• Who We Are
• Accreditation
• Community Partners
• Our History
• Board of Directors
• Meet the Staff
  • Overview
  • Executive Director
  • Adult Education Director
  • ESOL Director
  • Development Director
  • Outreach Director
  • Office Manager
• Annual Reports

Meet the Staff Overview

Opening the doors to literacy.

We, the staff at the Literacy Council, are here to serve you – our students, volunteers, donors, and community.   We bring many years of experience and knowledge across several disciplines to the organization.   We care deeply about the importance of literacy to the well-being of our community and are dedicated to the success of both our students and our volunteers.

Our passion is opening the doors of literacy to help change lives.

Amanda Edwards
Executive Director

The Executive Director is responsible for overall strategy, operations, funding, and community outreach for the Literacy Council.   Amanda joined the Literacy Council in 2004 and brings over nine years experience in adult education and non-profit management to her leadership role.   Read more >>

 

Rebecca Loli
Adult Education Program Director

The Adult Education Program Coordinator is responsible for planning, executing, and managing all programs focused on teaching basic reading, writing, and math skills.   This includes overseeing adult education students, volunteer tutors, and community partners.   Before joining the Literacy Council staff in July 2009, Becca volunteered as an ESOL tutor and served as a member of the Board of Directors.   Read more >>

 

Erin Sebelius
ESOL Program Director

The ESOL Program Coordinator is responsible for planning, executing, and managing all programs focused on teaching English language skills – speaking, reading, and writing – to adults whose native language is not English.   This includes overseeing ESOL students, volunteer tutors, and community partners.   Working at the Literacy Council since 2005, Erin is a ProLiteracy certified trainer and speaks several languages.   Read more >>

 

Ashley Vandewart Lasher
Development Director

As Development Director, Ashley is responsible for fundraising through individual and corporate gifts.   She brings knowledge of development practices from her work and volunteer experiences at several local non-profits.   Ashley joined the staff in January 2010.   Read more >>

 

Jonathan Hettrick
Outreach Director

The Outreach Director is responsible for all aspects of community and media outreach as well as volunteer recruitment for the Literacy Council.  This includes strengthening existing partnerships and developing new relationships with local agencies in order to grow in volunteer and student numbers.  Before joining the Literacy Council in August 2010, Jonathan developed a deep understanding of the importance of education and the support of a close-knit community while working with special-needs children.   Read more >>

 

Irina Khasanova
Office Manager

Born and raised in Kazan, Russia, Irina came to the U.S. in 1994 where she studied English with the Literacy Council and soon became an ESOL tutor herself.   In 2000, she joined the Literacy Council staff and oversees all office administration functions. Read more >>

The Book

By Fred Chappell

Poet Laureate Emeritus of North Carolina

 

It waits as patiently as a forest trail

To take you to a place you must have heard about,

Quiet and exciting, a glade to be alone in,

With those who came before.

At first the journey is one slow letter at a time,

But sooner than you thought, you clip along,

Your pace growing smarter with each step.

 

You never arrive at an end

Because you never want to,

And a thousand other trails lead off from this one path,

Mysterious, inviting, alive with shadowy light.

 

The book will go with you as far as you desire.

And if you like, I will come with you.