Words Alive Hires Program Manager, Program Coordinator III

Jan. 6, 2010 - PRLog -- Words Alive, a leading San Diego non-profit literacy organization that inspires a commitment to reading and develops shared reading experiences for children, youth and adults, welcomes two new members to its staff. Chrissy Green Califf joins Words Alive as program manager and Amanda Bonds is the new program coordinator III for the reading advocacy group, now celebrating 10 years of service to the San Diego community.

“The wide range of experience and skills these women bring to Words Alive will be instrumental to the ongoing success and continued expansion of our programs throughout San Diego County,” said Jennifer Williamson, executive director, Words Alive. “With the hiring of Chrissy and Amanda, Words Alive is now in a position to exponentially increase its impact in the months and years to come. Together with our dedicated volunteer force, we are looking forward to reaching out, exposing and reengaging more people than ever in reading for pleasure so that they become lifelong readers and learners.”  
As program manager, Califf is responsible for recruiting, training and managing the 150-member strong Words Alive volunteer force. She also oversees the Adolescent Book Group and Words Alive Westreich Scholarship programs. Previously, Califf spent more than three years as the volunteer program coordinator with the American Red Cross, San Diego/Imperial Counties Chapter. In this role, she built the program from the ground floor up, increasing the volunteer force from 850 to 1,500, and taking approval ratings for the organization from 45 percent to 90 percent. While with the American Red Cross, Califf was also tasked with building the Ready When the Time Comes program, which has trained more than 250 employees from such companies as Qualcomm, Sempra Energy, and Grainger, Inc. since its inception in 2007. Califf’s experience also includes time as a program supervisor with Voices for Children, another San Diego nonprofit, where she trained, counseled, and managed courthouse-assigned volunteers. A former National Guardsman with the California Army National Guard, Califf graduated with distinction from the University of Nevada, Reno with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice in 2003.
Amanda Bonds, program coordinator III, is responsible for an integrated series of literacy programs targeted at children age 0-5 and their parents. These programs include Early Literacy Intervention, Family Storytime, Raising A Reader and Read to Me workshops. Bonds also coordinates the Lending Libraries Project. Prior to joining Words Alive, and while enrolled in her master’s program at the University of California, San Diego, Bonds worked as a teaching assistant for the Making of the Modern World writing program, where she developed and delivered lessons aimed at building critical writing skills and mentored incoming teaching assistants. Bonds experience includes case management and family advocacy at Posada Esperanza in Austin, Texas, a nonprofit that serves Spanish speaking, homeless immigrant families. Bonds also recruited and managed volunteers, coordinated and facilitated trainings, and served on the citywide VISA Coalition, whose purpose was to build homeless families’ access to social services. Prior to that, Bonds spent three years as a lead staff member for the Children’s Association for Maximum Potential, a San Antonio, Texas-based nonprofit that provides adaptive recreational experiences for children with special needs in a summer and respite camp setting. Bonds received her master’s degree in Literature from UCSD in December 2008 and holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish with minors in Philosophy and Feminist Studies from Southwestern University.
About Words Alive
Founded in 1999, Words Alive is a non-profit organization that helps underserved, low-income, at-risk children, teens and adults discover how books can add meaning to their lives. Instead of teaching the skill of reading, Words Alive engages and reengages its program participants in the joy of reading with innovative, integrated programs and initiatives with the goal of creating lifelong readers and learners. For more information about Words Alive, its programs, volunteer opportunities, annual Authors Luncheon and giving opportunities, please contact Jennifer Williamson, executive director, at (858) 274-9673, jennifer@wordsalive.org or access our website at www.wordsalive.org.

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Words Alive is a non-profit organization that helps children, teens and adults discover the joy of reading and how books can add meaning to their lives. Instead of teaching the skill of reading, Words Alive engages and reengages its program participants in the joy of reading with innovative, integrated programs and initiatives with the goal of creating lifelong readers and learners.