As Chief of Staff for Reach Out and Read, Johnnetta Anderson will lead cross departmental initiatives and coordinate work as a member of the senior leadership team. A primary focus is leadership of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work aimed at growing the knowledge and competency of staff and advancing equitable and inclusive policies and practices across our network helping to shepherd Reach Out and Read on that journey and leading the implementation work associated. Johnnetta brings nearly 15 years of experience working with nonprofits that provide services to underserved communities. She has developed expertise in leadership, Quality Management, process improvement, program management and lived experiences with DEI. Most recently she worked with the CDC Foundation on the Vaccine/Workforce initiative project team which provided support to state, territory, and tribal health departments across the country to address the Covid-19 pandemic. Johnnetta is excited to join the Reach Out and Read team and support its impactful mission.

Johnnetta is a community leader who has dedicated her career to supporting people in marginalized communities through her work as a board member for her local Red Cross chapter and as a Rotary Club past president and member. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Georgia College and State University, a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Arizona, and a Master of Business Administration from Mercer University.

Ruth Coleman, Reach Out and Read’s new National Senior Director of Growth, immigrated from Nigeria, West Africa, to the United States at age 9, igniting an unwavering commitment to marginalized communities. With more than two decades in nonprofit work and 13 years as an organizational consultant, she optimizes organizational performance through tailored growth strategies, emphasizing collaboration, communication, and leadership, always underscored by a commitment to equity and inclusion. Ruth holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership, an M.A. in Organizational Leadership, a Bachelor of Social Work, and a B.S. in Bible.

She co-founded a nonprofit dedicated to addressing the surgical crisis in Africa, demonstrating her dedication to making a meaningful impact on a global scale. Her diverse experiences and expertise have positioned her to work at the intersection of education and health care, creating opportunities to accelerate the progress of marginalized communities. In her free time, Ruth cherishes time with her husband and two daughters, whom she is raising to change the world; reading a good book; and songwriting.

Nikki Shearman is responsible for developing and implementing a research strategy and improvements to our program to position Reach Out and Read to achieve our Next Chapter vision of incorporating our model as a standard of pediatric primary care. As Chief of Research and Innovation, she leads her team in the improvement of our impact through innovation, in offering training and skill-building opportunities for clinicians implementing the Reach Out and Read program and in maintaining strong relationships with our medical leadership to bring the clinical voice into our strategy and advocacy. She also coordinates the strategy for research and evaluation that demonstrates Reach Out and Read’s impact. Nikki brings a combined experience of research, operational strategy, and communications to this position, starting with 10 years’ experience in medical research in laboratories in the UK, Japan and Germany, and publication of her work in international journals. Subsequently, Nikki worked within the management of a variety of non-profit organizations in the UK and the US. Nikki earned her PhD in cancer research from the University of Southampton, UK.