Our People

David Weinstein

David Weinstein is the founder and executive director of Joyful Readers, a Philadelphia nonprofit that provides high-dosage literacy tutoring to students in kindergarten through third grade. Under David’s leadership, Joyful Readers has grown from an idea launched in 2021 into a citywide program serving nearly 1,500 students across 27 schools. David’s parents will tell you that he entered kindergarten claiming he would never learn to read. By second grade, however, he was consuming Goosebumps books faster than R.L. Stine could write them. A lifelong public-school student, David graduated from The College of New Jersey, where he worked in the college’s tutoring center. David moved
to Philadelphia in 2007 to serve as an AmeriCorps member with City Year at Kensington High School. That year of service grew into a career in education and national service, during which he ultimately led City Year Philadelphia’s school-based programming. Those experiences—and a growing body of research—shaped his belief that well-trained, well-supported tutors can make a tremendous difference in the lives of students. He founded Joyful Readers to put that belief into practice and help ensure that every child has the opportunity to become a strong, confident, joyful reader.

Emily DeCarlo

Emily DeCarlo is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 10 years of non-profit experience. She’s worked in youth-serving organizations doing direct service work and serving as a Client Services Director and a Program Director. Her areas of focus include program development, implementation and evaluation, grant management, culturally-responsive best practices for inclusive organizations, and non-profit finances. Emily has over a decade of experience implementing evidence-based programs in school and community-based settings including but not limited to: Positive Action, Healthy Families, and Communities That Care. Emily has served on the Phi Sigma Sigma National Housing Corporation Board as Vice President since 2018, is a member of the NASW-PA Workforce Development Committee, and she was a New Leaders Council Fellow in 2022. As a child, she was an avid reader, and made her way through most of the books in her Elementary School’s library. She loves reading to her two young kids, particularly Red: A Crayon’s Story and anything by Mo Willems.

Nichelle Morgan

Nichelle Morgan is the Founding Literacy Director at Joyful Readers. With over ten years of experience, she believes in empowering students and teachers to be the best version of themselves. She completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s in Teaching degrees at Howard University. Her roles as a classroom teacher, literacy coach, and equity-minded leader have aided the formation of her specialty area: literacy-focused education, teacher empowerment, and providing exceptional professional development to the nation’s urban schools. Nichelle is determined to provide quantifiable positive changes within education. She is deeply committed to utilizing her expertise in culturally relevant classroom practices and empathetic coaching strategies to bring about individual liberation and empowerment. Nichelle’s resiliency drives her passion to dismantle educational inequities and ensure all students have equal access to resources. Her favorite childhood books are Amber Brown is Not a Crayon and Holes.

Carly Kiess

Carly is passionate about ensuring all children develop strong literacy skills that open doors for their future. She began her career teaching kindergarten through third grade before serving as an assistant principal and principal at an elementary school in New Orleans. Following her time as a school leader, Carly coached other leaders for four years with Jounce Partners, focusing on the implementation of high-quality instructional materials, deepening content knowledge in literacy, and developing effective coaching practices. She also partnered with Amplify as a Professional Learning Specialist, supporting educators in their use of the CKLA literacy curriculum. Carly holds a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Western Governors University, completed graduate-level Reading Specialist training at Point Park University, and earned her bachelor’s degree from SUNY Binghamton. In her role with Joyful Readers, she continues to help schools and educators create joyful, equitable opportunities for every child to learn to read. Her love of stories began with The Velveteen Rabbit and evenings listening to her dad read The Lord of the Rings.

AC Loper

AC Loper is the Development Director at Joyful Readers. They have built a career across the public sector, nonprofits, and entrepreneurship, bringing a gift for storytelling and a commitment to liberation and access to every role. Most recently, she served as Director of Advancement at Beyond Literacy, where she led fundraising strategy, development operations, corporate and volunteer engagement, and advancement communications. There, they learned that literacy is about more than decoding words; it is a gateway to economic opportunity, better health outcomes, and empowerment. She serves on the Board of Impact100 Philadelphia and is a member of the Forum of Executive Women. Reading is a daily ritual they cherish, alone and with their toddler. She remembers the powerful feeling of reading Go Dog Go on her own for the first time, and later discovering pleasure reading in Charlotte’s Web and the Dear America series.

Jesse Grant-Skinner

Jesse is an accomplished educator with 11 years of experience in early childhood education. His career began as a Capital Teaching Resident with KIPP DC. After six years in the classroom, Jesse moved into an administrator role, spending the next five years as the Assistant Vice Principal. Jesse believes that student growth has no limits and is excited to implement effective, targeted and joyful instruction methods that unlock student’s reading potential. Born and raised in Baltimore, MD, urban education has been the main driver of Jesse’s purpose and passion throughout his career. Jesse’s favorite children’s books are Corduroy and The Rainbow Fish.

Colleen D’Orazio

Colleen D’Orazio is a passionate educator with two decades of experience in education. An avid reader since childhood, she was inspired by her second-grade teacher to channel her passion for literacy into a teaching career. After graduating Cabrini College with a degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Psychology, Colleen began her career as a kindergarten teacher at Chester Community Charter School where she witnessed first-hand the importance of mastering foundational reading skills in building students’ confidence and fueling academic growth. The experience spurred her decision to transition into a specialized role as a reading interventionist in the Upper Darby School District, where she spent six years honing her expertise in the Science of Reading. As a Literacy Coach with Joyful Readers, Colleen is sharing her knowledge and support with tutors as they empower young readers across Philadelphia. Her favorite childhood books include The Babysitter’s Club and Sweet Valley High series.

Melanie LaGreca

Melanie is dedicated to strengthening literacy outcomes and cultivating a love of learning in children. She holds a Master of Science in Childhood Education and Special Education from Hunter College and a Bachelor of Science in Childhood and Early Adolescent Education from Pennsylvania State University. After several years teaching in elementary classrooms, Melanie transitioned into instructional coaching and professional learning, where she partnered with educators to implement Science of Reading aligned practices. Most recently, she worked with educators across the country, facilitating training and coaching to strengthen literacy instruction and curriculum implementation. As a Literacy Coach at Joyful Readers, Melanie is excited to work alongside tutors, schools, students, and families to deliver structured literacy instruction that helps children grow into confident and capable readers. Growing up her favorite book was A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith.

Molly Senour

Molly Senour’s passion for education began at the age of six, when she first discovered the joy of teaching while playing “school” with her dad and sisters in the family’s basement. Since then, she has committed her life to fostering a love of learning in others. After graduating from Penn State with her bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education, Molly taught Kindergarten in Fairfax County Public Schools. After 4 years of direct classroom experience, Molly joined the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago as the Literacy Manger. In this role, she used her expertise to develop and implement after-school literacy programs grounded in the Science of Reading. As a lifelong learner and literacy advocate, Molly hopes to ignite excitement and joy for reading in students across Philadelphia through their Joyful Readers experience. Molly’s favorite children’s book is I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen.

EP Plummer

Erica “EP” Plummer (she/her/ella) worked as a primary educator in Baltimore and Saint Louis for 9 years before joining the team at Children’s Literacy Initiative (CLI), where she supported teachers and students in the School District of Philadelphia as a Literacy Coach and Regional Manager. While serving as CLI’s Associate Director of DEI, EP supported the organizations efforts of advancing culturally sustaining pedagogy and evidence-based literacy instruction through programming and development centered around training school leaders. She recently joined Joyful Readers’ Literacy Team, where she is passionate about using literacy education as a launchpad to facilitate opportunity and social justice for Philadelphia Youth, standing in the tradition of Mary McLeod Bethune and Dr. Dorothy Irene Height. In her personal literacy practice, Erica enjoys creative writing, as well as reading fantasy, historical fiction, and romance novels. Her favorite childhood book is The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis.

Cheri Sledge

Cheri Sledge is an educator focused on connecting people with places where they can thrive. An alumna of UCLA and the University of Pennsylvania’s Teaching residency, she began her career as a special education teacher in North Philadelphia. Alongside teaching, she worked with Teach for America as a school operations manager, supporting new teachers and leading sessions aligned with the science of reading, with a focus on special education and intervention. This experience led her into systems and program management. Her love of reading began with the Magic Tree house series and now she enjoys niche historical narratives.

Amanda Gamble

An AmeriCorps alum of both City Year and VISTA, Amanda Gamble has devoted her life to serving and creating positive change for Philadelphia’s communities. Amanda has worked for the City of Philadelphia for over a decade and currently oversees serves as the Chief of Staff for the Deputy Managing Director of General Services supporting Parks and Recreation, Free Library, Fleet, Public Property, and the Philadelphia Marathon Weekend. In her former role, she oversaw the Mayor’s Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service as the City’s Chief Service Officer. Throughout her career, Amanda has strived to make best practices in city service delivery, civic engagement, and National Service programs more accessible through community education efforts like the Civic Engagement Academy and establishing new AmeriCorps programs like the Community Resource Corps. Amanda is proudly the longest serving board member of Joyful Readers is passionate about the mission of connecting students to invaluable literary skills. Amanda has always been an avid reader herself — as a child, she reveled in the joys of reading and was a frequent visitor to the local library, where her mother would encourage filling up a weekly laundry basket full of books! Today, she keeps up that tradition with her son and nephews, reading old favorites like The Whingdingdilly by Bill Peet.

Andrea Carter

As Founder & Principal Consultant of AC Media, Andrea Carter helps small and mid-sized organizations sharpen messaging, strengthen positioning, and maximize impact — work that has enhanced brand identities and deepened stakeholder engagement. She has also held senior leadership roles at education nonprofits including City Year and Bottom Line, and brings experience in government relations. A proud Philadelphia native and resident, Andrea holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication from Millersville University and a Master of Arts in Communication from Villanova University. Growing up, her favorite author was Judy Blume, and she rarely missed a title from the Sweet Valley High series.

Samantha Ellis

Samantha Ellis is Director of Strategic Operations & Analytics on the Reliability Experience team within Comcast’s Technology & Product organization. In her role, she leverages network and operational data to uncover key insights and support strategic decision-making, all aimed at driving more reliable product experiences for customers. A proud Philadelphia-area native, Samantha graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned degrees in Finance and Electrical Engineering as part of the Jerome Fisher Program in Management & Technology. Samantha is excited to bring her analytical expertise and a deep understanding of the role literacy plays in shaping future opportunities to her board role. Samantha also enjoys experimenting with new cooking projects (the spicier, the better), playing recreational soccer, and exploring coffee shops throughout Philadelphia. Her favorite childhood book was Frindle by Andrew Clements.

Tim Galaz

Timothy A. (“Tim”) Galaz is Tax Attorney for the Office of the Comptroller and Associate General Counsel of the University of Pennsylvania. As a tax attorney, Tim provides strategic legal counsel on a wide range of tax matters affecting institutional operations and investments, working closely with colleagues across the University and Health System to support compliance, manage risk, and advance the University’s mission. Prior to joining Penn, Tim was a Senior Tax Manager with PwC’s Washington National Tax Services (WNTS), Exempt Organizations practice, where he advised clients on federal and state tax compliance, unrelated business income tax (UBTI), alternative investments, joint ventures, and cross-border tax matters. Prior to PwC, he served as a law clerk to the Hon. Mary Siobhan Brennan, J.T.C., for the Tax Court of New Jersey. He received a BA in Studio Art from the University of Arizona and a JD from Villanova University School of Law, where he was Executive Editor of the Jeffrey S. Moorad
Sports Law Journal. He is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and is a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA). He serves on the board of Joyful Readers, Inc., a non-profit providing literacy tutoring to Philadelphia K-3 students. Tim lives in Bala Cynwyd with his wife and three children.

Prerna Srivastava

Prerna Srivastava is a Cross-Sector Leadership Fellow at Harvard EdRedesign and a Doctor in Education Leadership (Ed.L.D.) candidate at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Over the course of the past 20 years, Prerna has served across multiple sectors – from scaling an HIV prevention program across 30 health centers in rural Rwanda, to devising curricula for a business coaching program for over 500 minority-owned businesses nationally, to serving as teacher, school leader, and principal coach in NYC, Philly, and Camden district and charter schools. Additionally, Prerna is the Founder & Executive Director of Camp Desi Roots, a summer program that empowers South Asian youth to forge a deeply rooted sense of self through storytelling. Prerna received her BA from Bryn Mawr College, her MAT from Relay Graduate School of Education, and her MPP from Harvard Kennedy School. Prerna has 3 kids – ages 10, 7, and 6 – and has read them thousands of books over the past decade, though her favorite, by far, is the book her daughter just published – The Bindi Girls.

Tessie Kenney

Tessie is Managing Counsel and Pro Bono Champion at Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, where she works with teams around the world to help bring much-needed medications and vaccines to the patients who need them. Her work also includes chairing the volunteer legal services committee, with legal professionals donating thousands of hours of free legal work to people around the world. Prior to joining Merck, Tessie represented multinational clients in mass tort litigation at both Dechert LLP and Jones Day, as well as serving as an active member of their pro bono teams helping domestic abuse victims and those who had their civil rights violated. Tessie graduated from The Ohio State Law School and Bridgewater College. In her spare time, Tessie runs two Girl Scout troops and volunteers with Wet Nose Rescue, a foster-based animal rescue. Mom of two active, now-teenaged kids, she shared her own love of reading, taking weekly trips to the library selecting armloads of old and new favorites, finding adventures beyond the pages, and reading together at night. Growing up, one of Tessie’s favorite books was Little Women, showing what sisterhood and “little” women could do together at their hardest times.

Sharon Marino

Sharon Marino is the Founder and Principal of Marigold Educational Coaching and Consulting LLC, where she partners with schools, districts, and educational nonprofits to cultivate growth in people and communities to expand opportunity and access for all. With more than 25 years of experience in public education, Sharon works alongside leaders and teams to strengthen leadership, learning, and the conditions that help people thrive. Before founding Marigold, Sharon served the School District of Philadelphia as a teacher, Reading First Coach, principal, and principal mentor. She is a proud member of the Neubauer Fellowship’s Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders, serves on the Colonial School District Board of Directors, and was recently selected for the National School Board Partners Fellowship. Sharon is honored to serve on the Joyful Readers Board of Directors, where she continues her commitment to expanding opportunity and access through early literacy. A 500-hour Registered Yoga Teacher and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Facilitator, she supports educators and communities through yoga and mindfulness. Whether coaching leaders, serving on a board, or teaching yoga, Sharon is most energized by helping people discover what’s possible and co-creating the conditions for others to grow. She lives in Conshohocken with her husband, Mike, and enjoys traveling, reading, practicing and teaching yoga, and creating memorable meals with family and friends. Her favorite childhood book is The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein—a story that reminds her of the quiet power of generosity, service, and helping others grow.

Brittney Matyas

Brittney is a Partner in PwC’s Risk and Regulatory practice, based in Philadelphia. She advises public and private companies across a range of industries on Internal Audit, Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance, and risk management. Brittney specializes in helping organizations identify, assess, and mitigate financial, compliance, and operational risks while strengthening governance and internal control environments. Brittney earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Drexel University and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in Pennsylvania. She lives in New Jersey with her family. Outside of work, Brittney enjoys spending time with her three children and fostering a love of reading by sharing books with them. Her favorite childhood series was Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling.

David Rhoden

David Rhoden is committed to creating inclusive workplaces that foster engagement, innovation, and organizational success. With over 15 years of experience, David excels in shaping diverse cultures and empowering individuals to contribute authentically, driving sustainable performance.
As the Vice President of Culture and Inclusion at Chubb, David leads a comprehensive strategy across North America and Global Functions, collaborating with HR and divisional leaders to align workplace culture with business goals. His initiatives have significantly enhanced employee engagement and organizational effectiveness.
David holds a Master of Science in Organization Development and Leadership from Saint Joseph’s University and a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science from The Pennsylvania State University. He is a Korn Ferry certified Leadership Architect and a Prosci certified Change Practitioner.
David’s passion for educational equity was sparked during his time as an AmeriCorps volunteer, where he worked with elementary students in Philadelphia public schools, focusing on math and reading. He believes reading is a foundational pathway to experiencing the world and achieving one’s potential. One of his favorite childhood books was the Bernstein Bears series.

Barry Silver

Barry joins Joyful Readers following a 40-year career in banking and financial markets driven by the firm belief that education is the smartest investment a society can make. He retired as a Managing Director in Risk Solutions from MUFG Bank’s New York-based Corporate and Investment Bank, where he served corporate clients across the US and Canada. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, Barry feels lucky to have been born, raised, and very well educated in the Philadelphia area. After some years in Brooklyn and Tokyo, he settled in Connecticut with his wife Akiko, a violinist and teacher. They have two adult children who live in Philadelphia. Barry has served on the boards of Connecticut Swimming, Inc. and the Norwalk Symphony Society and was also an elected representative in his town’s legislature. A truly joyful and relentless reader, he is also a music (mainly jazz) obsessive, a boisterous Philly sports fan, and an awkward but enthusiastic skier. One unforgettable book from his childhood is Norton Juster’s The Phantom Tollbooth and there were many magic moments reading The Chronicles of Prydain series by Lloyd Alexander to his kids when they were little.

Dr. Natalie Catin-St. Louis

Dr. Natalie Catin-St. Louis is a PCC-certified executive leadership coach and educator who serves as Program Director at PASL, where she oversees the Instructional Leadership Academy and Senior Fellow programming and champions reflective, equity-centered leadership that helps school leaders lead with authenticity and purpose. Previously a PCC Executive Leadership Coach with the School District of Philadelphia’s Office of Professional Learning, she provided one-on-one coaching and professional development to new and aspiring leaders using the ICF Core Competencies and Code of Ethics, helping them articulate their vision, align their inner and outer worlds, and build strategies for growth—an approach she still applies today. An educator since 2002, she has been a principal, assistant principal, reading specialist, staff developer, and instructional coach, leading schools to rapid enrollment growth, significant math and reading proficiency gains on state exams, and multiple recognitions for turnaround success and high achievement; she was featured in Paul Bambrick-Santoyo’s Let’s Get Better Faster and is a 2018 Neubauer Fellow. A proud first-generation college graduate from Spring Valley, NY, she holds an Ed.D. in Education and Organizational Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania and master’s degrees from Bank Street College and Teachers College, Columbia University. Outside of work, she is a wife and mom to two little girls.

Our Staff

Our Board