Joyful Readers is committed to helping Philadelphia students gain the literacy skills they need to become successful, confident, and yes…joyful readers! Every year, we recruit and train a racially, culturally, and generationally diverse cohort of AmeriCorps tutors. They provide high-dosage, research-based reading tutoring daily to K-3 students in Philadelphia public schools. Joyful Readers is working to ensure that students in systemically under-resourced schools gain the skills they need to succeed in school, at work, and in their daily lives.

• Oversee a $5MM budget, 31 staff, and 215 AmeriCorps Members, who tutor and mentor ~2,500 students at 19 public schools• Achieved 100% school partner funding commitment in FY19 through oversight of a strategic service plan • Led a yearlong strategic planning process for FY20-22, overseeing a cross-functional team of staff and board members, while collaborating with peers on the Executive Leadership Team• Secured and stewarded >$3MM in new public funding sources (PA Dept of Health, SDP Central Office, GEAR UP), recording the highest annual public sector revenue to date and putting the organization on track to reach financial goals for 5 consecutive fiscal years• Overhauled City Year’s literacy intervention strategy; collaborated with internal and external stakeholders on a $300K investment to execute plans, doubling buy-in from school partners and exceeding expansion goals by launching the new strategy in all partner schools 1 year ahead of schedule• Scored 96% favorable (Culture Amp engagement tool, FY19) in management practices, 18 points above average manager rating

• Stewarded a successful 3-year partnership with GEAR UP, resulting in 6 long-term school partnerships and >$1.5MM in funding• Spearheaded an overhaul of AmeriCorps Member training and onboarding, leading to an increased number of members reporting effective training and a positive leadership development experience• Collaborated with School District of Philadelphia leadership on implementation of My Brother’s Keeper Success Mentors; presented at city-wide launch and the District’s Research, Policy & Practice conference• Selected to participate in LEAD, City Year’s national executive training program

• Coached 37 director- and manager- level staff to use data to effectively monitor program implementation and outcomes, resulting in increased data fluency and org-wide cultural acceptance of data-driven decision making• Piloted a weekly e-mail communication tool for evaluation; expanded tool into a streamlined, sustainable department-wide communication that has enhanced role clarity and efficiency since FY14• Streamlined evaluation systems, leading to a ~600% increase in academic intervention rates, meeting AmeriCorps standards for the first time in City Year Philadelphia history

• Led diverse teams of AmeriCorps Members providing interventions to students at risk of dropping out of school• Stewarded successful school and corporate partnerships with Kensington and Frankford High Schools, Deloitte, Wells Fargo and David’s Bridal, leading to continued financial commitments of up to $100K per year• Cultivated a 4-year partnership as a leader in the Deloitte Education Collaborative, connecting partners—Deloitte, Philadelphia Academies, and the Philadelphia Youth Network—with school administrators and a 50-student cohort

• Led diverse teams of AmeriCorps Members providing support to students at risk of dropping out of school• Stewarded successful school and corporate partnerships with Kensington and Frankford High Schools, Deloitte, Wells Fargo and David’s Bridal, leading to continued financial commitments of ~$100K per year• Cultivated a 4-year partnership as a leader in the Deloitte Education Collaborative, connecting partners—Deloitte, Philadelphia Academies, and the Philadelphia Youth Network—with school administrators and a 50-student cohort

• Secured $18,000 as lead writer for a pharmaceutical collaborative grant• Provided critical planning services and managed public affairs in a Spanish speaking community

• Founded clothing design and production business, managing all financial assets and creative decisions

• Raised over $10,000 while managing others in raising over $50,000 in total donations