Join the Worldreader Board
for an intimate cocktail reception in San Francisco.
At this exclusive event, you’ll have the opportunity to engage in a thought-provoking discussion on how the reading crisis is impacting children and leaving them unprepared to lead the global economy of the future.
Featured speakers will include the following members of the Worldreader Board:
- Chris Capossela, Microsoft CMO and EVP of Consumer Business
- Kate James, former Chief Corporate Affairs and Global Marketing Officer at Pearson
- David Risher, Worldreader Co-founder and CEO
We are in a critical moment in education today. In a recent national study published in the New York Times, the pandemic erased two decades of progress in math and reading. We’re working hard to address this learning loss by bringing reading opportunities to children in need. By 2025 we will reach 25 million readers. But we’ll only get there with your support.
Art for good
At the reception, attendees will be invited to take part in a very special art auction featuring a painting by San Francisco-based artist Luke Dollar, which was generously donated for this occasion. All proceeds will be donated to Worldreader and will support children through reading in the US and over 100 countries around the world.
RSVP
Date: Tuesday, October 18, 2022, 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Location: The home of David and Jennifer Risher
Pacific Heights, San Francisco, CA 94115
AN IMPORTANT NOTE ON COVID-19 SAFETY: The Rishers’ home has a terrace to allow for outdoor gathering. We request that attendees be vaccinated.
“You already know the marked advantages reading and reading proficiency bring to an underserved child’s education and future. Your gift to Worldreader is an investment in their critical need for improved instruction, development of reading habits and increased opportunities to learn at home and school. The children and families your contribution can impact will become contributors to the “better world” we can all build!”
Chris Capossela
Worldreader Board Chair
Chief Marketing Officer & Executive Vice President
of Consumer Business, Microsoft
Support our work
If you’re unable to attend but would like to make a contribution to our work, please donate today. We’re extremely grateful for your generosity.
The time is now
Children in the US and around the world are in the midst of a learning crisis. Those from historically disadvantaged and vulnerable communities have been hit the hardest. More than 30% of kindergarten through second-grade students in the US are missing reading benchmarks compared to about 21% in 2019. Meanwhile, globally 70% of children in low- and middle-income countries will not be able to comprehend a simple text by age 10. The time is now to address these inequities, and that starts with reading.
What your support means
From the mountains of Peru to communities across the US, we are partnering with organizations to bring BookSmart to children. With support from our Founders Circle, we provide children with a digital library of hundreds of books plus engaging learning activities that build reading skills. By giving children reading opportunities today, you are setting them up to build a better world tomorrow. Please join us to learn more about how your support will get and keep children reading!
The Founders Circle
In 2020, Worldreader launched a global crisis response to support vulnerable children during the first waves of the Covid-19 education crisis with our BookSmart digital reading solution. Supplementary reading at home and school helps combat learning loss and build resilience during these challenging times. To learn more about our recent projects, visit our 2021 Annual Report.
We are grateful to everyone who has supported our work. Special thanks to these individuals who were the earliest supporters of the US program through the Founders Circle. Through their generosity, Worldreader will continue contributing to education equity efforts around the world and strengthen children’s learning for years to come.
Anonymous
Charles and Lorie Brighton
Alan and Vic Caplan
Chris Capossela and Leigh Toner
Bill and Lynn Carr
Richard and Kathie Dalzell
Adam Gross
Andrew and Elana Jassy
Atul Khanna and Amna Naseer
Jason and Jamie Kilar
Neen and Kirk Koenigsbauer
Dave Limp
Steve and Heather Murch
Lauri and Greg Nakamoto
Tod and Allison Nielsen
Charles Phillips
Alison and David Rich
Brian and Ann Roberts
Neil Roseman and Rose Tatlow
Praveen Seshadri and Ranjani Ramamurthy
Singer Family Foundation
Mike Sundermeyer and Carrie Anderson
David and Nancy Thacher
WineDirect
David Zapolsky and Lynn Hubbard
Board Members
Worldreader is honored to be supported by a dynamic and dedicated board of directors who offer their time, talent, and treasure to support children’s reading around the world.
Charles Brighton | Board Member
Co-Founder & Co-Chief Executive Officer, Brighton Jones, LLC
Chris Capossela | Board Chair
CMO and EVP of Consumer Business, Microsoft
Elizabeth Khuri Chandler | Board Member
Co-Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Goodreads
Elizabeth Dollar | Board Member
Partner and Not-for-Profit National Practice Leader, Moss Adams LLP
Kate James | Board Member
Former Chief Corporate Affairs and Global Marketing Officer, Pearson
Prasanna Krishnan | Board Member
Senior Director of Product Management, Collaboration and Snowflake Marketplace
Ericka Lock | Board Member
Co-Founder, Kaphan Foundation
Kartik Raghavan | Board Secretary
Managing Director, Two Sigma
Dana Reid | Board Member
Trusts and Estates and Tax-Exempt Organizations Partner, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
Alison Rich | Board Member
Senior Vice President, Publishing Development and Author Platforms, Penguin Random House
David Risher | Board President
Co-Founder & President, Worldreader
Gretchen Sorensen | Board Member
Principal, Sorensen Group
Peter Spiro | Board Member
Technical Fellow, Microsoft
