A Community Resource Center that Promotes the Power of Reading

Kirsten Levinsohn,
Executive Director

Kirsten has a Masters in Elementary/Early Childhood education and a K-8 teaching certificate. Kirsten was the executive director of the Leslie Science and Nature Center for 20 years in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Under her direction, the Leslie Science Center grew from a small organization that served less than 200 children each year into a thriving independent non-profit environmental education center that offers programs year round and serves more than 40,000 people annually.

Tanya Smith,
Education Director and Parent Liaison

Tanya Smith has been with New Haven Reads since 2008. Tanya is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University where she received a Master's degree in Education and her Reading Specialist credential. She has had extensive classroom teaching experience as well as having developed curriculum for grades K through 9. Her career in education has included teacher training as a Master Teacher with SDSU and more than a decade as a senior administrator at a private school in California.

Fiona Bradford,
Assistant Director

Fiona Bradford used to worked in Yale's Office of Development. In addition to bringing experience in development, Fiona also has experience in project management, fundraising and a passion for helping nonprofit organizations. Fiona earned a Master of Nonprofit Organizations from the University of Georgia and a Postgraduate Certificate in Economics from the University of London. She returned to New Haven Reads during the summer of 2011.

Eileen Davis,
Business Manager

Eileen Davis joined the New Haven Reads staff in 2011 after working as a volunteer for 2 years. She earned a Bachelor's of Science in Accounting from Quinnipiac University and a Master's of Science in Accounting from UConn. She has previously worked for McGladrey & Pullen, LLC and has experience in private accounting in both the profit and nonprofit sectors.

Steven Banks,
YRC Coordinator

Steven Banks is a senior at Yale University studying Computer Science. He is originally from Detroit, MI and has been working at New Haven Reads since 2009. During school breaks he has worked as a software developer.

Lorenzo DeCampos,
IT Manager and Operations Assistant

Lorenzo DeCampos is an award winning film student majoring in Communications/ Film Production with a minor in Psychology at Quinnipiac University, graduating in 2014. He uses his considerable expertise and experience in technology and media to help New Haven Reads in numerous ways. Lorenzo has been a part of NHR since spring of 2011 and plans to be around to help as long as NHR needs.

Katherine Franchino,
Bristol St. Site Director and Volunteer Coordinator

Katherine Franchino received a B.A. in English from Moravian College and earned her Master's of Arts in Teaching from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Katherine implemented and ran a family book club for middle school students and their parents and volunteered frequently at the local Boys and Girls Club of America teaching reading prior to New Haven Reads. Her goal is to improve adolescent literacy and involve parents in the education of their children.

Leatrice Galloway,
Receptionist

Leatrice Galloway has been working with New Haven Reads since November 2010. She enjoys working with families and is very grateful that Christine Alexander hired her to work here. "It's a very exciting job and I've learned so much working here."

Chris Griffan,
Dixwell Program Coordinator

Christopher Griffin began working with New Haven Reads in 2009. For seven years prior to working with us, Chris supervised a site of over 60 elementary and middle school children and 12 high school and college student counselors. Chris is currently pursuing an Education degree at Southern Connecticut State University.

Melissa Katz,
Dixwell Site Director

Melissa Katz received her B.A. in Liberal Studies with a minor in Psychology from Endicott College in 2009. Melissa previously interned in a Kindergarten classroom and a community mediation non-profit training groups of elementary students in peer mediation. She was a volunteer at New Haven Reads for two years before joining us as an AmeriCorps VISTA.

Clara Sanders Marcus,
Science Park Director

Clara Sanders Marcus holds degrees from Houghton College in piano performance and intercultural studies. She is passionate about relation-based community change and loves working with children. She maintains a small private piano studio and is active in ministry with her husband, Shane.

Adela Schader,
Kindergarten Program Director

Adela Schrader started working with NHR in 2005. She has had 32 years experience teaching in the New Haven area. She has a B.S. in Elementary Education from Sacred Heart University and her M.S. from Southern Connecticut State University and has attended numerous classes and workshops on Teaching Reading and Language Arts including Haskins Early Literacy Training. She has been a proud member of the New Haven Reads family for years.

Danielle Smith,
Book Bank Manager and Science Park Assistant Site Director

Danielle Smith received a bachelor of arts degree in history and a minor in American Sign Language and Deaf Studies from the University of Iowa. She moved to New Haven in the summer of 2010, and started volunteering at New Haven Reads after that. She worked as a private tutor and substitute teacher in the New Haven area before becoming an AmeriCorps VISTA at NHR in 2011.

Shelley Stein,
Troup Site Director

Shelley Stein earned her Masters degree in Elementary Education and taught second grade in Philadelphia for four years. Shelley began as a volunteer in September 2008. She managed books and started the New Haven Reads satellite location at Science Park. She left New Haven Reads to return to the classroom for a year at Troup School in New Haven. In 2011 Shelley rejoined the New Haven Reads staff to start a pilot program at Troup School.

Catherine Strickland

Catherine Strickland graduated from the University of Minnesota and the University of Georgia, where she earned a Master of Public Administration with an emphasis in policy and nonprofit management. Catherine has ten years of experience in workforce and community economic development, which includes writing and managing grants.

Audrey Webb,
Troup and Bristol St. Assistant Site Director

Audrey Webb joined the New Haven Reads staff in August of 2011 through the Episcopal Service Corps, a ten month long internship program based at Christchurch New Haven. She has a B.A. in Sociology/Anthropology and Biology from St. Olaf College. Before coming to NHR, Audrey pursued opportunities in education by implementing a summer reading program at a local Public Library and teaching as a naturalist at Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center in Lanesboro, MN.