We envision a world where all parents have daily, meaningful, language-rich interactions with their children.
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Reach Out and Read Oregon
Reach Out and Read Oregon
Investing in Impact.
Reach Out and Read Northwest partners directly with nearly 1300 pediatric clinicians in 163 program sites across Oregon to support early literacy and healthy relationships through parent-child shared reading.
87,000 children received just under 179,000 well-child visits integrating the Reach Out and Read model. 153,000 books were placed into the hands of young children and their families, along with modeling and guidance from pediatric clinicians on what to expect and how best to support their child’s developing literacy.
Our evidence-based model is backed by a large and growing body of academic research and is the only literacy model endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Our Program
Reach Out and Read Oregon gives young children a foundation for success by
incorporating books into pediatric care and encouraging families to read aloud together.
178,647
Well-child visits annually
Well-child visits annually
163
Program sites
Program sites
174,954
Books provided annually
Books provided annually
Featured News
Doctors tackle literacy as a health care issue, giving books to children through Reach Out and Read
(OPB) This summer, Reach Out and Read is celebrating its 35th anniversary. To honor the milestone, the national group is distributing an additional 350,000 books to partners across the country. More than 27,500 of those books have already made their way to Oregon and Washington for this celebration. The books specifically reflect the stories and […]
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Reach Out and Read Oregon could not serve the tens of thousands of families it does annually without the help of generous corporate, foundation, individual, and government partners. We are grateful for their contributions to make reading a priority for the children and families of Oregon. Together we are fulfilling our mission to give young children a foundation for success by incorporating books into pediatric care and encouraging families to read aloud together.
Meet Our Staff
Jessica Mortensen became the first Regional Executive Director of Reach Out and Read Northwest after overseeing the regionalization of Reach Out and Read’s programs in Oregon and Washington in the fall of 2021. She currently oversees a high-performing staff and provides strategic direction for more than 400 medical clinics that reach over 200,000 families annually at well-child visits. Jessica was Reach Out and Read Washington’s Program Director (2010–15), Deputy Director (2015–17), and Executive Director (2017–21).
During her tenure with Reach Out and Read Jessica has cultivated partnerships and relationships that support healthcare professional practice change. She played a pivotal role in the creation and implementation of a program quality evaluation and improvement system that Reach Out and Read adopted nationally, and currently co-chairs the National Book Committee. She completed her Master’s in Library and Information Science at the University of Washington and her undergraduate degree in Spanish and Art History at Whitman College.
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Marissa Lachaga is a rural family medicine physician assistant in Eastern Oregon. She completed her undergraduate degree in Nursing from the University of Rhode Island and her Master of Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Utah. She is an AHEC Scholar and competed the two-year interdisciplinary program through the Health Resources and Services Administration for healthcare professionals interested in serving and gaining a deeper understanding of the health care needs of urban and rural underserved or vulnerable populations. She was first introduced to the ROR program at a Federally Qualified Health Center and immediately realized the positive impact and importance of developing stronger communities. She became passionate about integrating ROR into her daily well-child visits, promoting reading, family relationships, and healthy childhood development. She serves as the Oregon Medical Director and is earnest about advocating for ROR at both local and national levels.
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Hannah Slaughter is the Regional Program Director at Reach Out and Read Northwest. She directs our multi-state program strategy, implementation, data, and analysis to ensure that clinical sites across the region have the leadership and support to offer high-quality programs to children and families. Hannah previously served as the Program Director for Reach Out and Read Washington from 2018–2021, and as a Program Specialist from 2012–2018.
Prior to joining Reach Out and Read, Hannah worked with faculty, residents, and medical students at the University of Washington and Harborview Medical Center. She facilitated process improvement projects to ensure patient safety, implemented quality assurance standards, managed the Internal Medicine Residency Program’s annual recruitment process, and coordinated educational conferences and orientations. Hannah received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Art Photography and a minor in Diversity from the University of Washington.
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Zakiya serves as the Associate Director of Development for the Northwest region at Reach Out and Read, where she brings over 18 years of expertise as a seasoned thought partner and leader in the nonprofit sector. As the Associate Director, Zakiya plays a key role in corporate relationships and foundation funding management.
Driven by a deep passion for serving underserved and marginalized communities, Zakiya applies an equity lens to donor work and is dedicated to addressing systemic issues and fostering sustainable change. She holds a master’s degree in business administration and an undergraduate degree in African and African Diaspora Studies, nee Africology, from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
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Shannon Blood joined Reach Out and Read as the Associate Director of Policy and Partnerships for the Northwest Region in 2024. Her focus is on creating and implementing effective policy, advocacy, and communications strategies to support sustainability, growth, and visibility for Reach Out and Read Northwest.
Shannon has worked in the public and private sectors for over 25 years in early childhood and family support services. Her most recent focus area has been working cross-sector to explore, develop and advocate for health care financing (such as Medicaid) for maternal, infant and early childhood home visiting. Shannon is known as a strong advocate for critical system and policy changes that authentically engage multiple community perspectives early on and continuously.
Shannon holds a bachelor’s degree in community services from St. Martin’s University and a master’s degree in strategic communications from Washington State University. When not working, she carves out time for hiking, photography, and creative writing challenges.
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Danno joined Reach Out and Read as a Program Manager in 2025, providing direct support to sites in Southern, Eastern, and Central Oregon. Danno’s career journey began with door-to-door canvassing, LGBTQ+ student advocacy, and statewide/national foster youth policy advocacy. They spent many years in domestic violence support services before entering administrative public library work and DEI consulting. Danno found their home in early literacy program support which combines their passion for advocacy and prevention with their love of books. They are currently enrolled in Information & Library Science and Data Science courses with University of Maine Augusta. In their free time, Danno reads around 40 books a year. They enjoy board games, lake days, and watching Star Trek. They live with their fiancé, their two children, and a cat.
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Melissa MacCoumber joined Reach Out and Read Northwest as a Program Manager in 2024. She provides direct support to program sites in Northwest Oregon including the Portland Metro area through quality assurance and building relationships with clinical staff and health systems to sustain successful program implementation. Melissa’s career has been focused on improving health and educational outcomes for marginalized communities as both an educator and a nurse. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Education from Concordia University and also worked as a License Practical Nurse. In her personal time, Melissa likes listening to audiobooks while enjoying nearby natural wonders like Silver Falls with her wife and their dog, Jinx.
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