In January, we set some big goals for our organization. One of these goals was to bring on three new board members. We are thrilled to share that have had the honor of welcoming not three, but FOUR new board members!
In our search, we prioritized recruiting board members who have experience in accounting/financial management, communications, fundraising, and education. We were also seeking members who bring the perspective of being a Spitfire caregiver and members who speak Spanish as their first language (nearly 2/3 of our Spitfires speak a language other than English at home!)
Read on to learn more about these wonderful people who bring so much energy and experience to our organization.
(listed in order of appearance, above)
Lorraine Rios - We first met Lorraine Rios while operating a Spitfire Club in her library! Lorraine began her education career as a school media specialist and she now teaches fifth grade. Lorraine is currently pursuing her Master of Teaching at The University of Virginia, studying ESOL instruction. Prior to her work in education, Lorraine was a chemical engineer and she is also an artist! In addition to being a real renaissance woman, she grew up in Puerto Rico and is bilingual. Lorraine is also very proud to share that she is "the FUN aunt!" Lorraine may seem familiar to you - in 2020, Lorraine led virtual Spitfire Clubs with our youngest readers, so she brings first-hand knowledge of what Spitfire programming is and could be!
Leigh Dameron - Leigh is mom to three wonderful Spitfires and she has been a huge cheerleader for our organization since the very beginning! During the day, Leigh works as Co-Owner at Windmill Hill Design and Build. Leigh brings a deep passion for girls' empowerment, first-hand experience with parenting three Spitfires, a history of nonprofit board service, and deep knowledge in marketing and communications.
Tatiana Perez - Tatiana is mom to two elementary school age girls who are also exquisite Spitfires. She shares "I saw how much the girls loved the class; it was their highlight of the week. When I was growing up, reading consisted mainly of the school requirements and intended mostly for academic achievement, and even though some of those materials were interesting and enjoyable, it was not custom to obtain books for the sole purpose of recreation. In retrospect, my generation would have benefited immensely from a girl’s club like Spitfire where we could allow ourselves to enjoy reading and to share that excitement together. It is very gratifying to me to support an organization that through books, offers girls a space to exchange and discuss ideas, fosters camaraderie, and solidarity. I am grateful for the opportunity." Professionally, Tatiana has a background in dental assistance and accounting. She is bilingual in English and Spanish.
Marcus Stewart - Marcus is dad to a phenomenal Spitfire (who LOVES to read) and he is also a strong supporter of our work. During the day, Marcus leads all functions of finance at Phase2 Technology as their Vice President of Finance. We are excited that he can bring to bear his expertise in maintaining healthy financials that align with organizational strategy and vision at Spitfire!
Dr. Saunji Fyffe and Spitfire Board Chair Kelly Griffin are the intrepid members of our founding board, who both bring deep expertise in nonprofit strategy and effectiveness. If you've ever thought that we had a good startup plan, they are the reason why!
We're so excited for this next phase as a larger team at Spitfire. Each of our members brings different and necessary expertise and perspective that will be critical for our growth and success as an organization.
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