Staff & Board

Executive Director

Amanda’s passion for serving the community has taken many different shapes over the years, from volunteering as a reading tutor for youth to serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zambia. While living in Zambia, she worked closely with community members to organize health sensitization events and educate others on topics including malaria, nutrition, and HIV/AIDS. She fell in love with the people and culture of Zambia and went on to teach English at a primary school, before returning to her roots in Western North Carolina to support incarcerated women preparing for the transition of life upon release.

One of her greatest joys in life is experiencing the magic that happens when people in the community stand together to bring about meaningful change. The experiences she has had, including her most recent position as Vice President of Programs at Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC, have illuminated for her the lasting impact that dedicated volunteers can have in their communities.

Amanda believes that access to education and literacy is transformative and life-changing, and she is thrilled to work alongside the team at Literacy Together for such a powerful cause.

When she isn’t dreaming about her next overseas adventure, Amanda enjoys cuddling with her 80-pound lapdog, pretending she can dance, lifting weights, and walking through the woods searching for birds with her husband.

ESOL Program Director

Erin, a lover of languages and cultural exchange, believes she has the perfect job.

“Helping immigrants communicate in the language of their new home is especially rewarding because of the empowerment that comes for them,” Erin says. “I just glow every time I hear that one of our ESOL students has gotten a promotion, found a better job, or been able to help a child with homework.”

Erin lists some pretty impressive credentials for managing the Literacy Together’s English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program. She earned a B.A. in German from San Diego State University, a master’s degree in cross-cultural education from National University in San Diego, and a California teaching certificate. She has five years experience teaching English, German, and Spanish to middle and high school students and ESOL to adults, as well as teaching English and math while living in Tijuana, Mexico for two years. Erin is a ProLiteracy certified trainer, past president of the Asheville Area Director of Volunteers in Agencies (DOVIA), and member of the executive board of Carolina Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).

Working at Literacy Together since 2005, Erin conducts all ESOL tutor trainings and oversees all ESOL tutor volunteer activities. She remarks, “Our volunteer tutors are folks who care enough to give freely of their time, talents, and love. I am continually humbled and inspired by both our students and our volunteers!”

Erin ’s home life revolves around husband, Sam, two children, Elan and Marlise, and their dog, T-Bone. She likes to read and travel whenever possible.

ESOL Associate

Being born and raised in Venezuela gave Gigi a different perspective when she left her country to go live in Mexico City by herself in 2019, where she got immersed in a different culture and with time was able to create a community that started to form around her. She heard stories and became friends with people of all ages and backgrounds, which was a very important part of her development as an individual. She moved to Asheville in 2022, to be reunited with her family and that was when she heard of the ESOL program for the first time, since her cousin and aunt had been part of the program and were able to not only communicate much better in an environment that felt distant, but get better opportunities because of it. Gigi believes that everyone should have the same opportunities, and learning English as an immigrant from any country can be the start for getting a more rewarding life.

Gigi’s home life is all about community, cooking delicious food with her fiance, and spending time with friends and family. She also enjoys hiking, swimming in any body of water she can find, and traveling whenever she can.

Office Manager and ESOL Specialist

Born and raised in Kazan, Russia – a large city 600 miles from Moscow, Irina came to the U.S. in 1994 following the collapse of the Soviet Union. She adopted Asheville as her new home when her husband secured a research position in the area. Irina began studying English with Literacy Together and soon became an ESOL tutor herself, working with students from the Ukraine. In 2000, she joined the Literacy Council staff.

“Our students and their stories make my job especially meaningful. I know first hand how difficult it is for adults to learn a new language,” Irina remembers. “It is very hard work. At Literacy Together, we see small but significant victories every day. It’s really rewarding to give people something now that helps them long term.”

Irina earned a masters degree in Physics from Kazan State University and taught math courses at the Kazan State Power Engineering University. She and her husband, Airat, have two grown sons and enjoy reading, hiking, and traveling.

Adult Literacy Program Director

Rebecca Massey has been an educator in North Carolina for 17 years, including time spent tutoring students with learning differences and teaching community college courses. Rebecca knows Literacy Together’s Adult Literacy program and curriculum very well — she has been a volunteer tutor for four years!

Rebecca has a Bachelor of Arts in English from Auburn University and a Master of Arts in English from NC State University. In addition to her work with books, reading, and education, Rebecca has volunteered for Animal Haven of Asheville, caring for abused, abandoned, and injured animals.

“I hope to make the best use of my mind and energy by being of service to people in need, and education is the way I know to do that most effectively.”

Youth Literacy Program Director

Elyse brings years of experience in education, writing, and community engagement to Literacy Together. With a background in English Literature & Composition and Spanish, she has taught language, writing, and study skills to youth and adults in Guatemala, Argentina, and the U.S. These roles deepened her understanding of how foundational literacy skills empower individuals to grow, gain confidence, and thrive both academically and personally. Her experiences in multicultural environments have also shaped her commitment to fostering inclusive learning spaces that celebrate diversity.

Elyse looks forward to collaborating with volunteers and community partners to inspire a love of learning in Buncombe County’s youth. Having grown up with a deep appreciation for the transformative power of books and storytelling, she is passionate about making literacy accessible to all. In her downtime, she enjoys reading, arts and crafts, exploring new places, and training her energetic dog.

For the past five years Tiffany has had the privilege of being home with her two young children. Now, she is ready to take on this new chapter in her life. Literacy and community are two things that she highly values, so she feels incredibly excited and grateful for this opportunity to support those values through working with Literacy Together’s Youth Literacy program. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Creative Writing from the University of South Florida. She enjoys being outdoors, reading, and going on adventures with her family and dog, Junebug.

Outreach and Communications Director

Laura Bernhein is a journalist and life coach born in Argentina, whose passions are communication, traveling, self-improvement, learning new things and raising her two beautiful kids. She moved to the United States 17 years ago from Buenos Aires, her hometown and, even when she’s now building a life in Asheville, she considers the world to be her home.

As an immigrant, Laura knows how important it is to be able to speak the language of one’s new country. When she first came to the US she was able to quickly improve her English with the help of generous volunteers from a school in Boulder, Colorado. For that, she’ll be forever grateful!

As a life coach, she knows how vital it is to find one’s voice to live an authentic, fulfilling life. Being proficient in literacy is the first step to get there.

Laura thrives in interactions, and part of her personal mission is to bring positive change to people’s lives through genuine communication.

She fell in love with Literacy Together’s mission a year and a half ago, when she started volunteering for the ESOL program. The work she now does at the organization is the perfect fit for her, because it integrates all of her passions and her life experiences. She’s thrilled about it!

Grants & Development Manager

Linda started at Literacy Together as a volunteer and quickly fell in love with what we do and why we do it. A traveler at heart, she spent seven years abroad as a teacher, and it was this immersion in other cultures and languages that deepened her appreciation for foundational literacy skills for all people.

Linda cares deeply about literacy as a means of personal development. Literacy skills change lives, open doors, provide a mirror for understanding experiences and lead to a life of independence and exploration. Linda previously served as the Youth Literacy Program Director and is thrilled to transition her focus to grants and development.

With a background in writing, editing, project management, and community engagement, Linda works closely with our ED, donors, and community members to secure resources and build partnerships that advance Literacy Together’s mission to transform lives and communities through the power of literacy.

She is currently learning the art and practice of pottery and lives in the Asheville area with her husband, cat, and dog. She enjoys reading, baking, and board games and is usually plotting an upcoming road trip.