Leadership Team
Pam Allyn
Executive Director and Founder
Pam is widely known as a motivational speaker advocating for reading and writing as human rights that belong to all people. Her personal quest to bring literacy to every child stems from a deeper desire to bring dignity to every child, and to empower children to read and write powerfully, effectively and with passion in ways that will change their worlds and the worlds of others. Her work has been featured on Good Morning America, The Today Show, Oprah Radio, The Huffington Post and in The New York Times.
Pam is the Executive Director and founder of LitWorld, and is also the Executive Director and founder of LitLife, a national organization dedicated to school improvement. She is the author of the acclaimed and award-winning "What To Read When: The Books and Stories To Read With Your Child-And All The Best Times To Read Them" (Penguin Avery). Her most recent books are "Pam Allyn's Best Books for Boys: How To Engage Boys in Reading in Ways That Will Change Their Lives" (Scholastic) and "Your Child’s Writing Life" (Penguin Avery).
Pam is the 2012 Global Ambassador for Scholastic's Read Every Day, Lead a Better Life Campaign, she is on the English Language Arts Scope and Sequence Advisory Group for the New York City Department of Education, and the Advisory Boards of the Dream Charter School in Harlem, the Amherst College Center for Community Engagement, James Patterson’s ReadKiddoRead, Penguin Publishing’s We Give Books and the Millennium Cities Initiative Social Sector.
Madison Graboyes
Lead Programming Coordinator
Madison first joined the LitWorld team as an intern in the spring of 2010 while a student at New York University. Passionate about ensuring that all young women have the opportunity to speak their minds, Madison launched Girls LitClubs in both New York City and Accra, Ghana, before joining the team full-time in the summer of 2011. She currently focuses on the expansion of Girls LitClubs nationally and internationally, the Foundations for Literate Youth project in Harlem, NY, and growing LitWorld's summer LitCamp program. Madison grew up in Philadelphia, PA, and when not in New York City, can be found enjoying her four dogs, Philadelphia sports, and adventures through New England.
Dorothy Lee
Director of Operations
Dorothy joined the LitWorld team in 2009 to help increase communication capabilities through new media development, focusing in the areas of web, video and graphic design exploration and outreach. Dorothy now leads World Read Aloud Day and manages the LitWorld staff, interns and general operations. She first worked with Pam Allyn in her Books for Boys program at Children's Village during the summer of 2004 while she was a student at Amherst College. Dorothy grew up working behind the scenes with her parents at their Mettawee River Theatre Company in New York City and upstate New York, and she maintains an eclectic array of skills and interests.
Denise Ortiz
Global Initiatives and Library Development Coordinator
Denise is responsible for expanding LitWorld's library development initiative, both nationally and internationally. In 2011, she set up LitWorld libraries in Harlem, NY and Kibera, Kenya. With 12 years of early childhood teaching experience, Denise brings to this organization a love for children and an understanding of enriched education. She holds a BA in Psychology and a MA in Elementary Education. Working with children, teachers and school systems is a passion of hers; Denise has taught and volunteered in schools around the world. She is eager to see the reversal of poverty by empowering children through education. Denise is also the Founder and Director of the non-profit organization, Sharing to Learn.
Brooke Stone
Advocacy & Outreach Coordinator
Brooke began working with LitWorld in 2010 to coordinate the annual Gala. Since then Brooke's role has expanded to encompass planning the full calendar of LitWorld advocacy events and managing strategic outreach to the larger community. Brooke is also the President of Brooke Stone Lifestyle Management, had a former career in New York theater, and will forever be curious about just about everything.
Ruby Veridiano
LitCorps & Social Media Ambassador
Ruby writes for the Girls LitClub blog, and spreads the word about LitWorld using online platforms. Passionate about shaping the development of young women as leaders and global citizens, she launched and facilitated workshops for Girls LitClubs in New York City, and is currently spreading LitClubs to the Philippines and other new locations. She received her B.A. in Sociology of World Development from the University of California Davis, and is currently spreading the word about women's empowerment by speaking at high schools and universities across the country.
David Wilcox
Programming & Advocacy Coordinator
David Wilcox joined the LitWorld team in 2011. He contributes to various outreach efforts, the expansion of Boys LitClubs nationally and internationally, donor management, establishing partnerships, and works on other special educational endeavors in and around New York City. David received his B.A. in Chemistry and B.A. in English from the University of Kansas in May 2010. The significance of empowerment through literacy brought him to LitWorld, and he’s eager to help spread this belief to those in need.
Yaya Yuan
Programming Development Coordinator
Yaya joined the LitWorld team in 2011 to help develop and expand LitClub programming to impact more youth domestically and abroad. She grew up in Walla Walla, Washington and graduated from Grinnell College. Before joining the LitWorld team Yaya spent three years teaching and piloting service learning programs in Shanghai, China. When she is not working with the LitClubs, Yaya is spending time sampling the wonderful food and culture of New York City.