Staff

EMILY KIRVEN (she, her), FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Emily began teaching in the New York City public school system in 1997 after graduating from Bennington College with a degree in literature and languages and after completing a masters degree in English education from Teachers College, Columbia University. As an English Language Arts teacher in a Brooklyn public middle school, Emily was faced with a particular challenge: many of her middle school students were reading far below grade level and her training as a secondary English teacher did not help her address these students’ needs. Frustrated by her inability to help these students efficiently and directly, and recognizing the problem as widespread, Emily returned to Teachers College, Columbia University to earn an MA and state certification as a Reading Specialist with the goal of gaining a better understanding of how to help struggling middle grade and adolescent readers. After graduating from Columbia, Emily worked to develop and build READ 718, opening the reading center’s doors to the community in January 2015. Emily lives in Brooklyn with her husband and three children.

SUSANNAH TAYLOR (she, her), COO & DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

Susannah is Chief Operating Officer and Director of Development at READ 718. Prior to joining the staff of READ 718, she was a founding board member, serving on the board from 2015 until 2018. Before joining READ 718, she was Director of Finance at Malia Mills, a fashion company headquartered in Brooklyn, and spent 10 years working at Goldman Sachs in investment banking. She served on the board of Brooklyn Heights Montessori School from 2006 to 2012 and currently serves on the board of the Brooklyn Community Foundation. Susannah graduated from Princeton University with a BA in English Literature. Raised in Memphis, Tennessee, she moved to New York City in 1990 and to Brooklyn in 2002, where she lives in Park Slope with her husband and three daughters.

rachel fucci (she, her), Senior Program Manager, Boerum Hill

Rachel was born and raised in a small Massachusetts town, but always had big dreams of becoming a writer and moving to New York City. She attended Emerson College in Boston where she majored in Writing, Literature & Publishing, but she also spent time working for several nonprofit education organizations dedicated to serving the city’s youth. She has been working at READ 718 since 2018, merging her love of words and storytelling with her passion for working with students of all ages. When she’s not at work, you can find her thrifting vintage clothes, reading spooky literary fiction, and looking for special editions of Frog & Toad.

Anna-Lisa Trotman (she, her), Program manager, BEDford-stuyvesant

Anna-Lisa is a Brooklyn native who has always loved working with kids and serving the families in her community. She received her BA in Sociology at Cornell University and later, her MA in Educational Leadership from NYU and an MA in Teaching from Relay Graduate School. Her experience ranges from Parent Coordinator in Bushwick to ELA classroom teacher in Brownsville. In her spare time, you can find her singing, walking in nature or practicing the piano. She’s super excited to continue to increase literacy achievement and the love of reading with our READ 718 community.

taylor JORDAN (she, her), Program manager, READ 718 remote

Taylor is from Baltimore, MD and has been living in Brooklyn, NY since 2017. She developed her love of reading as a child when her mom gave her her first chapter book, which was from the Junie B. Jones series. She received her B.S. in Community Health from the University of Maryland, where she also spent time tutoring elementary school students in reading and math. She believes education is a matter of public health, and wants to provide tutors and families with the support and tools needed to help children become successful readers and develop a love of reading. She has continued to tutor throughout the years, and is passionate about helping underserved communities, children, and BIPOC thrive. In her free time she enjoys participating in a 52 book challenge, performing in community musical theater, dancing, and watching reality television!

Maggie Stohlman (she, her), Program ASSOCIATE, READ 718 Remote

Maggie was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. She went to Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio where she majored in American Studies and Spanish. Since graduating, she’s worn various hats in the field of education— from City Year Corps member to English Language teacher in Thailand, to Special Education Coordinator in the Bronx. She is currently in grad school earning her MSW! In her free time, you can find her planning her next meal or getting very invested in a book.

eMILY ma (SHE, HER), Program Associate, READ 718 Remote

Emily is an avid reader born and raised in New York City. She attended public schools throughout her childhood and is passionate about educational equality in NYC public schools. Since graduating Middlebury College with a Theatre and Political Science degree, she has worked in theater and education administration. She has also tutored children grades 2-10 in reading and writing for the past three years, and she is excited to continue to build strong readers with READ 718.

KIM BROOKS (she, her), Development and operations Associate

Kim is a longtime Brooklynite with a passion for reading and literacy, and a commitment to educational equity. She has worked in Student Affairs for CUNY, and most recently has served as a PTA Executive Board President at her children's New York City public elementary school. Kim lives with her two daughters and husband in Carroll Gardens. In her free time, she can be found running in Brooklyn Bridge Park, watching her daughter’s softball games at Prospect Park, or reading a book from her local library.

OLIVIA fingold (SHE, HER), PROGRAM associate, Boerum HILL

Olivia is a literacy advocate born and raised in the Chicagoland area. She received her BS in Interdisciplinary Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and later moved to North Carolina where she spent two years with the NC LiteracyCorps at Duke University capacity building and providing direct service to community-powered literacy programs across the state. She believes that literacy is a fundamental right that is both empowering and achievable for all students. Find her under a tree reading a book, on a walk listening to music, or over the stove cooking up something to share.

Lu poteshman (SHE, HER), PROGRAM associate, Bedford-STUYVESANT