Our People

David Weinstein

David Weinstein is the founder of Joyful Readers. His parents will tell you that he entered kindergarten claiming he would never learn to read, but by 2nd grade he was voraciously consuming Goosebumps books faster than R.L. Stine could write them. David attended public schools his whole life, and is a graduate of the College of New Jersey, where he could often be found working in the college’s tutoring center. In 2007, he moved to Philadelphia to do a year of AmeriCorps service with City Year, spending a life-changing year working at Kensington High School. That 1-year program turned into a 15-year career, with David ultimately managing all of City Year’s school-based services. His experiences (and the research!) inspired his belief that well-trained and well-supported AmeriCorps members can make a tremendous difference in the lives of students.

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.

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.

Mira Taichman

Mira’s professional success derives from her core belief that literacy is a human right. A devoted educator and advocate, Mira began her career in the policy world of Washington, D.C., where she worked to promote equity in public schools. After volunteering as a reading tutor for second grade students, Mira discovered that her true passion was in the classroom making a direct impact on student achievement. In 2018, Mira returned home to Philadelphia where she launched her teaching career, leading both first and third grade classrooms at KIPP Philadelphia and Wissahickon Charter School for more than six years. Mira earned a Bachelors of History from the University of Pennsylvania and a Masters in Teaching from Relay Graduate School of Education. Mira’s excited to utilize her teaching, mentoring and advocacy skills as a Joyful Readers Literacy Coach in the service of education equity and childhood literacy. An avid fan of children’s books, Mira spends her free time as a freelance curriculum writer and children’s book author. She also enjoys camping and spoiling her beloved pup, Theodore.

Aurora M. Pomales

Aurora M. Pomales is the Recruitment and Admissions Coordinator at Joyful Readers. Growing up in North Philadelphia, she would often come home from school to piles of books that her mother would borrow for her from the library. This ignited her love and passion for reading, despite having dyslexia, and taught her the valuable lesson that anyone can learn to love reading with the right encouragement and support. After graduating from La Salle University with a B.A. in Art History, Aurora spent the next five years in the education field in various roles including Lead Art Teacher and High School Mentor. With her experience in educating Philadelphia youth of diverse backgrounds, Aurora sought to find a space that would combat the struggles often faced in education, especially surrounding reading. This led her to Joyful Readers, where she hopes to continue to make a difference in the lives of students across Philadelphia. As a child, Aurora loved to read anything creepy or scary, including an all-time favorite novel, Bunnicula; she also borrowed Alfred Hitchcock’s Anthology from her elementary school library so often that the librarian gifted her the book once she graduated.

Sarah DeLucas

Sarah DeLucas is the Development Director at Joyful Readers. With over 20 years of professional experience in relationship development and community engagement, Sarah has a keen ability to foster deep and meaningful connections with corporate partners, local businesses, and community organizations, propelling her success in both the corporate and non-profits sectors. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sarah spent over 15 years at the helm of Major League Bocce, a national social sports organization with leagues operating in over 14 cities. Since the pandemic, she has found great personal & professional satisfaction driving revenue for mission-focused organizations at the National MS Society and the American Heart Association. Her goal is to use her marketing savvy, interpersonal sales techniques, and entrepreneurial spirit to drive both financial and community support to the Joyful Readers mission to improve childhood literacy throughout Philadelphia. Her favorite childhood books were James and the Giant Peach and the Nancy Drew series.

Anne Murray

Anne’s passion for early-childhood education first began 9 years ago, when she served as a Literacy Interventionist through the AmeriCorps program at the Literacy Lab in Washington, DC. After her year of service was complete, she joined Literacy Lab’s full-time staff overseeing the communications and program operations at various schools throughout the DC metro region. Impressed with her colleagues’ dedication and efforts in the education sector, Anne decided to pursue her M.S.Ed. in Elementary Education at UPenn. After graduating, she spent the next five years with the School District of Philadelphia as an elementary teacher and reading interventionist. It was at John Moffet Elementary School that Anne first came across Joyful Readers and saw first-hand the impact of Joyful Readers, leading her to pursue the role of Literacy Coach. Anne was a huge fan of To Give a Mouse a Cookie and The Boxcar Children series as an elementary school student.

Antonio J. Burrell

Antonio is Associate General Counsel of Snipes USA, a 300-store sneaker and streetwear retailer. Prior to Snipes, Antonio was an attorney in Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation’s (PHDC’s) legal department where he represented PHDC, the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority and the Philadelphia Land Bank, supporting government initiatives and public-private partnerships for the development and growth of the City, with the goal of primarily benefitting moderate and low-income Philadelphians. Before PHDC, Antonio served as an Assistant City Solicitor in the Philadelphia Law Department’s Real Estate and Development Unit, supporting the City’s economic development initiatives, and representing City departments including Philadelphia’s Departments of Public Property and Parks & Recreation. Antonio began his career as a litigator with Blank Rome LLP, representing clients in complex commercial and civil litigation matters. A native of Southwest Philadelphia, Antonio graduated from Villanova Law School in 2013. His favorite book growing up was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Andrea Carter

Andrea Carter, Chief of External Affairs for Bottom Line, has nearly 20 years of experience as a communications professional with a track record as a leader and visionary. Andrea is an accomplished storyteller, driven by a desire to uncover topics on the hearts and minds of the audiences her work serves, and a passion for coming up with unique ways to engage audiences. Her efforts have led to increased stakeholder engagement, earned media attention and recognition, and delivered nearly $1 million in government funding. Andrea attributes her career success to three factors: a leadership style centered on thoughtful relationships; communications strategies rooted in collaboration and innovation; and being a lifelong learner. She is a proud Philadelphia native and resident with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication from Millersville University and a Master of Arts in Communication from Villanova University. When she’s not obsessing over all things communications and storytelling, Andrea enjoys cheering on the Eagles, traveling, reading, enjoying good food and music, or participating in annual distance run events. As a kid, her favorite author was Judy Blume and she never missed a title from the Sweet Valley High series.

Tim Galaz

Tim is a Manager with PwC’s Exempt Organizations Tax Services practice, based in Philadelphia. Tim provides tax compliance and consulting services to a variety of tax-exempt organizations, including hospitals and health systems, education institutions, and various tax-exempt trusts. A native of Tucson, Arizona, Tim received a BA in Studio Art from University of Arizona before relocating to Philadelphia to serve as a City Year, AmeriCorps member. After AmeriCorps service, Tim received a JD from Villanova University School of Law. His favorite childhood book was the B.F.G. by Roald Dahl

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 almost a decade and currently oversees 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 civic engagement, volunteering, 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 excited to serve as a board member of Joyful Readers and to continue to expand National Service Programs in Philadelphia while 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 own nephews, reading old favorites like The Whingdingdilly by Bill Peet.

Sharon Marino

Sharon is Founder and Principal of Marigold Educational Coaching and Consulting LLC, an independent practice that serves school systems and educational nonprofits. In this role, she leverages 20+ years of experience with the School District of Philadelphia (SDP), where she built programs to improve access and outcomes for students and families. In her recent role as a Principal, she secured “Community School” designation from the Mayor’s Office of Children and Families. In addition, the school was awarded “Overall School Progress Report Highest Three-Year Improvement” in 2019—2020 after moving from “Intervene” status in 2015—2016 to “Reinforce” status in 2018—2019. Sharon also secured numerous local, state and federal grants, including the “Good to Great Early Literacy Grant” ($45K). A native of southwest Philadelphia, Sharon holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Rosemont College, a Masters in Elementary Education from St. Joseph’s University, ESL (English as a Second Language) Certification from Penn State Abington, Principal (K-12) Certification from Cheyney University, and is a certified 200-hour Yoga/SEL teacher. Beyond her consulting practice, she promotes equity in education through her service on the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit Board, the Colonial School District Board and the Colonial Area Anti-Racism Social Equity Alliance (CAARSEA). Sharon is also a member of the Neubauer Fellowship’s Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders. Sharon enjoys traveling, cooking, yoga, reading, and spending time with her husband, father, siblings, and 14 nieces and nephews. Her favorite childhood book was The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein.

Brittney Matyas

Brittney is a Director with PwC’s Cyber, Risk and Regulatory practice, based in Philadelphia. Brittney provides Internal Audit, Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, and risk management consulting services to both public and private clients in varying industries. Her focus is around helping companies identify and mitigate financial, compliance, and operation risks. Brittney lives in New Jersey and received a BS in Business Administration from Drexel University. She is a licensed CPA in the state of Pennsylvania. As a mom of 3, she spends tons of time reading both to and with her children. Her favorite childhood book was the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.

Virgil Sheppard

Virgil currently serves as the President/CEO of Hope Partnership for Education, a non-profit organization located in the Fairhill Section of North Philadelphia whose mission is to empower the community through education. Prior to Hope, Virgil served as the National School Partnerships Director for City Year, where he was responsible for developing a partnership strategy that maximized school and student outcomes. Virgil got his start in education while working for the School District of Philadelphia’s Behavioral Team, overseeing the Comprehensive Student Assistance Process for 40 schools, and serving as a middle school administrator in the most diverse and second largest middle school in Philadelphia. During this time, Virgil oversaw the first Response to Instructional Intervention (RTII) pilot for the School District of Philadelphia, identifying evidenced-based strategies and intervention programs while providing technical assistance to school-based RTII teams to ensure strong student support services infrastructure. Virgil is a proud West Philadelphia native who caught the education bug while serving as a coach, mentor, and tutor for the Panthers Youth Development Corporation, a community-based organization that provides year-round programming for 300 students in West Philadelphia. Virgil holds a bachelor’s degree from Temple University and a master’s degree from Cheyney University. His favorite childhood book is Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.

Barry Silver

Barry joins Joyful Readers after a 40-year career in banking and financial markets and believes that education is the smartest investment a society can make. He retired from global leader MUFG Bank’s New York-based Corporate and Investment Bank, where he was a Managing Director in Risk Solutions, serving domestic and multinational clients in 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. Barry has served on the boards of Connecticut Swimming, Inc. and the Norwalk Symphony Society. He was also an elected representative in his town’s legislature. Barry is a very joyful and relentless reader, 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.

Prerna Srivastava

Prerna is a lifelong educator, advocate, and organizer who aspires to create liberatory spaces for black and brown children that affirm their identities, amplify their potential, and enable them to step into their power. Over the course of the past 20 years, Prerna has served across multiple sectors – from non-profit international development work with self-help groups and community health workers in rural India and Rwanda, to the training and development of over 500 women and minority business owners across the US. Most recently, Prerna served as AP/ Principal with the School District of Philadelphia for 7 years, where she secured over $40K in funding and partnerships through multiple organizations, including Americorps VISTA and the Delaware Valley Fairness Project, as well as achieved academic growth of 16% in K – 2 for percent of students on grade level for reading. In her current role, Prerna serves the children of Camden as Deputy Head of Schools with KIPP NJ, where she coaches and develops elementary school Principals. As an immigrant woman of color and mother of 3 young, joyful readers, Prerna collects social justice children’s books that elevate the voices of black and brown and immigrant youth, including her favorite children’s books, “The Proudest Blue” and “Always Anjali.” Prerna is a proud graduate of Bryn Mawr College, and holds Masters degrees from Harvard and Relay. In her free time, you can find Prerna hiking her beloved Wissahickon trails!

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