Staff & Board

Staff

  • Amanda Wrublewski
  • Erin Sebelius
  • Irina Khasanova
  • Meghan Pennock
  • Rebecca Massey
  • Julie Taylor
  • Tiffany Grimme
  • Laura Bernhein
  • LuAnn Arena
  • Amanda Wrublewski

    Amanda Wrublewski

    Executive Director

    Amanda’s passion for serving the community has taken many different shapes over the years, from volunteering as a reading tutor for youth to serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zambia. While living in Zambia, she worked closely with community members to organize health sensitization events and educate others on topics including malaria, nutrition, and HIV/AIDS. She fell in love with the people and culture of Zambia and went on to teach English at a primary school, before returning to her roots in Western North Carolina to support incarcerated women preparing for the transition of life upon release.

    One of her greatest joys in life is experiencing the magic that happens when people in the community stand together to bring about meaningful change. The experiences she has had, including her most recent position as Vice President of Programs at Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC, have illuminated for her the lasting impact that dedicated volunteers can have in their communities.

    Amanda believes that access to education and literacy is transformative and life-changing, and she is thrilled to work alongside the team at Literacy Together for such a powerful cause.

    When she isn’t dreaming about her next overseas adventure, Amanda enjoys cuddling with her 80-pound lapdog, pretending she can dance, lifting weights, and walking through the woods searching for birds with her husband.

  • Erin Sebelius

    Erin Sebelius

    ESOL Program Director

    Erin, a lover of languages and cultural exchange, believes she has the perfect job.

    “Helping immigrants communicate in the language of their new home is especially rewarding because of the empowerment that comes for them,” Erin says. “I just glow every time I hear that one of our ESOL students has gotten a promotion, found a better job, or been able to help a child with homework.”

    Erin lists some pretty impressive credentials for managing the Literacy Together’s English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program. She earned a B.A. in German from San Diego State University, a master’s degree in cross-cultural education from National University in San Diego, and a California teaching certificate. She has five years experience teaching English, German, and Spanish to middle and high school students and ESOL to adults, as well as teaching English and math while living in Tijuana, Mexico for two years. Erin is a ProLiteracy certified trainer, past president of the Asheville Area Director of Volunteers in Agencies (DOVIA), and member of the executive board of Carolina Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).

    Working at Literacy Together since 2005, Erin conducts all ESOL tutor trainings and oversees all ESOL tutor volunteer activities. She remarks, “Our volunteer tutors are folks who care enough to give freely of their time, talents, and love. I am continually humbled and inspired by both our students and our volunteers!”

    Erin ’s home life revolves around husband, Sam, two children, Elan and Marlise, and their dog, T-Bone. She likes to read and travel whenever possible.

  • Irina Khasanova

    Irina Khasanova

    Office Manager and ESOL Specialist

    Born and raised in Kazan, Russia – a large city 600 miles from Moscow, Irina came to the U.S. in 1994 following the collapse of the Soviet Union. She adopted Asheville as her new home when her husband secured a research position in the area. Irina began studying English with Literacy Together and soon became an ESOL tutor herself, working with students from the Ukraine. In 2000, she joined the Literacy Council staff.

    “Our students and their stories make my job especially meaningful. I know first hand how difficult it is for adults to learn a new language,” Irina remembers. “It is very hard work. At Literacy Together, we see small but significant victories every day. It’s really rewarding to give people something now that helps them long term.”

    Irina earned a masters degree in Physics from Kazan State University and taught math courses at the Kazan State Power Engineering University. She and her husband, Airat, have two grown sons and enjoy reading, hiking, and traveling.

  • Meghan Pennock

    Meghan Pennock

    ESOL Associate

    Meghan has always loved learning about different cultures and languages, which inspired her to pursue a degree in Community & International Development at the University of Vermont. Throughout college and beyond, she worked with programs that connected migrant Latinx farmworkers across Vermont to education, food access, and healthcare resources. She also dedicated some time to teaching English to this community, realizing that the lack of resources to learn English was a huge barrier for them to be healthy and happy here.

    Her passions for language, teaching, and travel pushed her to take a TEFL course in Mexico. After this adventure, she lived in Costa Rica for about a year, teaching English to business adults as well as volunteer teaching to the Bribri people, an indigenous group located on the Caribbean side of the country.  Upon returning to the US, she wanted to continue helping people learn English, and is excited to work with the ESOL program to empower immigrants to communicate more confidently in their new home.

    In Meghan’s day-to-day life, she enjoys doing yoga, meditation, and other mindfulness practices, as well as hiking, running and spending as much time as possible in nature. She loves living here in the beautiful mountains! 

  • Rebecca Massey

    Rebecca Massey

    Adult Literacy Program Director

    Rebecca Massey has been an educator in North Carolina for 17 years, including time spent tutoring students with learning differences and teaching community college courses. Rebecca knows Literacy Together’s Adult Literacy program and curriculum very well — she has been a volunteer tutor for four years!

    Rebecca has a Bachelor of Arts in English from Auburn University and a Master of Arts in English from NC State University. In addition to her work with books, reading, and education, Rebecca has volunteered for Animal Haven of Asheville, caring for abused, abandoned, and injured animals.

    “I hope to make the best use of my mind and energy by being of service to people in need, and education is the way I know to do that most effectively.”

  • Julie Taylor

    Julie Taylor

    Youth Literacy Program Director

    Julie joined the Literacy Together team after a thirty-year career as an elementary school classroom teacher and administrator. She has credentials in phonics-based reading instruction, has facilitated training for elementary school teachers, and has monitored the effective implementation of literacy programs in a diverse school district in the greater Atlanta area.

    Julie is a graduate of Auburn University and has graduate degrees from the University of Georgia in School Leadership and Administration and Policy. She has volunteered in her community for many years supporting organizations that work to better the lives of women and children. She currently volunteers as a Literacy Together tutor at the Christine W. Avery Learning Center.

    Julie, her husband Eric, and their pups Phin, Gertie, and Maybelle moved to Asheville last year. She is an avid reader and loves to garden, cook, and travel.

  • Tiffany Grimme

    Tiffany Grimme

    For the past five years Tiffany has had the privilege of being home with her two young children. Now, she is ready to take on this new chapter in her life. Literacy and community are two things that she highly values, so she feels incredibly excited and grateful for this opportunity to support those values through working with Literacy Together’s Youth Literacy program. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Creative Writing from the University of South Florida. She enjoys being outdoors, reading, and going on adventures with her family and dog, Junebug.
  • Laura Bernhein

    Laura Bernhein

    Outreach and Communications Director

    Laura Bernhein is a journalist and life coach born in Argentina, whose passions are communication, traveling, self-improvement, learning new things and raising her two beautiful kids. She moved to the United States 17 years ago from Buenos Aires, her hometown and, even when she’s now building a life in Asheville, she considers the world to be her home.

    As an immigrant, Laura knows how important it is to be able to speak the language of one’s new country. When she first came to the US she was able to quickly improve her English with the help of generous volunteers from a school in Boulder, Colorado. For that, she’ll be forever grateful!

    As a life coach, she knows how vital it is to find one’s voice to live an authentic, fulfilling life. Being proficient in literacy is the first step to get there.

    Laura thrives in interactions, and part of her personal mission is to bring positive change to people’s lives through genuine communication.

    She fell in love with Literacy Together’s mission a year and a half ago, when she started volunteering for the ESOL program. The work she now does at the organization is the perfect fit for her, because it integrates all of her passions and her life experiences. She’s thrilled about it!

  • LuAnn Arena

    LuAnn Arena

    Development Director

    LuAnn Arena has a strong background in literacy tutoring. LuAnn first became a literacy tutor in her hometown of Rochester, NY. After spending several years traveling the U.S. as a musician, she returned to school at SUNY New Paltz, earning a BFA in Graphic Design. She has run a successful freelance design business since 2006.

    LuAnn relocated to Asheville in the fall of 2013 and returned to tutoring at Literacy Together. She was ready for a change, and the opportunity to become a team member of Literacy Together’s staff was the perfect fit. LuAnn is looking forward to using her skills to support Literacy Together and its mission.

    In her off time, LuAnn enjoys making music and art, practicing yoga, biking, and reading. She also enjoys spoiling her friends and teaching her cat cool tricks.

 

Board of Directors

      • Ellen Bowditch, Retired Educator
      • Marilyn Cortes (Past Chair), CenterWell Home Health
      • Trevor Drake, Retired Educator
      • Ben Fehsenfeld (Treasurer), Buncombe Partnership for Children
      • Joselyne Gago, TD Bank
      • Jason Hyatt, Buncombe County Public Libraries
      • Aimee Kling, Kimmel & Associates
      • Page McCorkle,  AB-Tech
      • Debbie Motz Bryenton (Vice Chair), Retired
      • Susan Perone (Secretary), Retired trial attorney
      • Becky Stone (Chair), Green Prints Magazine
      • Nora van Arkel, Board Member
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