Senior Leadership Team
Lynette M. Fraga, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Reach Out and Read’s new CEO, Dr. Lynette M. Fraga, is a mission-driven executive with over 30 years’ experience working at the intersection of nonprofit leadership and change management; racial, social, and economic justice; identity and inclusion; and human-centered designed solutions. Prior to Reach Out and Read, Dr. Fraga was the Founder and CEO of Fiercely Forward, LLC, a strategic consulting and executive coaching practice that helped leaders from every seat navigate the complexities of social, organizational, personal, and professional change through big and small transitions and crises.
For 10 years, Dr. Fraga served as CEO of Child Care Aware of America, an influential national advocacy nonprofit and network of 400 state and local nonprofits that deliver child care services and other family supports. She has worked in a range of community-based and national nonprofits, including 11 years at ZERO TO THREE, whose mission is to ensure all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life. Dr. Fraga served in multiple leadership roles for the organization, including Chief Program Officer. She has also worked in the fields of higher education, family partnership, child welfare and family violence prevention/support, juvenile justice, military child care, and social entrepreneurship.
In addition to her experience in the C-suite, Dr. Fraga has served on a multitude of committees and advisory groups focused on the earliest years of life, health and wellness, climate, and other critical issues impacting communities and families. She has also served on the Boards of Directors of several nonprofits, including current service on the boards of Generations United, Let’s Grow Kids, and The Campagna Center.
Dr. Fraga graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science degree in Special Education and Rehabilitation and a Master of Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma. She completed her doctorate from Kansas State University in Family Life Education and Consultation.
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Michelle McCready
Deputy CEO
Deputy CEO Michelle McCready joins Reach Out and Read as Deputy Chief Executive Officer, where she partners with the CEO to deepen and grow the organization’s national impact.
Michelle is a nonprofit executive and philanthropic leader with more than two decades of experience building, scaling, and stewarding mission-driven organizations. Her leadership is grounded in executive strategy, organizational development, and policy change, with a disciplined focus on aligning people, systems, and resources to strengthen outcomes and advance equity. She has led organizations through periods of significant growth and strategic realignment, consistently driving operational excellence and high-impact service for children and families. Most recently, Michelle served as the Founding Executive Director of Wisconsin Appleseed. She previously held executive roles at Child Care Aware of America, including Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Interim Chief Executive Officer, and Chief of Policy, where she oversaw national strategy, philanthropy, federal partnerships, and large-scale organizational transformation.
Michelle holds a bachelor’s degree in social welfare from University of Wisconsin-Madison, a master’s degree in public policy from George Mason University, and a certificate in strategic leadership from Georgetown University. She was drawn to Reach Out and Read because its mission reflects her own story. Her experience in an under-resourced public school led her to advocate for children and families, championing policy changes locally, statewide, and nationally. Michelle is energized to use her expertise in transforming organizations and helping families strengthen relationships through reading.
Outside of work, Michelle enjoys Wisconsin summers with her family, traveling to watch the U.S. Women’s National Soccer team, and learning the latest TikTok dance trend from her daughter.
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Johnnetta Anderson
Senior Adviser to the CEO
Senior Adviser to the CEO Johnnetta Anderson will lead cross departmental initiatives and coordinate work as a member of the senior leadership team. A primary focus is leadership of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work aimed at growing the knowledge and competency of staff and advancing equitable and inclusive policies and practices across our network helping to shepherd Reach Out and Read on that journey and leading the implementation work associated. Johnnetta brings nearly 15 years of experience working with nonprofits that provide services to underserved communities. She has developed expertise in leadership, Quality Management, process improvement, program management and lived experiences with diversity, equity, and inclusion. Most recently she worked with the CDC Foundation on the Vaccine/Workforce initiative project team which provided support to state, territory, and tribal health departments across the country to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Johnnetta is excited to join the Reach Out and Read team and support its impactful mission.
Johnnetta is a community leader who has dedicated her career to supporting people in marginalized communities through her work as a board member for her local Red Cross chapter and as a Rotary Club past president and member. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Georgia College and State University, a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Arizona, and a Master of Business Administration from Mercer University.
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Callee Boulware, MBA
Regional Executive Director, Carolinas, Virginia, and Washington, DC
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.
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Lori Brooks
Chief External Affairs Officer
As Chief External Affairs Officer, Lori Brooks shapes the direction, visibility, and perceived value of Reach Out and Read’s national brand. She leads Reach Out and Read and its Affiliate network in leveraging external-facing strategies; shaping relevant public policy; driving brand awareness, nurturing allies; and increasing audience engagement to scale Reach Out and Read nationwide, positioning the organization as a leader in pediatric public health solutions that strengthen children and families. Under her leadership, the External Affairs team crafts, refines, and implements top-level marketing, communications, and partnership tactics to elevate Reach Out and Read’s identity, value proposition, and impact. Team X also leads Reach Out and Read’s federal and Affiliate advocacy efforts and creates strategies, messaging, resources, and training to turn Reach Out and Read stakeholders into brand ambassadors. In conjunction with the Chief Executive Officer and Senior Adviser to the CEO, Lori works to amplify Reach Out and Read’s mission, vision, values, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Lori is an experienced leader in nonprofit management, strategic communications, marketing, and advocacy, with deep expertise in crisis communications, brand management, and media relations. In her role as Senior Director of Communications and Marketing for Oklahoma Contemporary, she led the team behind the brand of the nonprofit arts center as it built a $30 million new campus and leapt onto the national stage. Her resume includes The Albuquerque Tribune and The Seattle Times, the University of Oklahoma, the nonprofit College Media Association, and work with journalists and media professionals nationwide.
With a degree in news communications from the University of Oklahoma, Lori is a born storyteller, writer, editor, and advocate with work that ranges from international magazine covers and millions of monthly impressions to supporting underserved communities and elevating marginalized voices.
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Ruth Coleman, Ph.D.
Chief Growth Officer
Ruth Coleman, Reach Out and Read’s National Senior Director of Growth, immigrated from Nigeria, West Africa, to the United States at age 9, igniting an unwavering commitment to marginalized communities. With more than two decades in nonprofit work and 13 years as an organizational consultant, she optimizes organizational performance through tailored growth strategies, emphasizing collaboration, communication, and leadership, always underscored by a commitment to equity and inclusion. Ruth holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership, an M.A. in Organizational Leadership, a Bachelor of Social Work, and a B.S. in Bible.
She co-founded a nonprofit dedicated to addressing the surgical crisis in Africa, demonstrating her dedication to making a meaningful impact on a global scale. Her diverse experiences and expertise have positioned her to work at the intersection of education and health care, creating opportunities to accelerate the progress of marginalized communities. In her free time, Ruth cherishes time with her husband and two daughters, whom she is raising to change the world; reading a good book; and songwriting.
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Erin Henry
Chief Advancement and Strategy Officer
Erin Henry leads fundraising and organizational strategy as Chief Advancement and Strategy Officer for Reach Out and Read’s National Center. In addition to supporting Reach Out and Read’s day to day development needs, Erin and her team, identify strategic funding and partnership opportunities for the National Center and collaborate with Affiliates throughout the country in the quest to create a world where every child is read to every day.
For the past two decades, Erin spent much of her career as a fundraiser for academic medicine, working primarily in corporate and foundation relations, strategic partnerships, and events for Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Lahey Clinic, and Tufts Medical Center. She is a former member of the Board of Governors for the Human Rights Campaign and has served on numerous fundraising panels through the Association of Fundraising Professionals of Massachusetts and Essex County Community Foundation. She graduated with a BA in English from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and spent a year learning nonprofit management at AmeriCorps*VISTA at Jumpstart for Young Children in New York.
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Lambrina Kless, Ph.D.
Chief Operating Officer
As Chief Operating Officer of Reach Out and Read, Lambrina Kless, Ph.D., provides strategic leadership and stewardship for the organization’s national network, ensuring that systems, processes, and partnerships are optimized to strengthen Early Relational Health and expand the Reach Out and Read model across the country. Lambrina brings more than two decades of experience driving organizational strategy, programmatic and operational excellence, and portfolio management in mission-driven organizations, with deep expertise in scaling programs, creating learning frameworks, strengthening cross-functional alignment, and leveraging data and systems to advance impact. She leads enterprise operations and collaborates closely with Affiliates, National partners, and internal teams to enhance program quality, continuous improvement, and long-term sustainability.
Prior to joining Reach Out and Read, Lambrina served as Chief Program Officer at the National Center for Teacher Residencies, where she led a national portfolio of technical assistance and digital solutions supporting educator preparation across dozens of states. She also held leadership roles at Teach Plus, San Jose Unified School District, and Stanford University’s John W. Gardner Center, where she led data integration, analytics, and instructional innovation work. Lambrina holds a Ph.D. in Administration and Policy Analysis from Stanford University, with a minor in Quantitative Methods, and completed her undergraduate studies at Harvard University. Her career is grounded in a commitment to systems that improve outcomes for children, families, and the professionals who support them.
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Nikki Shearman, PhD
Chief of Research and Innovation
Nikki Shearman is responsible for developing and implementing a research strategy and improvements to our program to position Reach Out and Read to achieve our Next Chapter vision of incorporating our model as a standard of pediatric primary care. As Chief of Research and Innovation, she leads her team in the improvement of our impact through innovation, in offering training and skill-building opportunities for clinicians implementing the Reach Out and Read program and in maintaining strong relationships with our medical leadership to bring the clinical voice into our strategy and advocacy. She also coordinates the strategy for research and evaluation that demonstrates Reach Out and Read’s impact. Nikki brings a combined experience of research, operational strategy, and communications to this position, starting with 10 years’ experience in medical research in laboratories in the UK, Japan and Germany, and publication of her work in international journals. Subsequently, Nikki worked within the management of a variety of non-profit organizations in the UK and the US. Nikki earned her PhD in cancer research from the University of Southampton, UK.
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Lynette M. Fraga, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Michelle McCready
Deputy CEO
Johnnetta Anderson
Senior Adviser to the CEO
Callee Boulware, MBA
Regional Executive Director, Carolinas, Virginia, and Washington, DC
Lori Brooks
Chief External Affairs Officer
Ruth Coleman, Ph.D.
Chief Growth Officer
Erin Henry
Chief Advancement and Strategy Officer
Lambrina Kless, Ph.D.
Chief Operating Officer
Nikki Shearman, PhD
Chief of Research and Innovation