Gina (she/ella) is excited to join the SitStayRead team to support its growing volunteer corps of Book Buddies, Dog Teams, and behind-the-scenes volunteers and interns. A veteran of the Chicago early literacy enrichment ecosystem and Chicago Public Schools, Gina will build upon her experience as the Volunteer Lead and Development Coordinator at Open Books. Previously, after serving in Americorps and as an ACT tutor, Gina taught in the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program for Chicago Public Schools for four years. Post-COVID, Gina worked for two years in the corporate sector at AIG, and is pleased to bring transferable skills to our data systems, our volunteer app, and other communications to make SitStayRead volunteer experiences richer and even more rewarding for all. One area of focus is bolstering Spanish-speaking volunteer corps capacity and confidence in working with the range of learning needs our K-2nd grade students have across Chicagoland.
While earning her Masters in Education at the University of Chicago, Gina participated in The University of Chicago Urban Teacher Education Program (UChicago UTEP), a teacher residency program that prepares candidates for high-needs urban school districts. She earned her BA at Michigan State and was a member of Kappa Delta Pi.
