—first grade teacher, Rising Star Elementary, Seattle
—parent of a kindergartner, Liberty Elementary, Marysville
—parent and volunteer, Kendall Elementary, Whatcom County
—preschool teacher, Rural Resources Community Action Head Start, Newport
—Head Start preschool teacher
Books for Kids was founded by six friends as a book drive to encourage the love of reading and literacy. As they reached out into communities, it became evident that there was a need for an entity to coordinate with schools and libraries across the Puget Sound region. Books for Kids transformed from a one-time book drive into a new, all-volunteer nonprofit organization focused on getting books into the hands of kids who live in historically marginalized communities and lacked access to reading materials.
In 2001, Books for Kids became Page Ahead. We expanded our mission from a book give-away to a comprehensive literacy program, including workshops and classroom story times. In 2012, we piloted Book Up Summer for K–2 students; in 2015 we launched Story Leaders for preschoolers. Across more than three decades, we have been steadfast in our mission to promote literacy and learning through reading and to increase access to books for children in disadvantaged communities across the state.
Read our latest annual impact report here to find out how our community makes a difference for young readers statewide.
Review our latest financial audit here.
Review our most recently filed 990 here.
Page Ahead is a 501(c)3 corporation (EIN 91-1600084) registered with the Washington State Secretary of State as a charitable organization under Chapter 19.09 of the RCW.
Susan has been at the helm of Page Ahead since 2006. Prior to joining our team she worked at the Muscular Dystrophy Association where she directed the King County Chapter in researching causes and cures for neuromuscular diseases. Originally from Eastern Washington, she holds a bachelor’s in communications from the University of Calgary in Alberta.
Susan’s favorite children’s book series is the Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner.
Prior to joining the Page Ahead team in 2020, Lisa worked as an elementary school librarian and computer lab teacher. She also worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and NASA Ames Research Center where she helped engineer the test vehicle of the 2003 Mars rovers. Lisa has a BS in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from the University of Washington, and she is a member of the Snohomish Tribe of Indians, where she serves as tribal treasurer.
When she was a child, Lisa enjoyed reading the Betsy-Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace, and she especially enjoyed how the adventures and friendships grew with the characters as they grew up in the books.
Debra joined Page Ahead in 2024. She has over 15 years of experience as a technical and marketing writer in the tech industry. Following that, she spent nearly a decade as the Program Director for a literary events company, where she worked with both publishers and corporate clients to organize private author events. She holds a BA in Professional Writing from Carnegie Mellon University.
After the pandemic, Debra began writing for local nonprofit organizations focused on Child and Family Services. She also worked as a paraprofessional in Seattle elementary schools, where she enjoyed helping younger children develop their reading and writing skills. Debra is excited to bring her skills and passion for literacy to Page Ahead.
Her favorite childhood book was Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. Like Harriet, Debra loved writing from a young age and connected with Harriet’s sharp observations of the world. She was inspired by Harriet’s writing habits, though her own notebooks never caused the same kind of trouble!
Laura joined Page Ahead in 2024 after spending two years working in an administrative role at an eating disorder recovery facility. She has a bachelor’s degree from Scripps College in Claremont, CA in chemistry, but found that nonprofit work was her true passion. She has loved reading from a young age and has always found her niche in working with organizations and companies that serve her community. Laura is excited to help bring the joy of reading to young readers all over the region.
Her favorite book as a child was “A Wrinkle in Time” by Madeleine L’Engle and received a copy from Page Ahead’s Books for Kids program when she was in elementary school. She loves the messaging about love, family, and how it’s perfectly okay to be a little different than everyone else.
Passionate about children’s literacy, the Page Ahead board sets the vision for Page Ahead and ensures that we are fulfilling our promise to the community. Board members scan the horizon for new opportunities and act as ambassadors for Page Ahead in the community.
Arden Leland
AuditBoard (2020)
Briony Pentecost
Bank of Hawai'i (2020)
Ying Zhao
EY (2022)
Suann Harris
Northwest Farm Credit Services (2021)
Mark Fitzgerald
Effectus Group (2019)
Kirsten Scheide
Boeing (2019)
Teresa Osborn
University of Washington School of Pharmacy (2022)
Indrani Bhattacharjee
Starbucks (2024)
Lydia Islan
F5 (2024)
Holly Koelling
(2024)
Nicole Lightner
Ankura (2024)
Emily Rondestvedt
KidKraft (2024)
Please review the Page Ahead Board of Directors job description (PDF). The average monthly commitment is four to six hours. To be considered for board service, please complete this application.
Find out more about other volunteer opportunities at Page Ahead, including working with kids, office support, committee service, and more.
Click here to read press coverage of Page Ahead’s work, including efforts about how we continued to fulfill our mission, despite the widespread shutdowns and continuing pandemic challenges of the past few years.
