• 

  Primo Lasana

  Executive director, New York City

  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.

• Steph Caballero

  Senior Community Engagement Manager

  Steph Caballero (she/her) grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, but has called Queens home for many years. She attended The Boston Conservatory for her undergraduate BFA, and later continued on to graduate school at Johns Hopkins University, where she earned a Master of Science in Education. Steph has worked in four out of the five boroughs as a former theater instructor, completed an Americorps year with Reading Partners as a Site Coordinator, taught 4th grade ELA in Baltimore City Public Schools through Teach for America, and spent two years on the Reading Partners New York program team before becoming the full-time Senior Community Engagement Manager. When Steph is not at work, she is trying to achieve her goal of reading 52 books per year, engaging in local politics, and organizing and volunteering in her community around education, racial, and food justice. You can reach Steph at Steph.Caballero@readingpartners.org

• Janai Gilkes

  Program Manager

  Janai Gilkes is a program manager in Brooklyn and Queens. Janai is a native New Yorker, born and raised in Brooklyn. Over the course of her career in education administration spanning from the NYC Department of Education’s Division of Early Childhood (DECE) to the City of New York (CUNY) Janai has focused on creating opportunities where students can pursue both their academic and socio-emotional goals allowing them to thrive and gain success. She was a teacher for both second and fourth grades with Grace Church School where she provided authentic, differentiated learning experiences that cultivated essential academic skills and knowledge for her students promoting their confidence and self-esteem. Janai is committed to giving all students access to an amazing education; she is truly excited about working with Reading Partners and its proven model and measurable results to change the educational trajectory for so many students, across the country. Janai has a MS.Ed in both General and Special Education K-6 from Bank Street Graduate School of Education and a BA in Psychology from Temple University. Janai loves going to concerts, enjoying apple-flavored foods, and reading because let’s face it- there’s nothing like the smell of a new book!

• Allison Hoyle

  Program Director

  Alli is a program manager in NYC. Prior to joining Reading Partners, Alli taught third grade and first grade with Teach For America and was a middle school literacy coach in Miami, FL. Most recently, Alli completed a master's degree in public administration and social work at The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH while working for the State Department of Education in the Office of Early Learning and School Readiness. Alli graduated from The University of Florida with a bachelor's in psychology and english literature. Originally from south Florida, Alli is happy to be living near a coast again and to be back in classrooms! You can reach Alli at allison.hoyle@readingpartners.org.

• Maddie Kahl

  Program Manager

  Maddie is a program manager in Harlem and the Bronx. She is originally from Miami but loves working and living in Harlem. She attended Florida State University where she studied literature, education, and law and received both her BA and MA. Maddie is a former Americorps site coordinator in Harlem and is excited to return to Reading Partners New York. She has previously worked as a first-year college composition teacher, specifically focusing on media, personal narrative, and research. Maddie loves going to concerts, eating dumplings, listening to crime podcasts, and drinking too much coffee. She's currently reading The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead.

• Lauraly Laurent

  Program Manager

  Lauraly was born in Haiti and grew up in South Florida. She now considers New York and the larger Northeast her home.  Lauraly is excited to be a Program Manager for Reading Partners where she will manage PS 48X, PS 43, PS 179, PS 18X, and PS 54 in the Bronx and Bed Stuy. She comes from an education background, previously working as a College Counselor for high school students, and has a master's degree in educational leadership. When Lauraly is not working, she enjoys spending her time dancing, trying new recipes, and studying different languages.

  Contact:  lauraly.laurent@readingpartners.org

• Clara Monk

  FAO Schwarz Fellow

  Clara Monk is currently the FAO Schwarz Fellow with Reading Partners NY. A recent graduate of Columbia University, Clara studied Economics and Education Studies with research interests in access and equity, particularly as related to college admissions and standardized testing. Clara brings seven years of experience as a private tutor and is thrilled to be in a role at Reading Partners where she will be able to work with students one-on-one as well as collaborate with the Community Engagement team. You can reach Clara at clara.monk@readingpartners.org

• Rhea Quinones

  Community Engagement Director

  Rhea is honored to join Reading Partners as the community engagement manager for the New York region. Rhea spent three years with Achievement First Charter School Network where she developed community partnerships in Brooklyn, ensured strong family engagement, and managed community outreach for student recruitment efforts. Prior to her work with Achievement First, Mrs. Quinones worked as a community organizer for a decade, supporting grassroots education, housing, and transit organizing in Mammoth Lakes, CA, Chicago, IL, Manhattan, NY, and Patterson, NJ. Rhea is committed to giving all students access to an amazing education and is passionate about using volunteers to help address critical problems facing our country.

• Megan Ross

  Director, New Business Development

  Megan joins the Reading Partners New York team as the first senior major gifts officer in the network. Most recently, Megan served for six years in a similar role at City Year New York. Megan's experiences focus primarily on individual giving, piloting national major gifts programs, and relationship development on all levels. Megan is thrilled to be joining a wonderful team in New York and is very excited about the prospect of developing a major gifts program both locally and nationally for Reading Partners. Megan lives in New Jersey with her husband and three children and has seen first hand the importance of developing strong literacy skills at a young age. Megan is honored to be working with a national nonprofit organization with a proven model and measurable results that will literally be changing the educational outcomes for countless of our country's youth. You can reach Megan at megan.ross@readingpartners.org.

• Danica Stewart

  Development Manager

  Danica Stewart is excited to be re-joining the Reading Partners New York team as the development manager. After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University, she started her career in research and healthcare. After volunteering with Reading Partners, she became fueled by impacting education and previously worked as an education manager with an NYC charter network. Danica served as an AmeriCorps member with Reading Partners NY and is excited to be returning to Reading Partners as a staff member. Danica enjoys relaxing with a good book, spending time eating with good friends and traveling.

  Contact:  danica.stewart@readingpartners.org

Advisory board

Matthew Baldwin, Tutor at PS 188

Kerri Martin Bartlett, Tutor at PS 123

David Berg, Corporate Partner, Kramer, Levin, Naftalis & Frankel, LLP

Gillian Francis, Sustainable Solutions, Lockheed Martin Energy

James Hobson, Chief Executive Officer, Attune Insurance

Elizabeth John, Tutor at PS 171

David Levine, Senior Managing Director, The Blackstone Group

Brandon Lower, Head of Financial Sponsors Group, William Blair & Company

Melissa Magner, Board Committee Chair, Director, BlackRock Solutions

Peter Martelli, Mergers & Acquisitions Partner, Kirkland and Ellis

Marshall N. McIntosh, Sr. Vice President, Head, U.S. GWM Internal Sales, PIMCO

Matt Perelman, Garnett Station Partners

Elise Rosenberg, Managing Director at Seven Bridges Advisors, LLC

Alexander Sloane, Trustee, Heckscher Foundation for Children; Garnett Station Partners

Amy M. Starck, Principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP

Alexis Strongin, Retired Neurodevelopmental Pediatrician, Tutor at PS 38

Andrea London, Senior Vice President at Lincoln Land Services, Co-Board Chair

Stephen G. Tomlinson, P.C., Partner, Real Estate, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Co-Board Chair

Daniel Zarkowsky, Partner at Apollo

Associate board

AJ Alexakos, Investment Analysis, LCM Asset Management LLC

Mackenzie Bernan, Senior Associate, The Blackstone Group

Sonia Bouclainville

Zack Coleman, Associate, Odyssey Investment Partners, LLC

Angela Cui, Investor, Wildcat Capital Management

Joe Fiorie, Account Manager, Dealogic

Andrew Gothelf, Senior Manager, AppExchange Marketing, Salesforce

Raquel Grazi Fischer, Vice President at Mousse Partners

Heather Heinz, Investment Analyst, Real Estate, Kemnay Advisory

Ramyata Joshi, Associate Board Chair, Winton Capital

MaryEllen McGann, Associate, Goldman Sachs

Katherine Schafler, Psychotherapist / Private Practice / In-house at Google

Anupama Yerramali, Counsel, Latham & Watkins

Sam Zaretsky, Real Estate Associate, Kirkland & Ellis LLP

Tutor advisory council

Mahmadou Bah

Dana Bricken

Mary Gherty

Nancy Hemmes

Iris Keitel

Ingrid Leter

Christina Mason, former Tutor Advisory Council Chair

Anne Mullin

Devi Ramchandran

Darlene Reid-Dodick

Christopher Simon

Joan Stamler, Tutor Advisory Council Chair

Cindy Tannenbaum

Cinder White

Tom Wornom