Reach Out and Read Washington
Reach Out and Read Washington
Reach Out and Read's two-generation intervention supports parent and child bonding, early brain development, and a life-long love of learning.
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Investing in Impact.
Through more than 250 program sites in medical clinics across Washington, we provide more than 117,000 children and their families in 31 counties with free books and resources that promote early childhood literacy.
Our evidence-based model is backed by a large and growing body of academic research. We utilize the existing medical infrastructure, to encourage supportive, educational conversations with parents on the importance of reading aloud and the impact on children’s brain development.
Click here to read our latest impact report.
Our Program
Reach Out and Read Washington promotes child development and health through well-child checkups in the existing medical system with an intervention that has the potential to reach all Washington children.
234,653 well-child check ups annually
241
program sites
program sites
170,331
books distributed annually
books distributed annually
We envision a world where all parents have daily, meaningful, language-rich interactions with their children.
Give the gift of Reach Out and Read to a Washington family today.
Get Involved
Reach Out and Read Washington 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 Washington. 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.
Introducing Reach Out and Read Northwest
We are excited to share that the Reach Out and Read teams in Oregon and Washington have unified regionally as Reach Out and Read Northwest.
As we look to the future, Reach Out and Read Northwest is poised to grow sustainably while continuing to deliver the highest level of program services backed by evidence-cased research and methods. Joining forces as a regional team leverages our core strengths and creates administrative efficiencies.
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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Dr. Woodruff practices at Pediatrics Northwest in Tacoma. She received her undergraduate degree from Seattle University, her MD from the University of Washington, and completed her pediatrics residency at Mt. Zion Hospital, Stanford, and University of California, San Francisco. She brought Reach Out and Read to her Tacoma pediatric practice in 2001, and their four practice locations in Pierce and King Counties will distribute 10,000 books this year. Passionate about spreading the program, Dr. Woodruff became a Reach Out and Read National Trainer, helping doctors in Washington, Oregon, and California implement the program. She went on to co-found Reach Out and Read Washington State in 2007. She serves as the Washington Medical Director playing a vital strategic role. She helps inform new partnerships and initiatives, bringing the critical front-line perspective of a longtime practitioner, who is currently experiencing the rapid changes in medical practice.
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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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Emily Edmiston joined Reach Out and Read Northwest as a Program Manager in 2023. She provides support and leadership to program sites in Washington through quality assurance and building relationships with clinic staff to support their successful program implementation.
Emily has spent her career helping to build and guide quality nonprofit and higher education programs. She has worked across the educational continuum, from birth to three services to post-secondary learning opportunities. From these experiences as well as her social work training, Emily understands the importance and impact of early literacy as well as child and caregiver relationships. She earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of Washington and an undergraduate degree in sociology from Seattle University.
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Ash Powers joined Reach Out and Read Northwest as a Program Manager in 2024. They provide direct support to program sites in South Puget Sound, Southwest Washington, and on the Olympic Peninsula through quality assurance and building relationships with clinical staff and health systems to sustain successful program implementation. Ash began their career in violence prevention education at their alma mater, Colorado State University (Go Rams!). This work taught them how important it is to support social change, community connection, and that everyone has a story. They believe that everyone deserves to show up in spaces as their full authentic self. In their free time, Ash is reading fantasy and science fiction, swing dancing, rock climbing and playing with their two pugs, Fig and Ronan.
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Kelsey Gallagher joined Reach Out and Read Northwest as a Program Manager in 2022. She strengthens relationships with clinic staff and partners directly with clinics to support their successful program implementation.
As a previous educator, Kelsey understands firsthand the need for early literacy intervention in her students. Her certifications as a Reading Specialist, English Language Instructor, Special Education Teacher, Elementary Teacher, Instructional Coach, and more provide a unique lens to further the Reach Out and Read vision and assure quality implementation of our program model.
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