Meet Our Team
With backgrounds in a range of disciplines, our team is united by a shared passion for collaboration, the arts, and creating a better future for our students.
With backgrounds in a range of disciplines, our team is united by a shared passion for collaboration, the arts, and creating a better future for our students.
Jayne is an award-winning author and publisher of children’s books, with a knack for making stories come alive.
Through her rhyming verses and vibrant watercolor illustrations, she’s seen just how much the arts can ignite a child’s imagination and love for learning. She’s passionate about the connection between creativity and literacy—because let’s face it, when kids are excited to learn, amazing things happen.
Driven by her enthusiasm for working with kids, Jayne founded Literacy for Kids, a non-profit that brings her vision to life on a larger scale. By teaming up with donors, mentors, and partners, her mission is clear: one person can spark change, but a whole community can make an even bigger impact.
For Jayne, it’s all about inspiring creativity, fostering a love of learning, and proving that imagination is a game-changer in education.
Collaboration is the way forward. To build an alliance between select authors and educators creates a powerful environment. The human connection is everything.
Jayne Rose-ValleeExecutive Creative Director @ STAHLS’| Marketing Communications, Branding, Identity, Visual Design and Presentation Design Expert. MA Interdisciplinary Design CCS.
Scott brings a diverse background in creative execution, business development, and community engagement. With extensive leading strategic initiatives, managing client relationships, and overseeing creating operations, he has a proven track record of driving impactful programs. As a board member of Literacy for Kids, Scott is committed to leveraging his expertise to support the organization’s mission of promoting literacy and empowering children through education.
Alex has been photographing LFK’s events since 2021. His photography platform supports his wild adventurous mind, his love for serving others and an opportunity to feed his creative spirit.
“Every day is a soundtrack. That is why I’m proud to have covered events like MOPOP.”
He brings original and artistic enthusiasm to LFK’s Board of Directors.
Small Business Owner; Whispersitz
Former World Kickboxing Champ, Former U.S. Boxing Titleist, Personal Trainer/Coach, Detroit Enthusiast, Creator of Life Champions.
“Reading is one major way we learn about the world and how to create our respective places in it.”
Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Detroit – Law Department
Previous experience with the Harris Literacy Program (Adult Literacy)
Adjunct Professor, Macomb Community College
Sonia has strong education and operational professional skills in nonprofit organizations, research, staff development, teaching. She has previous experience in grant writing for nonprofits.
Angela is a dedicated educator based in Detroit with a master’s degree in education and over 15 years of experience in teaching.
Her passion for fostering academic growth and narrowing educational disparities has been her driving force. In 2001, Angela founded Education is Key Learning Center, a tutoring company committed to empowering students and improving literacy outcomes.
In addition to her entrepreneurial efforts, Angela serves as the chair of the reading committee at her school, where her leadership has been instrumental in raising reading scores and developing impactful reading programs. Her unwavering commitment to enhancing students’ learning experiences reflects her deep dedication to education.
Nick recently relocated to Detroit from Jersey City, bringing with him a wealth of experience from his time in New York City.
For three years, he taught filmmaking to students inspiring the next generation of storytellers. During his time in NYC, Nick completed a documentary titled Art for Wear, which explores the world of custom sneaker designers in the city.
Currently, he is working on a slate of exciting projects, with 4-5 in development, while also rebranding his personal image. With a deep passion for filmmaking, Nick is committed to helping students discover the power of storytelling through the lens and nurturing their creative potential.
Katy holds a BA from the University of Michigan in Elementary Education and a MA from Spring Arbor University in Reading.
Katy taught for several years at the elementary level and continues to do so by homeschooling her children. She is also a children’s author and released her first picture book, M is for Mackinac: A Nature Alphabet in 2023. She is passionate about equity in literacy and creating a love of reading.
Jill Arnold has supported Literacy for Kids since its early beginnings, serving as a longtime volunteer, trusted sounding board, and source of practical guidance behind the scenes.
Based in Grand Rapids, she works for X-Rite Corporation, where she helps solve production challenges and develop solutions alongside engineering teams. As a member of LFK's Advisory Board, Jill brings strong problem-solving skills, a thoughtful perspective, and a deep personal connection to the organization's mission.
As an extension of our Literacy for Kids team, we work with an amazing group of celebrated authors, artists, musicians, and Foundations. A few of our recent collaborations are featured below.
