Claudia Balderston, D.M.D.

Chair, CLI

Shauna Binswanger

Claire B. Black

Trustee

Teleflex Foundation

Susan Carden

Vice President

Comcast Programming Group

Darryl Ford, Ph.D.
Head of School
William Penn Charter School

Malcolm D. Jackson

IT Senior Director
CIGNA

Julie Jaffe
Reading Teacher (retired)
Philadelphia Public Schools

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Ingrid Jean-Baptiste

Equal Justice Fellow and Staff Attorney
Support Center for Child Advocates

Linda Katz
Executive Director, CLI

Vicki Levinson
Volunteer,
Philadelphia Public Schools

Thelma Reese, Ed.D.
Education Consultant


Bradley J. Vogt
Executive Vice President
Capital Research Company

Ruth Williams
Director/Teacher
Gateway School (retired)

Kate Wilson

Morton Botel, Ph.D.
Professor of Education,
University of Pennsylvania

James P. Comer, M.D.
Maurice Falk Professor of Child Psychiatry, Yale Child Study Center
Associate Dean, Yale School of Medicine

The Honorable Dwight Evans
Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Alan E. Farstrup, Ph.D.
Executive Director,
International Reading Association

The Honorable Chaka Fattah
United States House of Representatives

The Honorable C. Everett Koop, M.D.
Former Surgeon General of the United States

Pedro A. Ramos, Esquire

Partner
Blank Rome LLP

Joan Specter
Campaign Director,
National Constitution Center

The Honorable Edward G. Rendell
Governor of Pennsylvania

Sheryl Perzel
Founder
New Foundations Charter School

Ralph Smith, Esq.
Vice President, Annie E. Casey Foundation

Fran Bell
Vice President of Government and Community Relations, YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago

Dr. Albert Bennett
Harold Washington Professor of Education and Public Policy and Director of St. Clair Drake Center
for African American Studies,
Roosevelt University

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Leslie J. Drish
Director of Education, Chicago Urban League

Dr. John Q. Easton
Co-Director of the Consortium on Chicago School Research, University of Chicago

Dr. William Teale
Professor of Education and Chair of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Illinois at Chicago; Director
of the UIC Reading Clinic

Linda Katz, MA, MBA

Founder

Executive Director

My first memories are of my mother reading to me. We spent so many happy hours that way because I was an asthmatic child who dropped out of kindergarten after 3 days, and spent 80 days of first grade sick in bed.

My two older brothers teased me unmercifully because I always had my nose in a book. I was always inside with my mother and my books while they were outside collecting sports injuries. My mother was always available to read aloud to me, and later on in life, she attributed all good outcomes to those read aloud times.

Of course, I believed her. Who wants to argue with getting the biggest share of your mother's time? It was also clear to me that homework and my succeeding degrees at the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel (MA in Library Science) and The Wharton School (MBA) were always less daunting to me because of my ease with reading and writing.

When I think about it, I want all children to have the head start, the great comfort, the interesting experiences, and the "you are never alone" feeling I got from books and being read aloud to.
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Pat Federman, M.Ed.
Co-Founder

Ever since I became a Montessori teacher in 1970, I have steadfastly believed in the child-centered classroom where a wide range of meaningful activities and materials nurture and enrich each child's heart, mind and soul. Being a Montessori teacher from 1970, and becoming the Director of Greene Towne Montessori School in 1980, only deepened my commitment to this ideal.

Thankfully, my involvement with Children's Literacy Initiative, which began in 1989, has allowed me to build on my Montessori foundations and become an even more effective advocate of child-centered education. How? First, CLI has given me the fullest repertoire of the 'best practices' available to promote literacy. Second, CLI has given me the means to help teachers create classroom environments that are optimally responsive to the widest variety of children's learning styles, interests, and instructional needs. I'll never forget when my husband, David, a former college instructor turned journalist, visited our CLI model classroom at Kearny Elementary School in Philadelphia, "This is heaven on earth!" he exclaimed.

I sure hope so, for the idea of the classroom as a kind of a pedagogical paradise has always been my fondest dream as an educator. An unexpected affirmation of CLI's role in helping to fulfill that dream came when I received my master's degree as a reading specialist at St. Joseph's University in 2000. As I studied what leading learning theorists were espousing about early childhood education, it confirmed for me that CLI is, and has long been, in the forefront of successful literacy instruction. I am confident our contribution to American education will grow even greater in the years to come.

When I asked my son, Jesse and my daughter, Amy what I should write in my bio, they both said, "Tell them how much you love children's books and how you have always read to us."

Well, I guess that says it all.
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Bruce Bonner, MBA
Chief Operating Officer
Director of Finance, Operations & Strategic Planning

One of my early memories of reading was Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey. I remember wondering why a family of ducks with any sense would leave a perfectly good waterfront home, cross automobile filled roads, a treacherous river and untold other threats . . . only to set up home in a city park in downtown Boston. Possibly the schools were better downtown??

A friend recently asked me what I do for a living . . . my response: "I help teachers help kids." What a great conversation starter!

My professional and education background initially focused around corporate finance. Successive degrees in both Finance and Economic (University of Delaware), followed by receiving a MBA in finance (Drexel University) laid the ground work for an interest in corporate project management. My experience has included corporate banking and venture capital, the service sector, and more recently in energy at Exelon and in the retail sector at the May Company.

Looking back on my youth, it amazes me that I did not join the professional academic ranks at an early age. My father was a tough University finance professor with a dry nurturing attitude that ultimately brought out the best in his students. I remember my father's dinner table stories ("I think you need to consider the two semester plan for completing my finance course" or "maybe you should consider marketing").

Education has always been a family focus.

I bring to CLI an unwavering focus on the customer. By nurturing a philosophy centered on growth and exceeding the customer's expectations, everyone benefits.

Another friend offered the secret of happiness as "finding something you enjoy doing and then find a way to get paid for it." It has taken me a few years in the private sector before I have found my new home at CLI.
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Roxanne White
Director of Early Childhood Programs

I’ve always been an avid reader. I spent hours in the back seat of my mother’s car reading - out loud of course, every traffic sign, billboard, and storefront - me eyes lit upon. This fascination with print has remained with me through life. I have been fortunate enough to be able to channel this fascination into a career as an educator and a child advocate. I see it as bringing the best of two worlds together – the power and sense of well-being that comes with being a literate individual as well as a driven commitment to do what is best for the lives of children. Children’s Literacy Initiative offers me a wonderful opportunity to work with a dedicated and highly knowledgeable team of like-minded souls.
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Kelly Hunter, M.Ed.
Director of Professional Development

"To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark."
- Victor Hugo, Les Miserables

The passion for reading has been burning brightly for me since childhood. Reading has been an escape, a place to dream, an opportunity for learning and a location for traveling to far away lands.

For the students I've taught, reading has also been hope. Whether I was teaching parents about their child's early literacy development, elementary students about comprehension strategies, English as a Foreign Language to students in France, GED content to out-of-school youth and adults, or courses in "literacies" and technology to teachers, the common theme was the hope that literacy would be the gateway to possibilities.

My teaching has been enhanced by my experiences in the Reading, Writing, Literacy Program at the University of Pennsylvania where I obtained a master's degree and reading specialist certification and am currently pursuing a doctorate.
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Bonnie Asher
Director of Development

For someone who loves to create, direct, and produce, and who is most motivated to do these things for a worthwhile cause, this is the perfect job. I like to take a project from concept to launch, producing our Anniversary events and designing our publications, creating and managing our web site, wrestling words into place for our grant proposals -- and I get to be part of an organization that makes a difference.

The first half of my life included a fourteen-year career as a goldsmith (graduated from Philadelphia College of Art, now University of the Arts). I then altered my course from the ground up, working first as an event planner, then fundraiser in a major development department, and finally managing proposal writing, public affairs, and communications here at CLI.

As for home life with my husband Tom, it reels from the calm and cozy to the chaotic as our three aging teens attempt to launch themselves into the grown-up world. A dog and cat humor us along the way.
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Cameron Voss, MA
Deputy Director

I grew up in Madison, Wisconsin and moved to the Philadelphia area to attend Swarthmore College. After graduating with a degree in political science, I taught adult literacy and GED preparation classes at a community-based organization in Philadelphia's Fishtown neighborhood. Wanting to know more about the issues affecting the city where I was living and working, I went to Temple University and got a master's degree in urban studies. During grad school I worked at an adult literacy program, an organization that conducts research on public education, and an entrepreneurial training program for women. I then entered the world of grant writing and fundraising, serving as the director of development for a network of non-profits in the Frankford neighborhood of Philadelphia.

My position at CLI includes coordinating program planning, managing the assessment and evaluation components of our projects and reporting to our funders. In my time away from work, I enjoy spending time with my family and playing the fiddle and cello in The Knife & Fork Band.
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Barbara Stechert
Director of Major Gifts

I credit my extraordinary grandparents and parents for my life-long love of reading. They were all (and my parents still are) authors and illustrators. I grew up listening to wonderful novels and very frightening ones as well. My grandfather had illustrated The Red Fairy and The Blue Fairy books. My older brother’s favorite story resides in one of those books, “Jack the Giant Killer.” Though I was very frightened by it, my grandfather’s recitation of “Jack” on chilly nights in their big, spooky home is one of my fondest memories.

My favorite novel is ­Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet. It embodies my interest in medieval times, religion, architecture and intriguing families. I even got my intriguing builder husband, Rick, to read ¾ of it. (It just went on a bit too long for him.) My 5-year-old daughter Kate loves to be read to and to read. Since joining CLI in June 2008, I’ve received wonderful advice from my new CLI family about the best books for her development. What a great resource.

I come to CLI from the Church of the Advocate in North Philadelphia where I served as Director of Development for more than 7 years. I saw firsthand the mechanisms by which children enter the educational process and their barriers to success. I feel that making a difference in their experience, through raising funds for new model classrooms, is the best way to change their lives.

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Stan Melusky
Production Manager

Before coming to CLI, I spent 30 years in the clothing business in production, shipping and receiving. Now I oversee the arrival of about 250,000 books a year. My team of "packers" helps redistribute them into book collections that are then sent to the classrooms receiving CLI training. We set up a long line of crayons, markers, pencils, note pads, papers, post cards, rulers and pencil sharpeners that are counted out to assemble more than 15,000 writing boxes for students.

I am a Philadelphia native and a graduate of Roman Catholic High School. My hobbies are golfing and playing pool. For more than 20 years, I have been involved as a coach and an administrator in my community's youth sports organization.
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Jacqueline Bryant
IT Specialist/Purchasing Manager

I'm a native of Philadelphia and a graduate of John Bartram High School class of 1982. I started working at Children's Literacy Initiative in 1994.
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Cynthia Strosser
Manager of Publications and Events

As one of the advanced students in my kindergarten class, I know the benefits of early childhood education. I happened to be the lucky child of a wonderful, multi-tasking and strong single mother, with a great support system. Somehow she found the time to work on her feet 10 hours a day as a mail carrier and still manage to come home and spend countless hours reading to me and teaching me the alphabet. However, as I have grown I have realized not everyone is as fortunate as myself.

Graduating from West Chester University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing, I began my career in the pharmaceutical industry. I stayed with the pharmaceutical industry for 5 years working every angle behind the scenes.

In the pharmaceutical industry, I worked at a total of three separate companies completing functions including: coordinating the entire sales training department, working on redesigning web pages and company logos, the entire grant process for the sales representatives, and organizing all of the meeting planning functions for pharmaceutical dinner meetings. On my way to work everyday I kept fighting an unsettling feeling that I was wasting my talents and passion. Even though I was successful I felt my career path was lacking a sense of purpose.

I have two loves in my life (in no particular order) animals and helping people. In the animals category I volunteer and foster for PhillyPAWS.org and I have two dogs of my own, Bastian & Precious-Lily. In the helping people category a sad fact is that for most people a job is just a paycheck, and I can admit that I used to fall into that realm, but since I have been at CLI I can honestly say my work is gratifying. I get to fulfill my love of helping people in my day to day job. How many people can say that?

Then I go home to my other love, my two dogs. It's a win/win!!!
(By the way, for people who were worried about me I also have a lot of friends and a great boyfriend, I promise)
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Michael Bencik
Graphic Illustrator

Residing in Philadelphia, I have worked as a professional artist for the last 10 years, doing everything from designing toys to illustrating books. My inspiration comes from traveling the world and documenting my experiences in a sketchbook. I incorporate all of the amazing things that I see into my illustrations and stories. My big project for this year is illustrating the graphic novel The Lives of One-eyed Jack due for release in 2006. Besides that I work on a children's book called the Flower Girl. In my spare time, I renovate old Victorian houses.

My work at Children's Literacy Initiative is a perfect match for me, blending my graphic and illustration skills. Plus, being the son of two teachers, I am very familiar with the educational world.
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Kate Duffy
Grants Manager

The daughter of a kindergarten teacher, I was fortunate to grow up with a library card and in a house overflowing with books. Eventually I moved from my hometown of Savannah, GA to attend Swarthmore College, where I majored in English Literature, minored in Film and Media Studies and studied abroad in Russia before graduating in 2005.

At CLI I write grant proposals, but I also edit our videos—a perfect dual role for me considering my interest in writing and film production. I am proud to be part of an organization that invests in teachers. As Henry Adams once stated, “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”

In my spare time I play the accordion and pursue various film, video and photography projects.
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Jordanne Owen
Philadelphia/Eastern Regional Coordinator

Even in college I got teased for reading too much. My family and friends will tell you that no matter where I go I am always sure to have a book somewhere on my person…just in case. I think a lot of it comes from growing up in a family that always emphasized reading, and also from growing up in Zambia, a place where there was only one TV channel that didn’t even turn on until 6PM.

Knowing how important reading has always been for me, and what a great impact it has had on my life, I spent a lot of time in high school and college trying to encourage the children that I worked with to read. I spent four years at Swarthmore College tutoring for and eventually coordinating Dare to Soar, a literacy initiative in Chester, PA, while working towards a degree in Psychology and Education with a minor in Black Studies. I am very excited to be working with Children’s Literacy Initiative straight out of school, as it is an organization that targets both areas I am interested in, early childhood education and literacy, as well as schools in under privileged areas. This organization does great work and I am excited to be a part of it!
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Charla Walls
Baltimore Professional Development and Model Classroom Specialist

I have always loved to read.  I still have many of the books I read growing up.  My favorite book was Cinderella.  My mother loves to read too.  we used to walk to the public library every two weeks.  I would check out as many books as I could carry.  Parents loed having me as their babysitter because they knew I would read to their kids. 

I received my undergraduate degree from Salisbury University in Salisbury, MD.  I earned my master's degree from Towson University in Towson, MD.  Before coming to CLI as a Professional Developer, I taught second and third grade in Baltimore City. I also teach courses in Elementary Education at Towson University.  The course I love to teach most...you guessed it...Children's Literature! 

The training CLI provides not only offers teachers an opportunity to develop their knowledge of literacy, it allows them the chance to renew and/or express their passion for teaching.  Teaching reading and writing is my passion so I know I am in the right place!
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Christopher Kretschman
Accounting Manager

In July 2007, I was fortunate to apply to the Children's Literacy Initiative for an opening in the Accounting Department. What a great decision I made to join a group of people dedicated to the most important part of early childhood. Everyone at CLI is motivated to improve the reading skills of every child that we work with, whether it is in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Chicago, or any other area of the country that recognizes us as an important tool in their success.

I graduated from Penn State many years ago with a BS in Accounting and have worked primarily in Manufacturing and Distribution for four different companies. I would like to make this the longest and most rewarding stop in my career. My personal life consists mainly of coaching youth sports, currently baseball and football, and enjoying my family. My wife and I were blessed with three energetic boys who understand the importance of reading and academics.

My favorite memories of reading to my children will definitely include "The Night Before Christmas." It's possible that we have read that a few hundred times. They now read to themselves and attend school, so it takes an extra effort to stay a part of their reading time. It is certainly worth the effort!
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Teresa Caponiti
Northern and Southern Regional Coordinator

I graduated from St. Mary's College of Maryland in 2004 with a degree in History. Soon after graduation, I moved to Prague, Czech Republic, and spent two years as a teacher of English as a foreign language. Though it was an amazing experience, one of the worst parts of living in a foreign country for me was the lack of English print- I was starved for things to read. One of the most exciting moments was when my mother came to visit with an entire suitcase full of books.

After moving back to the United States in 2006, I began working at a small health based non-profit in Maryland. However, the fit wasn't quite right, and in 2007 I moved to Philadelphia. After moving to Philadelphia, it was important to me to find a job that was the perfect fit, and I found that with CLI. As an avid reader, I understand the importance of literacy skills and access to books, and love being a part of an organization based on those ideas.
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Meghan McHugh
Chicago/Western Regional Coordinator

Whenever I was upset or lonely as a child, I knew exactly where to go. Stuffed animal of choice in hand, I would head for the “fort” in my closet, break out my small flashlight and dive into B is for Betsy or The Boxcar Children. Ever since I was very young, I have seen reading as a source of comfort and escape.

Over the years, reading has remained a comfortable pastime for me, but has also become much more: a source of knowledge, a rich ground for expanding connections and a means of understanding cultures and experiences outside my own world. At the University of Pennsylvania here in Philadelphia, I pursued my interest in literature, graduating last year with a B.A. in Comparative Literature and Spanish. While at Penn I worked closely with students in Philadelphia public schools, tutoring for and helping to lead the West Philadelphia Tutoring Project, teaching third graders at the Sayre Beacon Freedom School and working as a research assistant at Penn’s Graduate School of Education. These experiences have led me to become truly passionate about ensuring that all children have the opportunity to receive an excellent education, founded on exposure to great literature and expert instruction from an early age. I am proud to be a part of an organization that lives this mission every day by providing underserved schools with the kinds of books that I loved so much as a child, and by directly supporting the wonderful (and underappreciated!) teachers who work to inspire our kids every day.
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Gilbert Aquino
Order Processor

A remarkable series of events led me to working at Children’s Literacy Initiative. Starting out as a temp, I have made my way up to a permanent position as Order Processor. I feel very privileged and proud to work at an institution which gives so much to our society.
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Kylee Woelfel
Program Planning Coordinator

As a life-long reader, it’s been exciting for me to see my ten-year-old daughter develop her own love for reading . . . and to see how that love for reading is already helping her to succeed in life. To that end, it feels rewarding to work for an organization like Children's Literacy Intiative, which works to develop and promote children’s literacy. Before coming to CLI, I spent several years in various administrative positions in the corporate world. I am currently pursuing a business degree from Strayer University.
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By Eric Joselyn Reprinted with permission from the Philadelphia Public School Notebook, Summer 2000. The Notebook is an independent quarterly promoting education activisim. E-mail: psnotebook@aol.com

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