About Us
We are a collective impact campaign that supports, connects, and mobilizes our community to ensure that all students in the Lehigh Valley read on grade level by the end of third grade. Lehigh Valley Reads is powered by
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley and
PBS39.
Angela Baio is Vice President of Policy & Advocacy and Campaign Director for Lehigh Valley Reads at PBS39/WLVT in Bethlehem, PA. She has spent her career working for non-profit, mission-driven organizations that are making a difference. With 20 years of experience in fundraising, marketing, and communications, Angela is thrilled to lead the PBS39’s external communications as it relates to education. She is also part of the dynamic team charged with developing and executing the strategic vision for Lehigh Valley Reads. Because of her career accomplishments, community involvement, leadership, and sustained commitment to mentoring, Angela was recently recognized as a Lehigh Valley Business 2021 Woman of Influence. In addition, she was the 2021 recipient of Waterford.org’s Excellence & Impact Award because of her passion for helping young learners find success and her example of service to her community. When she’s not at her desk, you can find her teaching a yoga class, hiking in the woods, or driving her kids somewhere.
Jill Pereira has held various leadership roles within UWGLV since 2009, most recently Vice President of Education. In her new role, Vice President of Education and Impact, Pereira will oversee the organization’s $13.5 million annual investments in education, health and human services as well as create and execute the strategies needed to advance successful outcomes for children, families and seniors across the region.
Pereira’s professional background includes working in high-need communities in the Lehigh Valley serving diverse populations spanning the fields of mental health, juvenile justice, children and youth, public housing, and public education. As co-founder of the Pennsylvania Community Schools State Coalition, Jill worked to ensure that Pennsylvania's Every Student Succeeds Act recognized the Community Schools model as a strategy. Jill has presented at numerous local, state, and national conferences on the Community School archetype and the role United Way can play in large-scale social change efforts. She was nationally recognized with the 2018 Coalition for Community Schools Initiative Leader Award and was named one of the Lehigh Valley Business’ Forty Under 40 in 2015. Jill lives in Palmerton, PA with her husband and three beautiful children.
Steering Committee Members
Nicole Moschberger
Director, Penn State Lehigh Valley Writing Project
Penn State Lehigh Valley
Favorite Book: Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton
Tim Mulligan
President/CEO
Communities In Schools of the Lehigh Valley
Favorite Book: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
Diane Neikam
Curriculum Supervisor of Elementary Education
Parkland School District
Favorite Book: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
Tracy Piazza
Director of Teaching and Learning
Easton Area School District
Favorite Book: The Man Who Didn't Wash his Dishes by Phyllis Krasilovsky
Carol Ritter
President & Co-Founder
Caroltalks
Favorite Book: Oh David by David Shannon
Brook Sawyer
Associate Professor College of Education
Lehigh University
Favorite Book: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
Dr. Jack Silva
Assistant Superintendent & Chief Academic Officer
Bethlehem Area School District
Favorite Book: The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf
It Takes A Community
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” – African Proverb