Patricia O'Brien

Executive Director
Patricia O’Brien, a Bay Area native, joins Reading Partners with more than 25 years experience leading non-profit organizations in the Bay Area and beyond. Most recently she served as the Regional Executive Director of Playworks, strengthening the Silicon Valley region, then leading the Texas/Louisiana region. She has a Masters degree in sociology from UC Berkeley, which she could not have earned without a deep love of reading. Patricia wishes every child to have the opportunity to develop critical thinking skills, curiosity, and to experience the incredible benefits that books can bring. When she's not reading, you might find her exploring the many local trails with her 2 Vizslas.
Sydney Burrell

Program Director
Sydney serves as program director for the Silicon Valley team. She is originally from Austin, Texas, but moved to the Bay Area three years ago from Los Angeles, where she served as an AmeriCorps member with Reading Partners LA. Sydney's Bachelor of Arts in linguistics and previous opportunities working with struggling readers and English Language Learners led to her passion for literacy-based education. Her Master of Science in education with a focus in curriculum and instruction in reading and her past experiences as a regional site coordinator and program manager with Reading Partners helps her bring a broad range of knowledge and excitement for literacy education. After work hours, she enjoys cooking, trying out new restaurants, and hiking with her dog.
Monique Garcia

External Relations Director
Monique Garcia is originally from San Jose, California. Her role is to engage new and existing volunteers as well as corporate partners. She works closely with the executive director on regional development operations, such as grant writing and donor stewardship. Monique has spent the majority of her career working at nonprofit organizations, including the Silicon Valley Community Foundation in Mountain View and International House in New York City. As a former Peace Corps volunteer, she values dedicating time and energy to national service. During her spare time, she enjoys traveling and spending time with family and her new kitten, Clementine.
Brian Lam

External Relations Associate
Brian grew up in Milpitas, and is excited to bring his love of learning back to his hometown. He graduated in 2012 with his bachelor’s in molecular, cell and developmental biology. Brian went on to earn his master’s degree in science education. Brian has worked with students from preschool through grade 12 and up to graduate school. His main goal is to help everyone reach their potential and become lifelong learners. In his free time, Brian loves to travel the world, try out new recipes, draw, read books from around the world, and write poetry.
Jeannette Lee

Program Manager
As the San Jose and Milpitas program manager, Jeannette Lee supports a team of AmeriCorps members with running and maintaining successful reading centers and school partnerships. After first tutoring with Reading Partners NYC for three years and then serving two AmeriCorps terms with Silicon Valley, Jeannette understands what is needed for effective one-to-one tutoring from multiple viewpoints. Originally from New York City, Jeannette holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and enjoys hitting the gym, traveling and exploring, and simply passing the time with great company and food.
Chris Johnson

Program Manager
Chris is originally from a small town in northeast Ohio, where he graduated from Ohio University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in economics. Since leaving Ohio, Chris has lived in the Bay Area for four years, including San Jose and San Francisco. Before joining the Reading Partners team, Chris has worked as an AmeriCorps member with City Year, taught English at a university in Thailand, and returned to the US to lead outreach efforts for a small nonprofit helping high school students gain admission to summer programs. Chris is excited to use this experience to help more students in the Bay Area realize their full potential and the importance of reading. Outside of work, Chris enjoys exploring new places and being anywhere outside with his dog.
Trisha Cartmell

Program Manager
Trisha is excited to bring her love of literacy and learning to Reading Partners. Originally from Washington State, Trisha received her bachelor's degree from the University of Washington, and a master’s in teaching from Seattle University. She taught first grade for several years before exploring the corporate and private education sectors abroad. Having an interest in cultures, food, and people, she has lived in India, China, and most recently Singapore. Trisha hopes to help all students realize their academic potential, and become lifelong learners.