Age: 27
Borough: Manhattan
Favorite Book: Zero to One by Peter Thiel (non-fiction), The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (fiction)
Favorite TV Show: The Wire
Place I Most Want to Visit: South Africa
Favorite NYC Restaurant: Minetta Tavern
Favorite Sports Team: New Orleans Saints
Most Important Quality in a Student: Asking the right questions.
“The Associate Board is effectively an outgrowth of the organization’s dedication to leadership development. So much of READ’s mission is rooted in the development of young people as leaders and agents of change. ”
Why Read Alliance
“Literacy is the essential foundation of education. And because it is such a critical tool, there are many wonderful organizations that exist to improve the educational trajectories of children through literacy intervention. But Read Alliance brought something else to the table. READ’s dual impact model, which involves the leadership, coaching and inspiration by teen leaders, was the X-factor that ultimately drew me to the organization. Over the years, I have benefited from some really wonderful mentors who positively impacted my educational and vocational experiences, so I know first-hand the importance of mentors for a child or young adult. When we provide more mentorship opportunities for young people, the mentors, mentees and communities win.”
Associate board dna
“New York is unique in that that there is an especially large market for non-profit service, especially for emerging professionals. And so many of these opportunities take a similar form – a person writes a check, attends a fundraising event once a year, and that’s the extent of the relationship with that organization. There is nothing wrong with this model – inherently, it is a form of philanthropy that we should encourage and support. But with READ’s Associate Board, our goal has been to provide an opportunity for direct service to both elementary students and teen leaders to complement our fundraising efforts. When we founded the Associate Board, we wanted to avoid the ‘write a check and put it on my resume’ model. This approach has allowed us to build a sustainable group that is diverse demographically, vocationally and in terms of experience.”
On Early Recruitment
“Our initial recruitment efforts were fruitful, and we have the organization’s impressive track record to thank for that. Simply put, READ’s data-driven approach to literacy intervention is incredibly compelling and the teen leadership angle resonated with the emerging professionals we targeted. And this new Associate Board offered the opportunity for individuals to get in on the ‘ground floor’ and shape the group’s governance, activities, and future recruitment efforts.
“We also found that our flexibility with respect to giving and service was a powerful recruiting tool. To quote Assistant Director of Development & Strategic Partnerships Joshua Leach, ‘We want to meet people where they’re at’ by offering different ways for people to serve. Our members set their own goals for each year, whether they be financially-related, direct service-focused or something else.”
On Direct Service
“Perhaps my favorite event in our first year was the [Lifting Up Inspired Teens] Youth Summit in August 2019. A number of Associate Board members were fortunate to participate in a a career panel, resume workshop and college essay writing workshop.”
On the Role of Associate Board Chair
“The Associate Board is effectively an outgrowth of the organization’s dedication to leadership development. So much of READ’s mission is rooted in the development of young people as leaders and agents of change.
“As the Chair, my goal has been to mirror the organization’s approach in how the Associate Board discusses READ’s model with our friends and peers, call attention to educational inequities, and support the organization through fundraising or other direct service efforts. My hope is that our members will remain engaged with Read Alliance as partners, advocates and supporters in their own preferred capacities.
“One of the great things about Read Alliance is that its leaders are so accessible, engaging and captivating. Danielle and her team are rock stars, and we are fortunate to learn from them as we scale the Associate Board.”
Advice for Young Professionals seeking Leadership Roles
“New York is chock full of great organizations. They’re not hard to find. In addition to finding an organization with a mission that inspires you, it is critical to find an outlet that allows you to utilize your strengths to advance that organization’s mission.”