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Davida Morgan Washington

Davida Morgan Washington

President

Nonprofit veteran Davida Morgan Washington has been named President of the organization effective June 1, 2020. She succeeds Interim President Elyse Klova (Chief Operating Officer for Blaze Leadership) who also led Ferst Readers’ executive search.

 

Read more: Davida Morgan Washington

 


Board of Directors

Dr. Stan DeJarnett

Dr. Stanley W. DeJarnett’s career as an educator includes successful tenures as a music educator, curriculum specialist, principal and district leader. He recently retired after eight years as the Director of The Georgia Vision Project, a state-wide initiative committed to promoting and improving public education. The Georgia Vision Project has grown from its inception in 2009 to include 154 of Georgia’s 180 school systems, 53 corporate and organizational partners and every major educator organization in Georgia. His most recent post prior to leading The Vision Project was as Superintendent of the Morgan County Charter School System in Madison, Georgia. Under his leadership Morgan County Schools were recognized regionally and nationally for their innovation and record of student performance. He also served as principal of one of Georgia’s first state-authorized charter schools, Cartersville Primary School in Cartersville, Georgia.

Read more: Dr. Stan DeJarnett

Denise M. Finley, Ed.S.

Denise M. Finley, Ed.S. — Curriculum/Learning Support Specialist K-12

Denise Finley currently serves as K-12 Curriculum Coordinator/Learning Support Specialist for Lamar County Schools. Mrs. Finley holds a dual Specialist degree (Educational Leadership/Reading-Family Literacy) from Georgia College and State University. She has 32 years of experience as an educator working in a variety of public settings with diverse student populations from birth through high school. Mrs. Finley has served in a number of roles as classroom teacher, instructional coach, professional learning consultant and educational curriculum consultant.

Read more: Denise M. Finley, Ed.S.

Eve Goldstein

Eve Goldstein is a retired attorney. Since graduating from Columbia Law School, she has held a variety of positions, including a faculty position at the University of Colorado, Principal Regional Counsel for Health and Human Resources of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and attorney at Jones Day in Atlanta.

She is currently a Board Member and docent at the Breman Jewish Heritage and Holocaust Museum and co-chair of the Holocaust Survivor Legacy Committee. She is a past president of Jewish Family & Career Services and has previously been a volunteer literacy tutor in the Atlanta Public Schools.

Read more: Eve Goldstein

Kate Hall

Kate Hall is the Founder and Principal Consultant for Radiant HR Consulting. Kate formerly worked at SunTrust in the Total Rewards space. Prior to SunTrust, Kate was the Senior Director of Compensation and HR Systems for ServiceMaster in Memphis, TN. Before that, Kate was a Director in Total Rewards at The Coca-Cola Company and was a consultant at Towers Perrin (now Willis Towers Watson). Through her consulting and corporate roles, Kate has experience building innovative rewards programs in a variety of industries, including Healthcare, Home Services, Financial Services, Manufacturing and Consumer Goods. Kate graduated from Vanderbilt University, where she studied Economics and Music. She returned to Atlanta in 2016 with her husband and son, where they have been keeping busy with various home improvement projects.

Nancy Hall

Nancy Hall has served as Interim Executive Director of Georgia Public Broadcasting since July 2004. Prior to being appointed to the Interim position by the GPB Board of Directors, she was the Director of External Affairs and served as the liaison to the Georgia General Assembly and Georgia's Congressional delegation for GPB. She also serves as President of the Foundation for Public Broadcasting in Georgia.

Read more: Nancy Hall

Erika Hill

Erika Hill

GODDARD SCHOOL, Owner

EDUCATION: Georgia Tech (BS Electrical Engineering), Emory University (MBA Finance)

Erika is a champion for early childhood literacy through her work with the Goddard School. She is the first Goddard School franchise owner awarded a license to operate three schools in the Atlanta market and selected to serve on the nationwide, inaugural Goddard Systems Advisory Council. She has served her community as PTA president, Area School Council Business Representative, Young Men's Service League member and Jack and Jill of America, Inc., executive board member. Erika is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Chaundra Luckett

Chaundra Luckett

CHRIS 180, Chief Marketing Officer

EDUCATION: Bennett College (BA Mass Communications)

Chaundra Luckett is the Chief Marketing Officer at CHRIS 180, a well-respected nonprofit that works to improve our community by providing children, adults and families with high-quality, trauma-informed behavioral health services and support systems. With over 15 years of extensive experience in journalism, marketing, communications, and nonprofit public relations, Chaundra uses her unique storytelling abilities to leverage CHRIS 180's brand throughout Atlanta with internal and external stakeholders. Chaundra is a passionate community volunteer and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc. Additionally, she serves as the VP of Learning and Development for The Junior League of Atlanta and as a Board Member of the Atlanta Speech School.

Dr. Susan McWhirter

Dr. Susan McWhirter

RIVERTOWN PEDIATRICS, Pediatrics Specialist

EDUCATION: University of Maryland (BS Zoology), Emory University School of Medicine (MD)

Dr. Susan McWhirter has been involved in educating families on the importance of literacy since her days as a Pediatric Resident at Emory University. She is already involved in several projects in her community promoting access to books for children starting at birth. Dr. McWhirter has been previous Chief of the Medical Staff at what is now Piedmont Columbus Regional Hospital and currently serves on its Board. She is also a Board Member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Georgia Chapter.

Margaret M. Quinlin

Margaret M. Quinlin is President and Publisher of Peachtree Publishing Company, an award-winning independent publishing house founded in 1977 and based in Atlanta, Georgia. Peachtree publishes books for young readers from board books through young adult fiction and nonfiction. 

Margaret’s own passion for language and books derives from her father’s great love of books and her Irish mother’s strong love of stories and verse. Growing up in a household filled with children and music and stories and books reinforces for her the great value of bringing books to young children in their homes.

Read more: Margaret M. Quinlin

Warren Steele

Warren was born in Fort Carson, Colorado and graduated high school in Summerville, South Carolina, and now resides in Columbus, GA.

He graduated from Harvard University with a B.A. degree in psychology and social relations in 1984. After graduation, he joined Aflac and retired in 2004 as Senior Vice President, US Marketing.

Read more: Warren Steele

Amy Burton Storey

Amy Storey has more than 20 years of experience in integrated marketing communications, working for global public relations agencies, corporations and book publishers, including KEF Media, Weber Shandwick, MSL Group (formerly Manning, Selvage and Lee) and HarperCollins Children’s Books. She is currently an independent consultant working with Peachtree Publishers. 

Read more: Amy Burton Storey

Staff

    • President/CEO
      Davida Morgan Washington 

       Davida

          • Senior Director of Finance
            David Cauble

             David Cauble

          • Development and Communications Manager

          • Program Manager
            Michelle Maddox 

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          • Operations Coordinator
             Leslie Vestal 

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          • Enrollment Coordinator/Office Manager
            Tonia Scheff

            Tonia S

          • Regional Program Coordinator (SW Georgia)
            Edwina Turner 

            Edwina T

          • Program and Impact Coordinator/RPC (SE Georgia)
            Melissa Silva 

            Melissa S

          • Community Engagement Coordinator(Dallas, TX)
            Cheryl Scramuzza 

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          • Administrative Assistant Publications
            Olivia Ramfos 

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          • Database Management
            Glenda Cofer 

             Glenda

          • Community Engagement Coordinator (Atlanta, GA)/Grants Coordinator
            Jervonia Melton 

            Jervonia
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