Meet Lindsey Sterrett | Read 2 Succeed’s New Elementary Literacy Director

The Read 2 Succeed family is thrilled to welcome Lindsey Sterrett as our new Elementary Literacy Director! Check out the fun Q&A below to learn more about Lindsey’s background and how she came to R2S:

What role has reading played in your life?
I was a shy kid, and unfortunately, I experienced more bullying than friendship at school from elementary through middle school. My grandmother was my lighthouse and instilled a love of stories as a young child. When I began reading independently, books became my friends and companions. Though my outer world offered some real challenges, my inner life became full of possibilities, adventures, new ideas, and a place where I felt safe to be me.

What was your favorite book as a child? What is your favorite book now (if it changed!)
I loved “The Pokey Little Puppy” - that puppy’s mischievous and adventurous self resonated with my own love of being outdoors and getting lost in the beauty of small details.  

As an adult, I have many favorites, if I were to frame it as a book that lives on my bookshelf until it disappears (when I give it away): “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” by Junot Díaz.

What are you most looking forward to at R2S?
As I start this new chapter with R2S, I’m most looking forward to getting to be a part of a learning community that is doing incredibly important work in the lives of children and families.

Where does your passion come from?
I attribute my love and passion for the rights of children to my grandmother. She was unconditionally kind, curious, loved and respected me for who I was, valued my thoughts/ideas, and regularly challenged my perspectives through her compass as a lifelong learner.

Give us a glimpse at your life off the clock?
I’m a social introvert. At home you can find me curled up with a book, haphazardly gardening, making big vats of soup, sharing food and laughter with friends and family, napping, or wandering in the woods with my husband and our dogs.

What are some of your favorite things about Asheville?
I live in Brevard with my family. Asheville truly feels like “the big city” in comparison. I appreciate how there is always something happening with lots of overlapping orbits of community, as well as, great places to eat!