Our Leadership - All Ages Read Together

We are passionate community stakeholders who believe preschool is a critical part of every child’s development.

Meet the Team

This belief drives everything – from how we run the organization to who serves on the board of directors. AART’s dedicated team of professionals pours their hearts into ensuring we provide our students and family with the best preschool experience, so they are ready for success in kindergarten and beyond.

Management Staff

Michelle Sullivan

Executive Director

Michelle oversees AART’s entire organization, bringing over 21 years of experience in nonprofit management, relationship building, and fundraising. Under her leadership, AART has expanded its capacity to offer vital academic and personal development opportunities for young learners. She holds a BA in Political Science and a Juris Doctorate. Her favorite children’s book is Chrysanthemum.

Sally Masri

Programs Director

A seasoned educator, Sally has taught in Northern Virginia for years and now leads AART’s preschool programs, ensuring they are thoughtfully designed and executed. Translating her experience with Fairfax County Public Schools PTA, she supports AART’s students and their parents in their transition into public school. She is an expert in her field and dedicated to seeing AART’s students succeed. Her favorite children’s book is The Giving Tree.

Jennifer Stecklow

Operations Director

Jennifer has spent two decades driving innovation in educational technology. She has helped universities transition to virtual learning, built customer education programs, and developed operational strategies for startups. At AART, she ensures seamless operations so the team can focus on shaping future leaders. Her favorite children’s book is Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

Monique Duke

Director of Finance

Monique manages the organization’s financial operations including, accounting, budget, auditing, financial reporting, grants management and financial planning & analysis. She draws on her numerous years of experience in financial accounting from both a corporate and nonprofit perspective. Her favorite children’s book is Toot & Puddle.

Board of Directors

Lara Major

Chair

Lara is an educational consultant with Major Consulting LLC, specializing in early literacy instruction, with over 25 years of experience training teachers. Her background spans roles as a public school teacher, reading specialist, curriculum developer, and adjunct instructor. She is passionate about ensuring all children have access to quality early education. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, biking, and caring for farm animals. Her favorite children’s book is George and Martha.

Carol Jameson

Vice Chair

Carol has over 35 years' experience in the Northern Virginia nonprofit community, advancing access to health care for underserved communities; she is recently retired after serving as CEO of the community health center HealthWorks for Northern Virginia. She holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University and is passionate about equitable access to health care and its intersection with other critical areas, including literacy. Her favorite children's book is The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear.

Erin Austin

Secretary

A Harvard Law graduate, Erin is the founder of Think Beyond IP, where she harnesses her over 25 years of intellectual law experience to help experts with corporate clients scale their expertise —legally and ethically—in the fast moving world of AI. Erin is passionate about building an economy that works for everyone, with a special emphasis of getting more wealth in the hands of women. Her interest in early education began when searching for the right preschool for her son. Outside of work, she’s on the search for the perfect gluten-free baguette. Her favorite children’s book is Guess How Much I Love You.

Joy Kuvareewong

Treasurer

Joy brings over 15 years of expertise in wealth management, supporting financial advisors with client operations. She is passionate about early childhood education and giving back to the community. Holding a Master’s in Finance from Johns Hopkins University, she speaks fluent Thai and enjoys traveling and spending time at her family’s restaurant, All Rice Thai.

Karen G. Schaufeld

Co-Founder & Member, Board of Directors

Kari is an educator Karen is a philanthropist, entrepreneur, and children’s book author. She started 100WomenStrong, is CEO and Co-Founder of security product provider Altor Locks, and is redeveloping Hill Top House Hotel in Harpers Ferry as CEO of SWaN Hill Top. She also advocates for renewable energy in Virginia as founder of Powered by Facts and VaOurWay. Her favorite children’s book is The Runaway Bunny.

Sandra (Sandy) Shihadeh

Co-Founder & Member, Board of Directors

Sandy co-founded AART in 2007, inspired by the power of intergenerational learning. She served as AART's first teacher, and later first President. After nearly 20 years of preschool teaching experience, Sandy has continued to serve her community in many other ways. She is a member of the Yellow School House Board of Directors in Winchester, VA, and volunteers with the Area Agency on Aging, Loudoun Volunteer Caregivers, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Loudoun, and others. Her favorite children's book is Piggies.

Cindy Schaufeld

Member, Board of Directors

Cindy Schaufeld’s philanthropic mentoring started when she was very young. Her mom helped those in need in our community by giving her time, cooking, and love. Her mom would bring her along as she visited community sites and helped those who needed it. Cindy observed and absorbed everything her mom did which led to her joining the board at All Ages Read Together. At her first classroom observation, Cindy felt the same passion and love that her mom did when she was giving back to her community. Cindy believes great things happen when we give our time, effort, and love to our communities! Her favorite book is Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak.

Gregory Roberts

Member, Board of Directors

Gregory is a Managing Director at Deloitte, leading the Government and Public Services Sector Contracts Team. He is an accomplished thought leader, who has been awarded the Wall Street Journal National Achievement award and the Director’s Award for Meritorious Service from the Executive Office of the President Office of National of Drug Control Policy.

Karen Corbett Sanders

Member, Board of Directors

Karen brings extensive leadership experience in education, public service and business. She has chaired the Fairfax County Public Schools Board, served as Northeastern Regional Chair of the Virginia School Boards Association, and sits on the Dean’s Advisory Council for Boston University’s Wheelock School of Education and Human Development. Her career also includes executive roles in telecom and technology, including a VP position at Verizon, along with board and advisory roles at several regional medical centers and not for profits. Her favorite children’s book is the compendium of Winnie the Pooh Stories by AA Milne.

Peter Knapp

Golf Chairman & Member, Board of Directors

Peter is a real estate entrepreneur and founder of The Peter Knapp Realty Group. Since joining AART’s Board of Directors in 2010, he has come to lead fundraising efforts like AART’s annual Tee Off for Children’s Literacy Golf Tournament. Peter also serves on the board of 100 Women Strong and The Board of Trustees at Loudoun Country Day School. His favorite book is Curious George.

Robin Phillips

Member, Board of Directors

Robin is an Accounting Policy and External Reporting Senior Director at Freddie Mac, where she has also held roles in Investor Relations and Capital Markets. She graduated with a degree in Accounting from Marshall University and a Master’s degree in Business from Shenandoah University. Her favorite children’s book is Oh, The Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss.

Tamar Datan

Member, Board of Directors

Tamar has dedicated her career to advancing education, social and environmental justice, and community empowerment through a variety of nonprofit leadership roles. She has served on more than a dozen boards, and played a key role in AART’s inception and early development. Tamar is currently President of the UU Church of Loudoun and Senior Advisor at NPAG, an executive search and talent strategy consulting firm. Among her favorite children's books is The Little Engine That Could.

Dr. Wallicia Allen Gill

Member, Board of Directors

A retired educator and school administrator, Wallicia remains active in community service, having served as the past president of the Centreville/Chantilly Rotary Club, as a board member of Global Woman PEACE Foundation, and as a volunteer at INOVA Fair Oaks Hospital. As a lifelong Delta Sigma Theta Sorority member, she continues to champion literacy and women’s empowerment. Her favorite book isd Ferdinand the Bull.

Support Staff

Jennie Albers

Assistant Director, Resources

Grace Marin

Assistant Director, Administration

Grace has been a teacher for over 20 years, and her love of teaching began when she became a big sister. Being an integral part of a child’s love of learning is Grace’s life’s joy, and becoming a mother only increased her determination to inspire young minds. Grace believes that reading is the most important thing we can do to open minds and hearts. Her favorite children’s book is We Are In A Book and Elephant and Piggie book by Mo Willems

Advisory Council

Bobbi Schaufeld

Emeritus Board Member & Member, Advisory Council

Bobbi has dedicated her life to community service, beginning in high school with the Multiple Sclerosis Society. She instilled the value of giving back in her family, even opting for volunteer work over Mother’s Day gifts. She has served on the boards of HealthWorks, the Equine Rescue League, 100WomenStrong, and the INOVA Foundation. She enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, dogs, and horses. Her favorite book is Charlotte’s Web.

Chris Falcon

Member, Advisory Council

Chris is the Clerk of the Court for the Fairfax Circuit Court and a first-generation college graduate from James Madison University. He previously served as Deputy Clerk, Civil Division Supervisor, and Legal Counsel for the Arlington Circuit Court Clerk’s office, earning the County Manager’s Award for innovative solutions. His favorite children’s book is James and the Giant Peach.

Debbie White

Former Board Member & Member, Advisory Council

Debbie is a passionate educator with degrees in Elementary Education and School Guidance and Counseling. She taught first and fourth-grade students for a decade and continues to inspire young readers through volunteer work, launching book clubs, lending libraries, and reading readiness programs. Her favorite children’s books are Chrysanthemum A Weekend with Wendell, and Owen.

Jackie Bulanow

Member, Advisory Council

Jackie began her teaching career in Egypt, where she taught 1st grade to international and Egyptian students for 6 years before returning to the U.S. to teach in Virginia. As a Reading Specialist, she has coached teachers and is passionate about helping students love reading. She enjoys being with her family, and caring for her gardens and plants, and is a member of the Charter community of ‘Common Change.’ Her favorite children’s book is The Day of Ahmed’s Secret.

Kari Parrish

Member, Advisory Counci

Kari is an educator focused on addressing the needs of the whole child so that they may grow into lifelong learners. She has a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood from the University of Maryland and has taught in Montgomery County. She has experience teaching elementary and pre-K/Headstart students and is currently a kindergarten teacher for Loudoun County Public Schools. Kari was also one of AART’s founding teachers in Loudoun. Her favorite children’s book is Swimmy by Leo Lionni.

In Memoriam – Mariana Ippolito

Mariana Ippolito, a devoted and cherished member of the All Ages Read Together family, passed away on June 3, 2023, after an 8-month battle with cancer. Mariana was a true advocate and ambassador who believed that every child deserves access to early childhood education to prepare them for success in kindergarten and beyond.

Mariana joined the AART Board in 2017 as the Treasurer and later became a classroom volunteer at the Lincolnia Community site. You often found her participating alongside the children and supporting their learning. Even during the challenging times of COVID, Mariana’s dedication to our cause never wavered. Her love for our mission was so strong that she would visit virtual classes to feel that connection.

The AART Board of Directors honors her legacy by renaming the Lincolnia Community Center site to the Mariana Ippolito site. We wish that her beautiful, joyful, and kind spirit lives on in the children we serve at that location.

Equal Employment Opportunity

It is the policy of AART that all applicants for employment and all current employees receive fair and equal treatment and not be discriminated against because of race, age, gender, religion, national origin, disability, or veteran status, with respect to hiring, promotion, demotion, recruitment, termination, rates of pay or other compensation. Selection for training and employment opportunities are made solely on the basis of merit, service, and the ability to effectively perform work assignments.

We are passionate community stakeholders who believe preschool is a critical part of every child’s development.

Meet the Team

Management Staff

Board of Directors

Support Staff

Advisory Council

In Memoriam – Mariana Ippolito

Equal Employment Opportunity

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