Children’s Literacy Project is a literacy nonprofit dedicated to advancing children’s literacy initiatives nationwide. For more than ten years, we’ve equipped churches, schools, and community groups to join this literacy project, building a movement that ensures every child has the opportunity to learn to read.
We partner and build up local literacy movements alongside existing organizations, programs, and communities of faith.
We educate and share literacy media that equip organizations and churches to strengthen children’s literacy initiatives nationwide.
We recruit and connect reading mentors with vetted literacy organizations nationwide through our ever growing literacy database.
Through the Children’s Literacy Project, we put books and tools in under-resourced contexts—fueling local literacy projects and family reading at home.
We are fundamentally animated by the universal wisdom of Jesus, who taught us to “Love Thy Neighbor.” In these teachings, the neighbor is most often someone tossed-aside, overlooked and under-resourced.
In America today, 40% of children cannot read above the most basic level. These tossed-aside children of today will tomorrow find themselves filling our welfare lines, deportation centers, trafficking pipelines, addiction centers and prison cells.
This is a social epidemic that we can heal… if we do it together.
Transforming lives and communities through literacy.
A nation of activated communities that ensure all children read proficiently by the fourth grade thus creating pathways of opportunity and potential.
We serve with humility, lead with evidence, and believe in the power of communities to transform children’s lives through literacy.
Tasked with taking CLP’s vision to every community in the US, Steve is a distinguished leader with a quarter-century of experience specializing in driving organizational transformation and growth across varied sectors. He excels in harnessing data-driven strategies, leading multidisciplinary teams, and forging key partnerships to meet and exceed objectives.
Producer of award-winning, high impact and culture changing films including SENTENCED, UNDIVIDED and A RIVER BETWEEN US. He lives by his faith and the adage, “do justice, love mercy and walk humbly.” Jeff’s leadership uniquely turns dreams into movements and brings much needed resources to those in the greatest need.
Writer behind the award-winning documentary SENTENCED and the new book, READ. He is a theologian, professor, award-winning author, international speaker and filmmaker. He is a traveler of the world and 30-year veteran of provoking audiences toward goodness, truth and beauty through pen, podium and podcast.
A skilled communicator and champion of others, Susan is a strong community and social services professional with a Master of Arts in Intercultural/Multicultural Studies. She is the Mayor of Sweet Home, Oregon, with years of experience in literacy, education, and government, empowering collaboration between groups to create meaningful change.
An expert who manages our Google Ad Grants program, ensuring maximum impact of our adaptive advertising strategy. She optimizes campaigns to drive high-quality traffic and achieve exceptional ROI for our organization. She's a seasoned pro who thrives on learning and adapts effortlessly to whatever curveballs the digital world throws her way.
Elise has a proven track record in social media, account management, and digital marketing. She has helped numerous businesses amplify their brand presence and grow. Experienced in both agency and in-house marketing roles, Elise excels in creating tailored, results-driven campaigns that drive engagement and deliver measurable success.
A seasoned storyteller with more than eight years in film, focusing on Directing and Cinematography. Beyond these roles, he's an all-in creative, contributing to every aspect of a project from producing to editing. A natural leader on set, Jonathan enjoys collaborating with fellow storytellers to bring projects to life.
A world class designer who spearheads our organization's visual identity, creating stunning branding for everything from email templates to printed collateral. She is the architect of our website, overseeing its development, maintenance, and SEO optimization to ensure a powerful online presence. She designs for impact.
An Oregon-based filmmaker and Chapman alum whose work spans brands like Gatorade, Microsoft, and Old Spice. A former pro lacrosse player and comedic performer, he now focuses on storytelling for impact. He co-directed his debut feature documentary ‘Sentenced’, produced by Stephen Curry, that explores childhood illiteracy and systemic poverty.
Communications strategist and passionate storyteller dedicated to combating illiteracy through compelling narratives and strategic fundraising. Her journey spans multiple creative disciplines—from film production to composing cinematic music for HBO Max, Apple TV, and Pokémon—enabling her to approach fundraising with a unique perspective that bridges education expertise with mainstream appeal.
My passion is anything and everything email. I've worked with over 40 ESPs across multiple systems. I take on new and different projects all the time. I have a deep understanding of communications programs both on the client/consumer side and rear-facing technical requirements needed to make successful marketing programs.
A film producer and entrepreneur specializing in entertainment, brand strategy, and philanthropy. He thrives at the intersection of storytelling, strategic partnerships, and wide-reaching audiences to drive meaningful social impact. Through his work with the Children’s Literacy Project, he forges partnerships that champion education and inspire the next generation
John leads the crucial Salesforce CRM integration, managing both our literacy and volunteer databases with precision and expertise. He ensures that CLP can optimize its activities by maintaining a robust, efficient system that seamlessly connects our various operational components.
A seasoned professional with more than 40 years of experience in film and video production, Jim is a recipient of multiple awards, including 4 Emmys, 32 Tellys and 18 ACE awards in cinematography and editing. Jim's career highlights span the globe, including documentaries, corporate films/videos, commercials, and infomercials.
David Austin has dedicated his career to combating poverty and its effects worldwide. Most recently, he served six years with the United Nations World Food Programme, contributing to global efforts to alleviate hunger. His extensive experience also includes serving on the North Korean mission with Mercy Corps and as a Program Director for the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, where he supported initiatives that uplift underserved communities through education and social services.
Ron Fairchild is the founder of the Smarter Learning Group and a nationally recognized leader in expanding learning opportunities for young people. As the former CEO of the National Summer Learning Association, Ron spearheaded efforts to combat summer learning loss for children in need. Since its inception, he has served as a key consultant to the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, bringing strategic insights and advocacy to improve childhood literacy nationwide.
Stephanie Korteweg is the president of the Waco Independent School District Board. Prior to her elected role, Stephanie served 12 years teaching elementary students in Waco, and was awarded teacher of the year for 2007-2008. Through her community relationships and networks, she founded the STARS Book Clubs, which includes volunteers from 40 churches across Waco who meet with over 1100 students across 13 public elementary schools. Her work has been transformational in recruiting volunteers from faith communities and beyond to serving children in public schools to ensure that children have the support they need to learn to read.
Anne Anderson is a Portland-area businesswoman turned philanthropist. In addition to serving on the board of the Children’s Literacy Project, she serves on the board of the Edwards Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals with cognitive disabilities. Anne’s leadership and philanthropy have made a meaningful impact on vulnerable communities in the region.
Makeda Mays-Green is SVP of Digital and Cultural Consumer Insights at Nickelodeon and a national voice on media, education, and equity. She’s served in leadership at Sesame Workshop and advises initiatives like Raising Good Gamers and the Chopra Foundation. Makeda holds degrees from Wesleyan and Columbia University.
Jeff Martin
Founder & President, Children’s Literacy Project
Your support fuels our mission to expand a growing literacy volunteer network that spans the nation. By joining the Children’s Literacy Project, you help connect reading mentors and volunteer tutors with children who need them most.