Reading Partners New York City 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 New York City has the support they deserve to become strong readers and lifelong learners.
Reading Partners New York City 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
Primo Lasana is honored to become the executive director of Reading Partners NYC. Primo joins Reading Partners after eight years with iMentor, a national college access program that leverages volunteers for student success. At iMentor, he held leadership roles in program implementation, volunteer recruitment, fundraising and national program expansion. He started his career at City Year Chicago, where he completed two years of service in Chicago Public Schools as an AmeriCorps member. Primo is proudly born and raised in New York City. Outside of work, he serves on Brooklyn Community Board 9 as the co-chair of the Youth Services Committee. In 2021, Primo graduated from NYU Wagner with an executive master’s in public administration and completed his bachelor’s degree at CUNY Hunter College.
Carly Ayala-Wing joins our staff team as the development manager of institutional giving. In this role, she will support foundation, corporate, and local government sources, while also supporting other regional fundraising efforts. Carly previously led institutional giving efforts at Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York Inc. (A.R.T./New York), and is a former community school director at PS 14X.
Akilah first joined Reading Partners NYC as an AmeriCorps member working in South Jamaica, Queens as a program coordinator, helping our scholars soar to new reading levels. While in this role, Akilah was in her final year as an undergrad and took on the role of Evening Vice President of her college’s student government. She’s no stranger to big challenges. Akilah is most excited to help more schools and children and learn more about her awesome coworkers!
Kimberly De Jesus considers herself a lifelong learner. She is a recent graduate from the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, where she received a Master’s in Public Administration with a specialization in Management and Leadership. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Culture with a minor in Spanish from Howard University. Her journey as an educator began as an afterschool step coach for elementary-aged children in Washington D.C. She later joined Teach For America (TFA), serving two years as an elementary school teacher for the Greater New Orleans region. After her TFA commitment, she continued teaching, focusing on differentiating instruction for English Language Learners and children with exceptionalities. As a program manager, she continues to pursue her passion for educational equity by designing and implementing educational opportunities for students and families across the NYC region.
Kevin first joined Reading Partners NYC in January of 2023 as an AmeriCorps program coordinator at PS 123 Mahalia Jackson School in Harlem. At PS 123, he built and strengthened relationships with students, tutors, and administrators, growing his interest in taking on a greater role in the implementation of Reading Partners’ program in NYC. Kevin rejoins the team as a program manager in East Harlem, where he will manage a school-based portfolio. He also loves the New York Knicks.
Carly firmly believes that literacy is a human right and is passionate about the role early intervention plays in closing the literacy gap. Before joining the Reading Partners team, Carly served as a Program Manager at The Literacy Lab in Washington, DC. Prior to shifting to the nonprofit space, Carly spent six years as an elementary Special Education teacher and a second-grade teacher in the District of Columbia. Carly is an alumna of Teach For America and completed two years as a Corps Member in Washington, DC. She earned her Master’s degree in Special Education from George Mason University and her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In addition, Carly enjoys cooking and playing with her rescue dog, Lemon.
Diego Fellows has been with Reading Partners since October 2022. Prior to Reading Partners, Diego was the development & communications manager at Salem Academy Charter School (MA). Diego holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Massachusetts and a master’s degree in education from Boston University. He is a proud Eagle Scout and enjoys spending his free time on the mountains hiking or hitting the pavement running.
Ashley Gayle joined the Reading Partners New York City team determined to work for an impact-oriented organization closing the opportunity gap in literacy. She was born in Jamaica but spent her early adulthood in the Bronx. Ashley is a first-generation high school and college graduate who started a successful career in education management. She is an advocate for youth development and equitable access to education, developed through her service years as an Americorps member with Citizen Schools and as a program manager with Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City
Jacob has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics with a double minor in Legal Studies and the Business of Social Impact from Washington University in St. Louis. His passion for education stems from his experience volunteering as a tutor and mentor throughout high school. As an undergraduate, he served as a volunteer for a student organization promoting childhood literacy in St. Louis, the logistics and communications director of WashU Food Recovery Network, the site manager for the nation’s oldest and largest student-run carnival as a member of WashU’s junior honorary, and a student consultant for local nonprofits in St. Louis. He is excited to join the Reading Partners team!
Joshua recently graduated from Columbia University Teachers College with a master’s degree in Politics and Education. Before that, he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Government from St. Lawrence University. His journey in education began as a teaching fellow at Breakthrough Collaborative San Francisco and continued as a middle school history teacher in Brooklyn, New York. Following his time as an educator, he moved into the non-profit consulting space, working to expand educational impact for stakeholders across the country. Joshua is dedicated to expanding economic and educational opportunities for low-income students and plans to use his policy and consulting experiences to drive change.
Louisa Moyse is the development director at Reading Partners NY. Before joining the team in September 2021, Louisa lead development and external relations efforts at Public Prep Network, a single-sex charter school network in NYC. In her role at Reading Partners, Louisa is responsible for leading the strategy and execution of the short- and long-term development goals. Louisa has a Bachelor’s Degree in international studies from SUNY Cortland. She is thrilled to be on the Reading Partners New York team where she can continue her commitment to providing equitable access to high-quality educational experiences.
Thara Nugues was born in France and has been calling New York City her home for almost ten years. Before joining the team, she completed one AmeriCorps service term as a volunteer coordinator with Reading Partners NY at P.S.38 and P.S.171. Thara is excited to work once again with individuals who are passionate about educational equity and thrilled to be joining the team as a community engagement associate. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Foreign Languages, a Master’s Degree in International Studies and volunteered with New York Cares for over seven years. Thara is a certified scuba-diver and in her spare time she loves trying out new restaurants, baking and wood-working.
Amira Chambers Ottley joins Reading Partners NYC as the program manager for East Flatbush/Canarsie. A proud Brooklyn local, Amira is committed to fostering educational equity within her community. She holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) from Washington University in St. Louis, with a focus on International Social and Economic Development and Policy, and a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies and Dance from Wesleyan University. With over five years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Amira has worked in education, organizing, and policy, with a special focus on marginalized and immigrant communities both locally and globally. Her roles with organizations like Global Kids, Global Glimpse, and the Dream Project have centered on empowering young people through education, enhancing their access to learning opportunities and resources. She also brings with her a background in tutoring English Language Arts and English Language Learners (ELL). Outside of work, Amira enjoys salsa dancing, reading, and is an expert in all things reality TV.
JJ joined Reading Partners in 2022 as an AmeriCorps member after graduating with a bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University. He majored in Political Science and minored in Sociology, and was always passionate about helping to solve societal inequities by partnering with communities. He served two years with Reading Partners as a volunteer coordinator and program coordinator at PS 089, and regional program coordinator in East Harlem, taking on new challenges and deepening connections with the communities he worked in. JJ is excited to take on the program operations associate role and help support Reading Partners in school programming across the city!
Shraddha Patel recently graduated from the University of Louisville with degrees in Sociology with a Track in Diversity and Inequality & Social Biology. She is joining the Reading Partners NYC team as a Community Engagement Fellow through the FAO Schwarz Fellowship Program. Prior to Reading Partners, Shraddha worked with Decode Project, a Louisville organization committed to educational equity. There, she first observed the transformative impact of early intervention and is excited to continue doing similar work in New York City. Shraddha has been actively volunteering with youth leadership programs since she was in high school and loves working with young people. She is thrilled to be joining the Reading Partners team where she will be able to play a direct role in students’ educational journeys.
Markeem Reid is joining Reading Partners as our community engagement manager. Markeem has 10+ years of experience working in the nonprofit sector and has worked with a wide range of demographics that have all played an intricate role in his self development on a personal and professional level. Bringing a real sense of inclusion, innovation and fresh perspectives is what Markeem sets out to do everyday and is what he is most excited to contribute to the Reading Partners family, while Reading Partners supplies him with invaluable lessons and experiences along the way. He lives by the quote, “If you feel like you don’t fit into the world you inherited, it is because you were born to help create a new one”.
Jordan is extremely excited to be a part of the Reading Partners team! He received his bachelor’s in Africana studies with a minor in education from San Francisco State University. He is deeply passionate about and has extensive work experience in education, social justice, and youth advocacy. During his undergraduate coursework, he was a Reading Partners volunteer, a resident assistant for his University’s Housing, served as a servant intern leader for the Children Defense Fund’s Freedom Schools at Community Coalition, spent a few months being a special education instructional assistant, and spent the last three years of his life being a substitute teacher. Most recently, he spent this summer being the experiential learning coordinator for Freedom Schools. Jordan is excited to embark on his journey with the Reading Partners.
Advisory board
Kerri Bartlett, Reading Partners tutor
David Berg, corporate partner, Kramer, Levin, Naftalis & Frankel, LLP
Will Herrman, partner, Cannell & Co.
James Hobson, chief executive officer, Attune Insurance
Danielle Jackson, partner, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Ramyata Joshi, vice president, Goldman Sachs (co-chair)
David Levine, senior managing director – Americas acquisitions, Blackstone Group
Andrea London, senior VP, Lincoln Land Services
Eliberty Lopez, senior counsel, Privacy, Etsy
Brandon Lower, head of financial sponsors group, William Blair & Company (co-chair)
Peter Martelli, partner, mergers and acquisitions, Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Avis Roper, communications director, National Football League
Elise Rosenberg, managing director, Seven Bridges Advisors
Erika Stallings, Meta
Amy Starck, retired, Deloitte
Alexis Strongin, retired neurodevelopmental pediatrician
Daniel Zarkowsky, managing principal, Odyssey Investment Partners, LLC
Associate board
Mackenzie Berman, The Blackstone Group
Genevieve Burger-Weiser, Kramer, Levin, Naftalis & Frankel, LLP
Claire Carpenter, Bessemer Trust
Zack Coleman, Odyssey Investment Partners, LLC
Joe Fiorie, ION
Andrew Gothelf, associate board chair, Salesforce
Heather Heinz, Kemnay Advisory
Mike Johnson, The Blackstone Group
Ojuolape Junaid, Google
Sophia Kolodzinksi, Bonaccord Capital Partners
Kristy Rampersaud, PWC
Jack Rupff, Sixth Street
Matthew Tyas, Goldman Sachs
Kate Whittier, Ares Management Corporation
Sam Zaretsky, associate board vice chair, Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Benson Zhang, BlackRock
Lauren Zhao, IQVIA
Tutor advisory council
Joan Stamler, Tutor Advisory Council Chair
Christina Auriana
Elizabeth Chow
Mary Gherty
Iris Keitel
Devi Ramchandran
Gerald Simpkins
Sophia Trugerman
Nancy Wolf
Thomas Wornom