As the school year draws to a close, we invite you to join Executive Director Chris Otis and Program Director Afrita Davis for a celebration of all we've accomplished together and a look at where we're headed in the year to come.

The 2020-21 school year has brought plenty of challenges as well as new opportunities to work towards our vision of an Oregon where all children can realize their full potential through reading. We'll share the promising results from our pilots of our virtual reading engagement opportunities and talk about how we continued getting books into the hands of kids across Oregon.

We'll also discuss our plans for the 2021-22 school year, and have time for a Q&A. If you’d like to submit a question in advance, please email it to SMART@SMARTReading.org.
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    Executive Director
    Chris Otis joined SMART Reading as executive director in December 2010. In that time, she has effectively led the organization through a strategic planning process that has resulted in impressive program growth and improved financial stability. With Otis at the helm, SMART Reading’s number of children served has grown by nearly 60 percent, which has been achieved by aligning SMART Reading’s efforts with key state education goals and working to gain deeper understanding of the populations the organization serves. Chris has a rich background of more than 25 years in nonprofit leadership. She received both her MBA and her Bachelor’s degrees from California State University in Sacramento.
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    Program Director
    Afrita Davis is the Program Director at SMART Reading and has held this role since September 2019. She previously worked with youth of color in the public education system for nine years. She is a veteran of the U.S. military, having been honorably discharged from the Army Reserves after 14 years of service and a tour in Iraq. As a former foster youth and adoptee, she understands the power of stories and shares her own journey when it is most impactful and best serves youth in care. She received her Bachelor’s degree in biology from Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas.