Read Aloud Delaware welcomes new officers, board members

Newly elected Read Aloud Delaware Board of Directors President Thomas Black welcomed new board members at the organization's annual meeting Oct. 26. Read Aloud Delaware is a statewide children's literacy program dedicated to ensuring that each preschool child in Delaware is regularly read to one on one.

Thomas Black, who previously served as treasurer and finance committee chair, joins Ingrid Price and William Ulrich on the executive committee. Price, a CPA and member of the finance committee, was elected to the board in 2015 and will serve as treasurer. Ulrich will continue as board secretary, a post he has held since 2015. Ulrich joined the Read Aloud board in 2012.

Arnold G. Swope joins the Read Aloud board with extensive experience in strategic planning and development for organizations servicing charities, employers, and employees. Before his 2015 retirement, Swope was the COO and executive vice president of America's Charities in Virginia. He holds a bachelor of arts in sociology and master’s degrees in public administration and corrections. Swope resides in Milton.

Amanda Zirn, manager at Bethany Beach Books, is the creator of the Book Drop program, a monthly book subscription program which makes it easier for adults and children to access a variety of reading materials. The Book Drop now has more than 350 subscribers in over 20 countries. Zirn is a longtime advocate for children's literacy and the Read Aloud Delaware program. She resides in Bethany Beach.

Jeanne Brennan joins the board with eight years’ experience in the children's literacy organization as a volunteer reader, site leader and active member of the Sussex County Committee. Brennan has years of experience in the banking industry, culminating in her position as chief deputy clerk in the District of Maryland for the United States Bankruptcy Court. She retired in 2007 and currently lives in Lewes.

Kathryn Brown, EdD, has worked in the field of education for over 20 years and currently directs the Graduate Specialty Programs at Wilmington University. Brown has been a volunteer reader and a Read Aloud Conference presenter in 2007 and 2008. She is a presenter for Read Aloud Delaware's Parent Empowerment Program and has authored numerous articles and presentations on parenting, reading, and educational development. Brown resides in Middletown.

Ginny Jewell is the owner and operator of Acorn Books in Smyrna. Founded in 2012, Acorn Books promotes both adult and childhood literacy. Jewell studied early childhood education at Delaware Technical Community College and is a former volunteer reader. She resides in Smyrna.

Tracy L. McCarthy, with a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in reading, has years of experience as a reading specialist and elementary school teacher. She is currently a reading specialist at the Dover Charter School. McCarthy is the recipient of a number of awards, including recognition in Who's Who Among America's Teachers. She resides in Dover.

All board members are elected to three-year terms. For more information on Read Aloud Delaware, contact Executive Director Mary Hirschbiel at 302-656-5256.