored a number of books, including three travel guides and several history titles. He has edited, published, or written for numerous publications, including The New York Times, and is an eight-year veteran of the U.S. Army. He has a lifelong love of museums that began by age seven when he first saw the Bayeux Tapestry on display.

Brenda Cass (Treasurer)

Co-founder Brenda Cass is an author, photographer, software developer, and student of the world based in North Carolina's Research Triangle. She has spent over fifteen years living in diverse countries including China, Germany, Japan, and Nigeria and speaks German and Mandarin Chinese as a consequence. She firmly believes that a strong understanding and appreciation for foreign cultures is essential to bringing harmony between people.

Penny Staples (Secretary)

Penny Staples is a writer and editor with more than 30 years of experience who has a master’s degree in English specializing in Medieval and Renaissance literature. She has a lifelong interest in history and travel, during which she always makes a point of visiting local museums, and has a reading knowledge of French and is actively studying German and Spanish. She lives in Winnipeg, Canada, and actively supports local museums and art galleries.

Dr. Petermichael von Bawey (Board Member)

Dr. Petermichael von Bawey is a Professor Emeritus of the American University of Paris, where he served as a member of the European Cultural Studies department from 1983 to 2010, before which he taught at the American College of Switzerland. He received a BA from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and an MA, CPhil, and PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles. He currently lives in Balnot-la-Grange in north-central France.

Anders Bellis (Board Member)

Anders Bellis works in the publishing business industry as a translator (from English to Swedish, and Swedish to British English), an editor, and a writer of non-fiction articles. He can also read Greek and speak it to some extent. He has a master's degree in philosophy from the University of Stockholm and has also studied astronomy, the history of ideas, comparative religion, and the science of cognition. He lives alternately in Athens and Stockholm.