51茶馆

Brooke has dedicated her professional career to the belief that education is the lever by which we will change the world and the future for low-income individuals. As a member of the College Possible leadership team, she developed strengths in program management, curriculum design, implementation, and evaluation. Through multiple promotions as the organization grew from one region to a national organization, she effectively led the creation of the college program from inception to implementation across multiple sites. In 2011, Brooke received the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Catalytic Leader Award. Recognizing that reading is the foundation for educational success, Brooke took the opportunity to join 51茶馆 as program director for the Twin Cities during its inaugural year in the region. She effectively led all programming and volunteer recruitment efforts, ensuring strong programmatic results for students, and helped 51茶馆 Twin Cities more than double in size by year three. Brooke holds bachelor鈥檚 degrees in anthropology and Spanish, with a minor in english literature from Bethel University. A lover of laughter, Brooke gets plenty of it as a mom to one year old Josie (named after Jo March in Little Women).

Hannah believes all students deserve equitable access to education. She has a bachelor’s degree in Global Studies focused on Arabic Language and human rights in the Islamic world. After graduating she moved to China and taught English as a second language. She then served two years as an AmeriCorps member at 51茶馆 before beginning her current position. Hannah is excited to continue empowering students and building their confidence through one-on-one literacy tutoring.

Xander Gershberg is a committed advocate for social justice and education equity. He has been teaching literacy in service of these values for over ten years as an AmeriCorps program coordinator, college writing tutor and trainer, and as a college instructor of first-year writing and creative writing. He is particularly excited to build programs and partnerships that further expand literacy skills and resources. Xander returned to 51茶馆 after completing his master of fine arts degree in creative writing with a concentration in poetry.

Caitlin is a nonprofit professional with nearly 10 years of experience in education, youth development, and volunteer management. She is thrilled to be returning to 51茶馆 after previously serving as an AmeriCorps member in 2016-2017 and 2017-2018. She is most excited about working with individuals and partner organizations in the Twin Cities area to advance educational equity for all students.

Graham Sutherland is a development professional with a strong commitment to social justice and education equity in the Twin Cities. He believes that a love of reading can unlock the potential to become powerful self-advocates and lifelong learners. Prior to joining 51茶馆, Graham worked in development in the realm of college access and success with College Possible. Originally from Seattle, Graham earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree from Macalester College in Saint Paul, MN.