D.C. LEARNs Staff
Yvette Proctor, Outreach Assistant
Yvette comes to DC LEARNs with a great deal of experience in adult literacy, having previously worked as a communication and logistics specialist with The Metropolitan/Delta Adult Literacy Council. Before entering into the world of non-profits, Yvette delved into her creative side by writing, and producing various plays for the Soul Factory a faith-based organization which focuses on community empowerment. Working with various D.C. community members Yvette has decided to merge her love of community and her creative talents to create a legacy for young women to become strong members of society through community outreach and adult education initiatives.
MaryAnn Florez, Adult Education Professional Development Center Director
MaryAnn has over twelve years' experience in adult education that includes program management, curriculum development, and teacher training.
Before her arrival at D.C. LEARNs in March, 2007, she was Lead ESL Specialist at the Arlington Education and Employment Program (REEP). Earlier in her career, MaryAnn served as ESOL Specialist with Fairfax County Public Schools Adult ESOL and the Assistant Director of the National Center for ESL Literacy Education (NCLE). She holds a M.Ed. in Adult Education from George Mason University.
MaryAnn has created and delivered a wide variety of training and professional development activities for adult education teachers — everything from short workshops to multi-day institutes. Her work in these areas has been both program-based and as an assistant director of a national resource and professional development team.
She has coordinated and managed local, national, and international projects. These projects have ranged from self-contained translation projects for organizations such as the American Cancer Society, to curriculum development for education institutions, to international exchange programs. She was Chair of the TESOL Adult Education Interest Section (AEIS) through the end of March 2007.
Her writing includes articles for publications such as Focus on Basics and the American Language Review. She has also published instructional materials (student textbook, workbook, and teacher’s resource book) for the literacy-level edition of the
Jessica Young, Early Readers Now Coordinator
Jessica came to D.C. LEARNs in November of 2005 as an Americorps*VISTA. After a year working with the District's literacy coalition, she is delighted to be taking on a new role as the Coordinator for the Early Readers Now volunteer literacy program. Jessica graduated from Northern Illinois University in Dekalb, Illinois with a B.S. in Elementary Education. Prior to her year of Americorps service with D.C. LEARNs, she worked as a teacher at Huntington Learning Center, providing individualized instruction to K-12 students in the areas of Reading, Writing, and Math, as well as administering diagnostic tests for Huntington's No Child Left Behind program. In the future, Jessica plans to earn an M.A. in Literacy Education, and one day teach at the University level.
Jeff Carter, Executive Director
Prior to his arrival at D.C. LEARNs in March 2004, Jeff spent six years as Education Technology Director in the Literacy Division at World Education. Some of the Literacy Division's projects and publications include: Focus on Basics and other publications produced in partnership with the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL); the New England Literacy Resource Center; and the New England ABE-to-College Transition Project. Jeff directed several technology-related projects at World Education, and provided technical assistance for many others. He was also part of the division's strategic development team, and a member of a team developing conflict resolution practices and policies for the division.
Jeff is the author of Under Construction: Building Web Sites as a Project-based Learning Activity for ABE/ESOL Classes, a book designed to provide adult literacy and ESOL staff developers and teachers with some simple, user-friendly advice on building Web sites as a classroom activity. In 2003 he co-authored a report, Technology in Today's ABE Classroom: A Look at the Technology Practices and Preferences of Adult Basic Education Teachers, which offered highlights from a technology survey of the northeastern U.S. conducted during the winter of 2003, one of the largest of its kind to look at how adult education teachers actually use technology.
Locally, Mr. Carter is a member of the Mayor’s Adult Literacy Council, and also represents D.C. LEARNs and the literacy field on the D.C. Jobs Council, the Fair Budget Coalition and the District of Columbia Public Library’s Library Services and Technology Act Advisory Board. Nationally, he has consulted on a variety of projects with the National Institute for Literacy, serves on the Board of Directors of Literacy USA, and is a member of the steering committee for The Adult Literacy and Technology Network, a national group of adult literacy professionals dedicated to finding solutions for using technology to enhance adult literacy.
Cesar Emanuel Watts, Hotline and Outreach Manager
Cesar holds a B.A. degree in Economics from the University of Panama. A native of Panama, he is bilingual in Spanish and English. In the U.S., Cesar has gained significant experience through positions with the Inlingua (ESL) language center and the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC). During his employment with ARC, Cesar created and implemented the Spanish Help Desk Line to assist Spanish-speaking travel agents. Currently, he works with various organizations to help immigrants in the U.S.
Carrie Skura, Policy Intern
Carrie Skura is a graduate student at American University where she is studying public policy and concentrating in social policy. Prior to joining D.C. LEARNs, Carrie worked for Northern Trust Company in Chicago where she was the National Request for Proposal Specialist and Senior Client Servicing Representative. Carrie worked directly with Northern Trust’s National Philanthropic Director assisting in the development of Northern Trust’s nonprofit and private foundation financial and administrative services. Carrie received her B.A. in Economics from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Carrie also volunteered with Chicago’s Working in The Schools program for Chicago Public Schools and Literacy Chicago with adult ESL students.
