Elle desires that children, as future leaders and world changers, would know they are valued and important. She remembers reading being magical as a child, transporting her on faraway adventures, and wants every child to experience the magic of reading and the true success it ultimately brings. After earning a dual degree in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Development from Grove City College, she spent several years as a classroom teacher. She then worked with at-risk youth as a Program Director at a non-profit camp, mediating conflicts and various trauma-induced behaviors while training and developing young adults to do the same. She has a heart for international education and has traveled and worked with schools in Italy, Zambia, Mozambique, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She has contributed to developing a primary curriculum that promotes critical thinking and problem-solving skills for schools in Uganda. Elle believes that children have a right to excellent education and has personally witnessed the ability to read change– and even save– lives.

Elle is happy to be back in Bethlehem near her family and church after quite some time away. She enjoys hiking, reading, musicals, and coffee, though not necessarily in that order. As a camping enthusiast, she absolutely loves nature. She is a foodie and an explorer—up for multi-cultural experiences and the challenge of learning new languages. Ask her the weirdest thing she has eaten and you’re bound to have an interesting conversation!