Family Literacy Coordinator
Karen Tillis is a fierce advocate for education, community and equity, and is excited to bring these values to her role as RLC’s Family Literacy Program Coordinator. Karen’s passion for reading began as a preschooler obsessed with LeVar Burton’s Reading Rainbow, but it was further fueled by the desire to help others achieve their full potential. She received her bachelor’s degree in Family Studies followed by a post-baccalaureate degree in education. She taught 4K, 5th grade, and was a school secretary. Karen also served on a board of directors for a nonprofit organization whose mission was to tutor and coach student athletes. She enjoys teaching Zumba and finding an excuse to wear a costume.

Communications & Development
Jessica was born and raised in Racine. She started at RLC as a part-time assistant in 2021 and has grown into a new role of full-time Communications & Development Coordinator, working to keep RLC students, tutors and the public informed about RLC programs and events. As a mom of four kids, she knows the importance of a quality education for all. As she takes on this new role, she is excited to promote RLC so that residents of Racine County have opportunities for a better life in our community.

Community Outreach Coordinator
Tihane (Tia) Adams is a recent graduate of Gateway Technical College and is continuing her education at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. She came to the Racine Literacy Council in February 2023 as an intern and was quickly hired as the organization’s first Community Engagement Specialist. She represents RLC at various community events and works with prospective students and tutors. She enjoys listening to music, reading and spending time with family and friends.

Bilingual Administrative Assistant
Cecilia (Cece) Hernandez has joined Racine Literacy Council as a Bilingual Executive Assistant. She was born and raised in Racine by immigrant parents who only speak Spanish. In her childhood, she grew up translating for her parents. That’s part of what she says attracted her to the Racine Literacy Council, where she can help people like her parents communicate. “I wanted to work at the Racine Literacy Council because I like to help people,” says Cece. “I also like the message of the Council, that ‘literacy’ isn’t only about reading, but also about learning what you need to manage life.”

Bilingual Administrative Assistant
Maria Maldonado was born in Guadalajara Jalisco Mexico, and came to the United States with her parents when she was six years old. Her family settled in Texas, where Maria spent most of her childhood. She then moved to Racine three years ago. Maria is a Bilingual Executive Assistant at Racine Literacy Council, a job she says excites her because she knows she is able to make it an easier journey for people who migrate to the United States through her job. “I know how hard it is to learn a new language,” she says.

Driver’s Education Teacher
Richard joined Racine Literacy Council after a 38-year career in education as principal and superintendent. He developed a curriculum for people who wanted to study to take the Wisconsin driver’s regular and commercial drivers’ license tests. He has been teaching future drivers for more than 25 years at RLC. Richard is a resident of western Racine County and has been an active community volunteer, doing income taxes for AARP, serving on the boards of the Lakeshores Library System, Walworth County Literacy Council and the Town of Dover Planning and Zoning. He has been a 4-H leader for nearly 60 years and is involved in the Hispanic Round Table and Hispanic Business & Professional Assoc.

BOARD PRESIDENT

For 36 years, Jim has been in corporate real estate, facilities management, and project management. Currently, he is the Director of Facility Planning and Maintenance for Racine Unified School District and is responsible for creating and implementing the District’s long-range facilities master plan. A lifelong volunteer, Jim is the newest Board Member to the Racine Literacy Council.

BOARD VICE PRESIDENT

This is John’s second time serving on the Racine Literacy Council Board. He was the Vice President of the Board in 1987 and has since served many area nonprofit organizations, including Health Care Network. He and his wife, Jill, opened Red Cross Drug in 1980, an operation they ran until 1996, when the pharmacy became part of Aurora Health Care. John then joined Aurora and became the Director of Aurora’s Retail Pharmacy Operations until he retired in 2018. In 2022, John became a volunteer tutor for Racine Literacy Council and looks forward to extending his volunteerism to the board.

TREASURER

Mary is a lifelong Racine resident who currently serves the Board as its Treasurer. She has a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and is a Certified Public Accountant. Her hobby is reading, a perfect fit for a Racine Literacy Council volunteer.

SECRETARY

A Racine native, Ashleigh attended Horlick High School and then served for seven years as a military police officer in the US Navy, where she was stationed in Florida and Japan. Ashleigh moved back to Racine to attend Marquette University Law School, where she graduated in 2022. She is currently a general practice attorney, focusing on real estate law, estate planning and business law. Ashleigh also has many years of volunteer experience, ranging from working with the American Red Cross to schools, churches and nonprofits. She enjoys reading, spending time with her family and outdoor activities.

BOARD MEMBER

Victor Frasher is a financial literacy advocate for advising and educating the community of best financial practices. A lifelong resident of Racine, Victor dedicates his time to various local organizations in addition to the Racine Literacy Council Board. Victor is a Board Member for Junior Achievement Racine/Kenosha Counties, Wisconsin Woman Business Initiative advisory team for southeastern Wisconsin and City of Racine’s Community Development Committee. Victor also serves on various advisory boards, including Kenosha and Racine Unified School Districts.

BOARD MEMBER

Atif is a long-time Racine Literacy Council Board Member. A Senior Analyst at Johnson Outdoors, Atif has an undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and a graduate degree from University of Wisconsin. He currently serves as chairperson of the Racine Literacy Council’s Governance Committee. As father of a young son, Atif’s activities revolve around family.

BOARD MEMBER

Patricia is a CPA, with a master’s degree in Business Management from Strayer University. She spent 32 years in the military and retired at the rank of Colonel. She is self-employed and semi-retired and serves as chairperson of the Racine Literacy Council’s Personnel Committee. She loves quilting, gardening, and, most of all, her grandchildren.

BOARD MEMBER

Jessica is a Business Analyst for the Human Resources Department of Gateway Technical College, where she also works as an adjunct instructor. She is a recent graduate of Leadership Racine and currently serves as chairperson for the Great Lakes Users Conference, which serves colleges and universities in Canada, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. She holds an MBA in Human Resource Management from Strayer University. Jessica has more than 11 years of Human Resource experience with various midsized companies. In her spare time, she enjoys learning new things, reading, sitting in the sun and spending time with family, friends, and her dog.

BOARD MEMBER

Esmeralda describes herself as a proud Mexican who embraces her heritage with joy and enthusiasm. As a bilingual individual, she says she finds immense fulfillment in bridging cultures and languages, and fostering connections wherever she goes. Professionally, she wears multiple hats that all center on her core values of empathy, inclusion, and empowerment. She is the Dean of Students and Transition/Family Coordinator at Sonnenberg Schools, and also works at The Inclusive Bean, a coffee shop close to her heart that provides meaningful employment to teens and adults with disabilities. Her passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion fuels everything she does. She is committed to creating environments where everyone feels valued and respected. Outside of work, she likes to soak up the sun during the summer and explore new food delights.

BOARD MEMBER

As a young adult, Brandon moved to the Racine/Kenosha area to pursue a degree in marketing and psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. After graduating college, Brandon found his way back to the higher education industry, where he is currently employed as a Success Coach at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. Brandon is a recent graduate of Leadership Racine. During Leadership Racine he was originally introduced to Racine Literacy Council where he quickly found passion in serving on the Board of Directors, given his family history of coming from immigrant parents who could have benefited from Racine Literacy Council services. As a result, he has developed a passion to serve those in need of similar services. In addition, during Brandon’s free time he likes to go on outdoor adventures with his girlfriend, dog and cat. He also enjoys spending time with friends and watching sports.

BOARD MEMBER

As a Racine native, Erica is a wife and working mom of two that joined the Racine Literacy Council in 2024. She graduated with a bachelor degree in Communications from UW-Parkside and has enjoyed putting her undergrad degree to use, both personally and professionally. With more than 10 years of experience in marketing, eCommerce and project management across digital landscapes and IT, her passion is bridging gaps between functions and people. She currently is an employee at S.C. Johnson, where she navigates exciting changes in the CPG industry. An avid learner, she attributes her love of literacy to the efforts of her mother, an English teacher at Lutheran High School, who always made reading exciting.

Board Member

Hailing from Kenosha, Charles worked in Racine County since January 2000 and moved here in 2002. He has worked in non-profit healthcare since 1997 in various capacities and currently is Lead Pharmacy Tech for a healthcare system, where he oversees and conducts training in the group’s sterile compounding program. He has served on the Board of the LGBT Center of SE Wisconsin, where he had the privilege of being a founding Director and served twice as Board Secretary. He is a graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. He has been married to his partner, John, for more than 25 years. They live in Mount Pleasant with an ever-growing personal library.