Florri joined RIF Pittsburgh in February 2009. Florri has been leading companies in the Pittsburgh region for over 35 years. Her focus has been on early stage businesses, companies in transitions and turnarounds. Prior to joining RIF Pittsburgh, she held the position of President and CEO of Innovation Works, The Ben Franklin Technology Partner of Southwestern PA, a publicly funded economic development organization providing risk capital, expertise and resources to high-potential technology startup companies here in our region. Florri received her BS in Operations Management from The University of Vermont and attended the Tepper Graduate School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University.
Daphne joined RIF Pittsburgh in July 2022 after directing school food service programs in K-12 public schools across Pennsylvania. Daphne received her Master’s in Organizational Leadership from Robert Morris University in 2021, where she focused on group dynamics and interpersonal development. Before earning her Bachelor’s at Lock Haven University in Business Management and Administration, Daphne served as an AmeriCorps member and interned at both the Clarion County Library and the Knox Public Library. Her passion is being a lifelong learner and mentoring others.
Kyle joined RIF Pittsburgh in July 2023. He relocated from Washington, DC, where he was a middle school Assistant Principal and literacy teacher. Kyle has worked in education for the past 13 years and has taught in a wide variety of settings, including traditional public, private, and public charter schools serving communities in need. Kyle also co-founded a charter high school in Albuquerque, NM, focused on re-engaging students. He entered the education field as a Teach for America corps member in Eastern North Carolina. Kyle earned a BA in History, Political Science, and Legal Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an MA in Social Sciences from the University of Chicago, and an EdD in Entrepreneurial Leadership from Johns Hopkins University.
Elizabeth rejoined RIF Pittsburgh in January 2024. Her love of working with children and families began when she taught fifth-grade science in North Carolina through Teach for America. After teaching, Elizabeth's passion for helping all children find joy and success in reading led her to RIF Pittsburgh, where she served as RIF's Books for Keeps Program Director from 2013 to 2018. Most recently, Elizabeth has worked in the education field in the Washington, DC area in libraries, public and charter schools, home daycares, and other community spaces as a Program Manager at Reading Partners DC and as an Early Literacy Outreach Librarian with Arlington Public Library. Elizabeth earned a BA in English from Grove City College, and a Master’s in Library Science from the University of Pittsburgh. She is thrilled to be back at RIF and is excited to reconnect with kids and families in Pittsburgh!
Jordon joined RIF Pittsburgh as a KEYS Service Corps member in January 2017 and was brought on full time in August 2017. Jordon volunteered with RIF Pittsburgh for the 2015-16 school year as a Reading Buddy in the Everybody Wins! lunchtime literacy mentoring program, where she fell in love with RIF Pittsburgh's mission. She is passionate about equality and ensuring that all children have access to resources necessary to gain skills that will help them succeed, such as literacy. Jordon earned a BA in Cultural Studies: African American Studies and a minor in Women's Studies from Chatham University.
JoEllen has been volunteering with RIF Pittsburgh since early 2011. JoEllen’s background is in market research. She was Vice President of the Market Research and Planning Division at Mellon Bank, and also worked as a market research and planning consultant with a variety of local clients. JoEllen also volunteers with other organizations in our community, including Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, North Hills Community Outreach, United Way, and her church and school district. JoEllen holds a BS in Mathematics from Grove City College and has an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.
Margo Litwin, Volunteer Site Coordinator - PPS Faison
Margo is a recent transplant to Pittsburgh and has been a volunteer with RIF for the past two years. Before moving to the Steel City in 2021, Margo was a reader and a site coordinator with SMART (Start Making a Reader Today) in Portland, OR for many years. Margo earned her Bachelors of Business Administration from the University of Michigan (Go Blue!), built a finance career in NYC, and then moved to Portland, OR to work and raise a family. She cannot wait to get more involved in her new community in Pittsburgh and to work with all of the volunteers and readers of RIF.
Ari joined RIF in June 2021. After years of being a freelance artist, working in comics, graphic design, and even art direction and set design for film productions in NYC, he returned to Pittsburgh with the goal of giving back to the community. Always passionate about storytelling of all kinds, Ari came to RIF to share that same passion and enthusiasm for stories and literacy with children all over the city. Ari holds a BFA in Cartooning and Illustration from the School of Visual Arts in NYC.
Ashton Brown,Children’s Programming and Logistics Coordinator
Ashton Brown joined RIF in October 2020 as an AmeriCorps KEYS service member. She became interested in working with children through an internship in 2019 with the Education Stability Team of Allegheny County’s Department of Children, Youth and Families. As part of a behind-the-scenes team handling cases when foster placements changed, she realized she wanted the opportunity to develop more personal connections with children. She has found that opportunity in her placement at RIF, which she started after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in Anthropology and minors in Irish Language and Classical Civilizations. Ashton is a mentor in the RIF Readers program, and she loves leading virtual storytimes with preschool and school-age classes across the city. After RIF, she hopes to continue working with nonprofits.
Peter joined the RIF Pittsburgh team in June of 2022. He first discovered his passion for working with children of all ages and his ambition to become an engaging educator while teaching singing and acting at summer drama camps, in theater arts programs, and through tutoring. This passion brought him to Pittsburgh to study Education at Duquesne University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education and a Bachelor of Arts in English. While attending college, he also gained over 500 hours of field experience working as a student teacher in both Pittsburgh and McKeesport. With his love of reading, jokes, and music, Peter hopes to bring his own brand of creativity and imagination to the RIF Pittsburgh team. He is extremely excited to get out into the community to engage and support the children with whom he shares a city.
Danielle joined RIF Pittsburgh in October 2023. She is a native to Pittsburgh, where she grew up on the east side and has always been active in her community. She holds an associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education, and studied Fine Arts and Child Psychology at California University of Pennsylvania. After college, Danielle worked as a pre-k teacher for Hosanna House’s early childhood development program. Mixing her love of children and her passion for the arts, she has also worked as a Creative Arts Instructor and an Artistic Director for Hosanna House summer camp, taught Afrobeats dance and fitness classes to youth and adults at Legacy Arts Project, and performed on stage with local theatre companies. Danielle is overjoyed to bring her diverse talents to the RIF team, and show kids the power of embracing their uniqueness, finding their purpose, and seeking knowledge through reading.
Katie joined the RIF team in January 2023. She acquired her bachelor’s degree in education at Duquesne University in 2018. After graduation, Katie tutored high school and college students before moving on to work with Early Head Start. There she found her love for infant mental health and early childhood education. She loves reading mysteries, running, and taking care of her cat. Here at RIF, Katie is excited to make meaningful and lasting relationships with families within the Pittsburgh community and spark the love of reading in young minds!
Anne joined RIF Pittsburgh in October 2023 after working as a preschool teacher at Bright Horizons, a childcare provider in Pittsburgh. Anne received their Bachelor’s in education at Temple University where they studied art and art history. After graduating in 2013, Anne and a group of friends launched an artist collective dedicated to creating joyful community programming and a platform for artists to connect and share their work. In addition to art, Anne is passionate about humanitarian work that intersects with physical and mental care, which has led them to work in the fields of childcare, elder care and teaching. Anne believes that art should be integrated into children’s educational experiences to encourage creative expression and help foster their overall well-being. Anne is excited to bring this passion to RIF, while cultivating and understanding diverse perspectives and witnessing the worlds of dreamers through their experience!
Kelly Parker, Children’s Programming and Grants Coordinator
Kelly joined the RIF Pittsburgh team in August 2021. She is a native North Carolinian whose major passions have always included the magical art of storytelling and service work. She holds a B.A. in Professional and Creative Writing from Appalachian State University, where she frequently collaborated and volunteered with local nonprofits. Over the past two years, she has served as a sixth-grade English language arts educator in Greenville, NC, through Teach for America. When she discovered RIF, the organization’s mission to increase access to books for underserved children in the community and undeniable commitment to educational equity resonated deeply, motivating her to leave the classroom and pursue a new career path in the City of Bridges!
Jodee joined RIF Pittsburgh in August 2022. She holds a B.A. in English from Georgia College and a master’s degree in teaching from Georgia State University. In the last few years, Jodee worked as a high school English Language Arts teacher in Atlanta, Georgia. Sharing, reading, and discussing books has been Jodee’s life-long passion, and she feels lucky to pursue that as a career path. Her other passions include agricultural sustainability, and she has worked on small farms across the country, including some in the Pittsburgh area as an AmeriCorps member. Through this experience, Jodee first got to know and fell in love with The Steel City. She is excited to be back, spreading her love of reading with children in the community!
Corey joined RIF Pittsburgh in June 2023. He attended California University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a B.A. in Communications. He brings years of experience working in local childcare and developmental centers, including Hosanna House and John Heinz Child Development Center, both of which are long-time RIF sites. His goals fit seamlessly into RIF’s mission of empowering children, and he is excited to be part of a story-telling environment, where he can use his love of public speaking to engage kids and work with a team that shares his passion for creative thinking and self-expression. He also adds fun and encouraging energy to the team that reflects in his work with the youth we see.
Kevin joined RIF in June 2022. Before becoming a part of the team, Kevin taught a variety of martial arts, including Tang Soo Do, Hapkido, and Jiu Jitsu. He has experience volunteering at several nonprofits, and believes that literacy and creative expression are paths to success, creating opportunities and helping to develop critical thinking. He received a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in mathematics at Duquesne University. While in college, he served as a teaching intern at ACH Clear Pathways, a local after-school program and RIF site. An avid reader himself, Kevin strives to combine his experience and passion for teaching others, with his newly earned degree and understanding of literature and literacy, all while getting to be of service to others.
