Affiliate Leadership
Reach Out and Read affiliates are statewide and regional offices affiliated with our National Center. They work directly with Reach Out and Read program sites to ensure the effective implementation and quality of the Reach Out and Read model.
Our network of statewide and regional offices ensures our expansion as a public health intervention that drives early relational health and Reach Out and Read’s integration within communities. Reach Out and Read affiliates are structurally diverse; with fiscal sponsorship ranging from the Reach Out and Read National 501c3 to local AAP Chapters. All Reach Out and Read affiliates receive support, technical assistance, and resources from the National Center.
Affiliates provide direct support to sites within a designated geography. They offer clinicians a personal connection to Reach Out and Read while engaging clinical sites to ensure that the model is delivered with fidelity. By developing local partnerships to position Reach Out and Read as a key player in cross-sector frameworks to support children and families; advocate for the program with stakeholders in the geographic region they serve; and collaborate with the Reach Out and Read National Center to ensure sustainable growth and expansion of Reach Out and Read’s work with quality across the country.
Amy Crosby has been the Statewide Coordinator for Alabama since 2020. Amy has worked with children and families in a variety of settings including federal and state prisons, public and private schools, childcare centers, and nonprofits for over 15 years.
Amy graduated cum laude from The University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development and Family Studies with an additional concentration in Social Welfare. Amy has also completed post-graduate work in Human Development and Family Studies.
Click here to visit Alabama’s site.
Anne Stafford is the Chief Executive Officer of the Arizona Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AzAAP), the home of the Reach Out and Read Arizona Affiliate. Anne is responsible for the organizational oversight of the Reach Out and Read AZ program and its integration with the pediatrician members of AzAAP. With undergraduate degrees in Organizational Communication and Public Relations, as well as a graduate degree in Organizational Administration, Anne is committed to strengthening caregiver/child bonds through opportunities to educate both clinicians and families on the importance of early relational health and its impact on lifelong success.
Click hereto visit Arizona’s site.
A native of Chicago, Artavia is a respected, inspirational and visionary leader in the nonprofit sector who delivers results for our community. She has led local, national and global initiatives to increase access to opportunities for our most vulnerable community members.
Artavia was trained under the tutelage of Michelle Obama in community development at Public Allies Chicago. She also served alongside the late Rev. Dr. Addie Wyatt, the late Rev. Willie Barrow and the late Rev. Dr. Leon Finney to create faith-centered social change, with a special focus on youth empowerment. She is an ordained minister, holding a B.A. in Theology and a Masters of Divinity from Grace Christian Seminary; and is an Alumna of Loyola University Chicago.
Artavia serves on several boards, co-founded a school in West Africa, and co-founded 2 tech startups. She is Chair of the Hayward Community Service Commission, where she helps allocate funding for critical community services and helps to shape public policy related to racial equity & healing, re-imagining policing, homelessness, and culturally relevant education.
Click hereto visit the Bay Area site.
Callee Boulware has served as Executive Director of Reach Out and Read in the Carolinas beginning in 2001 and led the team through regionalization with Virginia and Washington, D.C. She currently leads a staff of committed team members, and works with state and regional partners to build Reach Out and Read throughout the region that includes North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
Callee received her Master’s in Business Administration from the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina and is deeply committed to making Reach Out and Read a strong, sustainable reality for all children across the Carolinas. Callee is also a member of Leadership NC Class XXIV, an Advisory Board member of Capita, and a Riley Institute DLI graduate.
Click here to visit the Carolina’s site,
Click here to visit Virginia’s site.
Click here to visit Washington DC’s site.
Patty Fontneau is a senior executive with a track record in the Health Services, Education, Legal, Technology, and Finance industries. She is the new CEO for Reach Out and Read Colorado and is excited about this next chapter. Prior to Reach Out and Read Colorado, Ms. Fontneau developed and served as president of the Benefit Exchange and Technology Solutions health plan business at Cigna and led the prioritization and execution of technology infrastructure investments through agile methodology. Other notable roles in her career include CEO of the technology start-up Connect for Health Colorado where she led the successful development and implementation of Colorado’s public health benefit exchange – navigating federal, legislative, stakeholder agendas and grant requirements. In addition to her accomplishments in business, Ms. Fontneau has devoted years to civic leadership, with a passion for Colorado. She is an experienced board chair and board member of private, industry and not-for-profit boards.
Click here to visit Colorado’s site.
President of the Family Learning Partnership, Florida
Lisa Blair is the President of the Family Learning Partnership, a 501(c)(3) organization and Reach Out and Read Florida Affiliate. With a formal background in education and school administration, she brings extensive expertise in early childhood education and literacy to her role.
Lisa holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Barry University and a Bachelor of Science Degree from Nova Southeastern University. Throughout her career, Lisa has held various prominent leadership positions on local, state, and national boards, showcasing her dedication to community development.
She has served as Project Director for a national early literacy research initiative with Abt Associates, overseeing the evaluation of language and literacy interventions in 162 childcare centers in Miami-Dade County benefiting low-income families.
In her capacity as President of the Family Learning Partnership, Lisa has demonstrated strategic leadership across all organizational activities. Notable contributions include enhancing program metrics, clinician training, professional development, quality assurance and improvement, and spearheading special initiatives such as statewide expansion efforts. Her tenure has been marked by the successful establishment of impactful partnerships within the public, private, and faith-based communities, optimizing service effectiveness and provision efficiency.
Lisa’s notable achievements include participation in multiple county Grade Level Reading Campaigns and recognitions such as the Edward Zigler Innovation Award from the Florida Head Start Association. Most recently, the partnership with Miami-Dade County Head Start/Early Head Start and Reach Out and Read was honored with the NACo 2023 Achievement Award, further illustrating her dedication to the betterment of child and family well-being.
Amy Erickson serves as the Regional Executive Director for Reach Out and Read Georgia and is responsible for leadership and oversight of the organization as well as its administration, operations, programming, sustainability, and strategic plan. Other key duties include development and fundraising activities, relationship management, marketing, community outreach, and employment-related leadership. Her innovative approach to engaging with more than 1,200 pediatricians, clinicians, and employees has led to optimal scaling of growth with fidelity and a deep commitment to improving outcomes for the most vulnerable populations.
Amy has 24 years of experience working in the private sector for leading national education, digital, and entrepreneurial companies. She has been a member of the Junior League for 31 years and is a current sustaining member of the Junior League of Atlanta. She is a founding Board member of the National Charity League, Northeast Atlanta Chapter, and founding member of the Young Men’s Service League, Northeast Atlanta Chapter.
Click here to visit Georgia’s site.
Emily Marchese is the Executive Director of Reach Out and Read of Greater New York. Prior to joining Reach Out and Read, Emily was the Executive Director of Roots and Wings, a privately funded social service agency that provides housing, education, and case management to aged-out foster young adults. Over the course of five years, she doubled the revenue and size of the program and built an outcomes-focused culture across all areas of the organization, yielding national awards and recognition for excellence in program innovation. Before joining Roots & Wings, Emily was the Director of Foundations and Corporations for Student Sponsor Partners, where she was responsible for a multi-million dollar grant portfolio, as well as college readiness and retention program pilots. Prior to that, she worked at the Partnership for Inner-City Education as Manager of High School Programs, managing thirteen distinct scholarship programs across all five boroughs. Emily is the graduate of Harvard Business School’s Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management, the Robin Hood Foundation’s GRIT program for nonprofit leaders, the Stand Together Catalyst program for nonprofit “disrupters”, Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Philanthropy & Resource Development program, and Columbia Business School’s Developing Leaders Program for Nonprofit Professionals.
Emily is a Cornell University and London School of Economics graduate, and lives in Rutherford, NJ with her six-year-old son, Oliver.
Click here to visit Greater New York’s site.
Kirsten Rogers plans and implements the budgeting, quality assurance, outreach, and community-relations initiatives of Reach Out and Read Greater Philadelphia. Kirsten also coordinates clinician trainings and provides technical assistance to 82 Reach Out and Read Greater Philadelphia sites. In addition, since 1999 she serves as Coordinator of Reach Out and Read at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Prior to joining Reach Out and Read Greater Philadelphia in 2002, Kirsten worked as a certified child life specialist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in Philadelphia and The Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan and project assistant in venture capital and merchant banking at Morgan Stanley in Manhattan.
Click here to visit Greater Philadelphia’s site.
Kristina Rogers has worked in the early childhood sector for over ten years. She started out working with children and their families in the North Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago. During this time, she helped develop the North Lawndale Early Childhood Collaboration which led efforts to address chronic absenteeism, early intervention wait lists, low enrollment in early childhood programs, and the transition from home-visiting programs to quality preschool. Kristina later joined the Community Systems Statewide Supports team, where she assisted Illinois early childhood collaborations to address similar issues. In 2022, Kristina joined the Reach Out and Read Illinois team as the Director.
Kristina graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University with her undergraduate degree and completed her Master of Science degree at DePaul in Public Service Management. She is an elected Trustee of the Oak Park Public Library Board, blending her passions for building community and setting policy. Kristina lives in Oak Park with her spouse, two young boys, and dog.
Click here to visit Illinois’s site.
Madison Shepherd serves as the Program Manager for Reach Out and Read Indiana and is responsible for leadership of the program, fundraising, training, and strategic planning. Since 2019 Madison has tremendously deepened the quality of the programs throughout the state and cultivated many relationships to create growth and sustainability.
Madison has been working in the nonprofit sector since she completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health in 2015. She began her career as the Education Director at United Way. Many of her efforts were focused on spreading awareness throughout the community regarding the importance of early education, managing programs, and strategic initiatives.
Madison completed her Master’s degree in Public Management with a concentration in Public Policy from Indiana University. She is passionate about empowering vulnerable children and families to overcome barriers by creating and implementing solutions & awareness.
Click here to visit Indiana’s site.
Tomás Torices is the Executive Director for The American Academy of Pediatrics, California Chapter 2 (AAP-CA2), which serves the counties of Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura. In his leadership position, Tomás has been involved in local and statewide advocacy focused on issues affecting children and youth. Tomás oversees Reach Out and Read Inland Empire in the counties of Riverside and San Bernardino.
Jenny Horsley has been with Reach Out and Read Kansas City since 2015, and in the role of Executive Director since 2017. This dynamic team has a librarian on staff choosing books for all partner clinics, a medical director building clinic relationships, the executive director building funding and community relationships, and a marketing and communications professional promoting our great efforts to donors and supporters.
Jenny has a master’s degree in Business Administration from Columbia College, a bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Missouri / Columbia, and over 30 years of nonprofit experience in local, national, and government entities.
Click here to visit Kansas City’s site.
Kris became the Executive Director in April 2018, after serving as Reach Out and Read Minnesota’s Program Director and with fifteen years of experience in the nonprofit sector. She has a bachelor’s degree from St. Olaf College and a master’s degree from The University of Chicago, as well as a certificate in nonprofit management. Having two young daughters has reignited Kris’ passion for books and she is thrilled to work with our board, partners, and donors to promote early childhood literacy.
Click here to visit Minnesota’s site.
Kim Byam has been the Executive Director of Reach Out New Jersey since 2009, leading its fundraising and strategic initiatives. As a dedicated advocate of Reach Out and Read’s vision, Kim champions programs that improve cognitive and social-emotional well-being for all children, particularly those growing up in low-income communities and facing systemic barriers.
Kim has extensive and varied experience in the nonprofit sector. Prior to joining Reach Out and Read, Kim served as Director of the Annual Fund for Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, and Assistant Director of Development for Project Bread, an anti-hunger organization located in Boston.
Click here to visit New Jersey’s site.
Alexander (Alex) Chu currently serves as the Executive Director of Reach Out and Read Northeast Region. With more than 20 years’ experience in strategic planning, youth development, finance, operations, and program evaluation, Alex’s priority for the Northeast is to enhance the educational and social impact of our programs for a diverse client base.
Alex’s experience extends across the nonprofit human services and education sectors, where he has led efforts to support behavioral health providers in profitability and market positioning; led time-study efforts to support organizations in better understanding their outcomes and services; advised public and private school districts on revenue enhancements and philanthropic support; and conducted reviews of data systems and capacity building opportunities for agencies supporting adoptive families. Prior to Reach Out and Read, Alex worked for Public Consulting Group, Thompson Island Outward Bound, and the YMCA. He serves on the boards of multiple nonprofit and public agencies including as Chair of the Board for the Boston Green Academy 6-12 Horace Mann Charter School, and as Secretary for Camp Starfish, a summer camp for youth with developmental disabilities. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston College, and a Master’s in Business Administration in Public and Nonprofit Management from Boston University.
Click here to visit Massachusetts’ site.
Click here to visit Connecticut’s site.
Click here to visit Vermont’s site.
Click here to visit New Hampshire’s site.
Click here to visit Upstate New York’s site.
Jessica Mortensen serves as the Executive Director of Reach Out and Read’s Northwest region, which currently includes the states of Oregon and Washington. She leads a committed, high-performing staff and provides strategic direction for Reach Out and Read Northwest’s partnership with more than 400 medical clinics that reach over 200,000 families annually. Jessica was first introduced to Reach Out and Read in 2003 when she served as a Reach Out and Read site coordinator, supporting the program’s implementation in a health clinic.
For more than 20 years, Jessica has been a leader in initiatives to transform health care to better serve and partner with families using evidence-based practices. She joined the Reach Out and Read team in 2010 serving in program and executive leadership roles in Washington, before overseeing the creation of the Northwest Region in 2021. Jessica completed a Master’s in Library and Information Science at the University of Washington and an undergraduate degree in Spanish and Art History at Whitman College.
Amber Pierce is the State Director for Reach Out and Read North Carolina. In this role, she oversees the implementation of systems and partnerships that supports a team of program managers and almost 400 active Reach Out and Read programs in the state. Prior to becoming State Director in 2021, she worked as a Regional Program Manager with Reach Out and Read, supporting the Greater Charlotte and Triad Region in NC.
Prior to her time at Reach Out and Read, Amber managed quality improvement projects in communities and medical practices as part of the NC Assuring Better Child Health and Development initiative and the NC CHIPRA Quality Demonstration grant. Amber’s background also includes experience in the areas of early intervention, behavioral health, social services, parent advocacy and training, and systems change strategy. She has dedicated her career to identifying and addressing gaps in early childhood systems with a mission to create resources and dialogue to open pathways that give all children an equal opportunity to flourish.
Click here to visit North Carolina’s site.
Lori Lake serves as the Executive Director for Oklahoma and provides oversight of the state program including training, programmatic support, and technical assistance to medical practitioners, as well as evaluation of programs and development of quality improvement plans. Loris is also responsible for recruitment of new clinicians and healthcare facilities and the necessary development support to sustain and expand Reach Out and Read within Oklahoma, as well as forming partnerships and creating new initiatives with state agencies, foundations, and corporations. Under her leadership, the number of participating sites in Oklahoma has increased by 146%; therefore, resulting in significantly more children and families served.
Lori joined the nonprofit world after a 32-year career in the public education system. With a Bachelor of Science Degree in Special Education and a Master’s degree in Education, she served as a special education teacher, reading interventionist, consulting teacher, and instructional/literacy coach. She has extensive experience in the areas of literacy, academic assessment, educational advocacy, teacher-training, professional development, and the creation/development of new educational programs. During her tenure in the public-school system, she was honored as a Council for Learning Disabilities Teacher of the Year and was the recipient of both the Hospital Corporation of America Teacher Award and the Frist Teacher Award.
Click here to visit Oklahoma’s site.
Emma Course has been the coordinator of the Reach Out and Read Program for the American Academy of Pediatrics Orange County Chapter since 2012. Previously, Emma worked at CHOC Children’s Hospital for over 10 years as the Reading Program Coordinator.
Emma’s extensive experience coordinating successful and organized programs has contributed to her achievements of keeping books organized for distribution, book inventory, fundraising and connecting with possible book donors, as well as lending technical support for bi-yearly reporting and program requirements.
Click here to visit Orange County’s site.
Aimee Falso serves as the Executive Director for the Rhode Island affiliate and has been a member of the team since 2017. She has been an integral part of the growth of the organization and has been a hands-on leader from fundraising to evaluation, to choosing and delivering books to sites. Taking advantage of the small size of the state, Aimee transformed the way the RI affiliate works with sites and positioned the organization to be more responsive to site’s needs. She led the effort to create specially curated book orders for each of the 70 medical sites they serve.
After graduating from Providence College with a degree in Public and Community Service Studies, she began a career working in various community and educational agencies throughout Rhode Island. Her passion has always been working with children and families, forging connections that strengthen the community. Aimee’s previous work as a private school teacher and librarian, youth program director with the YMCA, an early childhood small business owner, outdoor educator, and community center staff member, have given her the wide range of experiences and skills to lead this small but mighty affiliate!
Click here to visit Rhode Island’s site.
Tara Milbrand is the Associate Executive Director of the American Academy of Pediatrics, CA Chapter 3 and the Project Director for Reach Out and Read San Diego, Tara joined the organization in 2005 to head up the new Reach Out and Read San Diego program. Under her leadership, the program has grown from 30 to 99 locations throughout San Diego, Riverside and Imperial counties becoming the standard of care in the region. Tara specializes in program planning and development, community building, and quality improvement.
Tara’s has a passion for working on projects that support children and families, ensuring that every child reaches their full potential. She received a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, San Diego and a master’s in administrative social work from San Diego State University.
Click here to visit San Diego’s site.
Emily Bartels serves as the State Director of Reach Out and Read in South Carolina. She began her time with Reach Out and Read in 2006 as a Program Specialist and then Program Manager. During her time, she has served most South Carolina programs as well as a portion of Western North Carolina. Since 2020, Emily has led the South Carolina team in state-based work and collaborating with regional partners in North Carolina, Virginia and Washington, DC.
Emily is a native of South Carolina and a graduate of the College of Charleston. Emily serves in various volunteer capacities in her community thru Baby Read Advisory Board, church and local schools. She is committed to supporting all families and children in South Carolina with Reach Out and Read giving clinicians the tools they need to help families created healthy, sustainable relationships.
Click here to visit South Carolina’s site.
Jocelyn McConnell has been the affiliate leader of Reach Out and Read Texas, housed at the Children’s Learning Institute at UTHealth Houston, since 2015. Partnering with 900 clinicians across Texas in 200 pediatric and family medicine clinics, she leads a dynamic team in promoting positive interactions. Through the joy of reading aloud, the affiliate team serves clinics as they support families in building safe, stable, and nurturing relationships.
Jocelyn is a Licensed Professional Counselor whose practice focus was on clients recovering from childhood trauma. She recognizes the powerful role of attachment in mediating adverse childhood events. Jocelyn has worked at the Children’s Learning Institute for fourteen years, supporting early childhood research projects in many roles. Jocelyn’s favorite role is as a coach and trainer to parents (Play and Learning Strategies, PALS), teachers, and now, clinicians. Jocelyn received a bachelor’s degree from Plan II in Social Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin and a master’s degree in Educational Psychology-Counseling from the University of Houston.
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Azure’De (DeDe) Williams received a Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Science & Law and a Criminal Justice Certificate from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. DeDe has more than 25 years of experience working in the nonprofit sector identifying two areas she felt most impacted quality of life – Health and Education. She uses her skills in program development, civic engagement, and program evaluation to support efforts in addressing health disparities and achievement gaps.
More recently, Mrs. Williams received the 2021 MCW (Medical College of Wisconsin) President’s Award for her exemplary community-engaged work with MCW and partners during her tenure as Executive Director for the Milwaukee Area Health Education Center. DeDe’s deep experience in devising comprehensive program strategies for national and local organizations involving public and private grants, corporate contributions, and individual donors, while executing all aspects of operational and financial management led to securing $636k in grants over three years. By energetically translating mission and goals into operating plans with clear benchmarks and annual objectives, she successfully restructured the 30-year-old organization to align with contemporary market and educational needs of future health workforce projections.
Azure’De Williams is ardent about Community Service. DeDe loves to spend time teaching young athletes the fundamentals of basketball and teamwork. Mrs. Williams has four children – ages 20, 16, 14, and 10 who are often seen accompanying her on volunteer-related and community service projects. In her spare time, DeDe enjoys filling up the pages of her passport.
Click here to visit Wisconsin’s site.
President of the Family Learning Partnership, Florida
