Reading Partners Los Angeles is a nonprofit organization that engages community volunteers to provide students with the proven, individualized reading support they need to read at grade level by fourth grade. We seek to create a more equitable future, one where every child in Los Angeles has the support they deserve to become strong readers and lifelong learners.
Reading Partners Los Angeles is powered by AmeriCorps, a federal agency for national service. We mobilize AmeriCorps members to recruit and coach volunteers, support students during and outside of tutoring sessions, work on capacity-building projects, and so much more.
Meet our team
As the daughter of Chinese immigrants and a first-generation college graduate, brings a deep understanding of resilience, equity, and the power of community. Her identities as a mother and social justice advocate shape how she leads with compassion, humility, and a steadfast belief in people’s potential. For more than two decades, she has worked across nonprofits, philanthropy, and public education to create conditions where families and communities can thrive. Her work has focused on public health, education, and systems change, always with an emphasis on equity, collaboration, and sustainable impact. Before joining Reading Partners, she served as senior director of community engagement and partnerships at the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, supporting 20 LAUSD schools in Boyle Heights, South Los Angeles, and Watts. She previously worked with the Urban Peace Institute and Advancement Project, building partnerships focused on community safety, civic engagement, and leadership development in public housing communities. Earlier in her career, she supported the Convergence Partnership, a national funder collaborative, helping philanthropy reimagine how to invest in the root causes of health inequities. She holds advanced degrees from Yale School of Management, UCLA, and San Diego State University, along with a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credential from the International Coaching Federation. Her leadership and expertise are also shaped by respected leadership programs, including the National Equity Project, CompassPoint, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At her core, she is driven by a belief in possibility. Through partnership, empathy, and courage, she strives to help transform systems so that every child and community has the opportunity to thrive.
Alexis is an accomplished academic as well as a seasoned tutor committed to an inclusive and integrity-rich approach to education. She received a presidential scholarship to study at San Francisco State University and graduated summa cum laude with a degree in humanities. After her undergraduate studies, she worked for an after school nonprofit as a tutor and coordinator for a weekly self-esteem group for girls. In 2011, she received an international scholarship to complete a master’s in American studies in Norwich, UK, where she focused on children’s literature and gift theory. After receiving her master’s, she lived in Istanbul, teaching ESL to early learners, and then Seattle, where she began her relationship with Reading Partners. She’s served two AmeriCorps service terms with Reading Partners in Seattle and Baltimore and now serves full-time as Reading Partners’ community engagement director.
Rebecca DeVille graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a bachelor of arts in International Studies. Since graduating, Rebecca has been passionately engaged in the movement for educational equity. She served two terms of service as an AmeriCorps member with Reading Partners Tulsa, managing, training and supporting over 100 community volunteers, and made sure students were making gains in their reading abilities. Rebecca also served for two years with Teach for America as an early childhood education teacher. While teaching, she planned and implemented a rigorous curriculum for students that resulted in 104% content mastery in literacy/ language skills, as measured by the GOLD assessment. Her students developed a love for literacy and learning, and she is excited to ensure students develop a love of learning to unlock their full potential.
Graham Sutherland is a development professional with a strong commitment to social justice and educational equity. He believes that a love of reading can unlock the potential to become powerful self-advocates and lifelong learners. Prior to joining Reading Partners, Graham worked in development in the realm of college access and success with College Possible. Originally from Seattle, Graham earned his bachelor’s degree from Macalester College in Saint Paul, MN.
AmeriCorps team
Community engagement
Gelsy, Silva, volunteer coordinator
Carina Robles, volunteer coordinator
Maya Woo, senior volunteer coordinator
Program
Aarushi Sanjana Bhaskaran, regional program coordinator
Alice Harper Lucas, senior program coordinator
Anastasiia Brigadnova, regional program coordinator
Bethael Mulugeta, literacy lead
Callie Dochterman, program coordinator
Carolina Gutierrez-Tunstad, program coordinator
Dayana Cardoso, program coordinator
Hayley Mejia, program coordinator
Isabel Helm, regional program coordinator
Kaiya Pomeroy-Tso, senior program coordinator
Kimberly Tran, program coordinator
Kody Dillon, program coordinator
Lillian Maria Chau, program coordinator
Macy Beal, program coordinator
Marytere Baranda, program coordinator
Maxine Matheson-Lieber, program coordinator
Monica Alexxa Juarez, program coordinator
Mouhamadou Lamine Cisse, literacy lead
Pamela Greene, program coordinator
Roselynn Hernández, program coordinator
Rowan Hoel, program coordinator
Ryan JN Tsai, senior program coordinator
Samantha Alexis Campbell, program coordinator
Sophie Shirin Antestenis, program coordinator
Sumeeta Singh Ghai, senior program coordinator
Board of directors
Stefanie Bond, chair, Reading Partners tutor
Alex Evans, writer
Arthur Moore, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, managing consultant
Céline Vendler, Aurora Solar, senior product manager
Dan Carter, Sony Pictures, associate manager, Digital Sales Planning – Home Entertainment
Lauren Diaz Monitor Institute by Deloitte, manager
Lauren Hernandez, CKW School Uniforms, chief executive officer
Michelle Lee, Gavel, chief of staff
Roberto Escobar, Scripps College Academy, director
Tiffany Dyson, Franklin Templeton, sr. investment learning consultant
Vani Lewerke, Lewerke Consulting, owner, founder and principal consultant
Veronica Troung, Woodland Investments, asset manager