The West Philadelphia Alliance for Children
The West Philadelphia Alliance for Children
Anne Willkomm, President
Associate Dean, Graduate College,
Associate Teaching Professor, Dept. of Communication, College of Arts and Sciences, Drexel University
Steve Udicious, Vice President
Assistant General Counsel, McKesson
Mengistu Koilor, Treasurer
Co-Owner, Two Locals Brewing Co.
Jinaki Bright, Secretary
Director of Education, Office of Senator Vincent J. Hughes, Pennsylvania Senate
Eileen Hillman Nonprofit Consultant, Schultz & Williams
Christina Holmes
Librarian, Children's Department Head, Free Library of Philadelphia
Terri Kelly
Middle School & High School Tutor
Diane Mills
West Philly Reading Captain
Tim O’Hara
Director, International Vaccine Commercial Operations, Merck and Company
Karen Richter
WePAC Volunteer Team Leader
Rachel Semigran
Director of Enrollment Marketing & Communications,
Swarthmore College
Stacy Torpey
U.S. Communications Director, Braksem
Jennifer Leith (she/her)
Executive Director
jennifer@wepac.org
(215) 452-0333 ext. 0
Jennifer Leith, a born and raised Philadelphian (19134), has been a supporter of WePAC and childhood literacy for many years especially in her 10+ years as Executive Director of The Douty Foundation and as a mom to two voracious readers. Jennifer brings a strong background in nonprofit management, relationship building and community engagement to WePAC. With a broad range of experiences, interests and a desire to constantly learn, Jennifer is excited to bring her skills and knowledge to WePAC and to also learn from the volunteers, partners and supporters who make the work of WePAC possible. Jennifer is an active member of her local community having served on the Haverford Township Human Relations Commission for 7 years and on the Board of Directors of the Haverford Township School District Education Foundation. Jennifer holds a B.A. in History & Political Science from Bucknell University and an M.A. in History from Rutgers University.
Katelin Beck (she/her)
Program Manager
katelin@wepac.org
(215) 452-0333 ext. 2
From a young age Katelin knew she wanted a career that would allow her to share her passion for stories with others. To begin her journey, she attended East Stroudsburg University where she earned a B.A. in English literature. She went on to continue her education at the graduate level by pursuing a teaching certification in 7th-12th grade English. For six years, Katelin taught middle school English in the School District of Philadelphia. During her time as a classroom teacher, she worked hard to support her students’ growing literacy skills and to encourage their lifelong love of reading by building a robust classroom library. Dedicated to the belief that literacy brings liberation and that all students deserve access to representative texts, Katelin is thrilled to serve as WePAC’s program manager. In her free time, Katelin loves spending time outside with her two boys.
Byron Martin (he/him)
Community Engagement Coordinator
martin@wepac.org
(215) 452-0333 ext. 3
With a background Program Coordination with the School District of Philadelphia, coupled with over five years of experience in the classroom as a teacher, Martin is a great addition to the WePAC staff. He is passionate about literacy, students and collaboration. Martin is skilled in managing various initiatives, overseeing program development and implementation, as well as collaborating with teachers, administrators, and community stakeholders. This experience has equipped him with a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities that exist within the education sector. Martin is particularly drawn to WePAC’s mission to promote literacy and learning in Philadelphia schools.
Martin states “the prospect of leveraging my skills to further this mission, alongside WePAC’s dedicated team, is both exciting and motivating for me”.
Jasmine Smith (she/her)
Librarian
jasmine@wepac.org
(215) 452-0333 ext. 1
Jasmine Smith is a graduate of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, where she earned a BA in History. She also holds an MA in Library and Information Science from Kent State University, with a concentration in Museum Studies.
In 2017, Jasmine relocated to Philadelphia, where she has since worked in special collections.
Over the past six years, she served as the Curator of African American History and Assistant Director of the Program in African American History at the Library Company of Philadelphia.
Currently, Jasmine is the project manager for Black Joy & Resilience, a grant-funded initiative with the Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections. She will be bringing her expertise in cataloging and library organization to WePAC.
4125 Lancaster Avenue, 1st Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215-452-0333
info@wepac.org