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Part
of what makes Kids to Kids
so special is its staff. These are some of the people that
make Kids to Kids such
a success.
Laurie Hartig, Founder and Director of
Programs
Lisa
Habighorst, Executive Director
Sherry Walker, Director
of Development
Cynthia
Hensel, Breakfast
With Books Program and Book
Drive Coordinator
Jennifer Czarnecki,
Volunteer Coordinator
Becky
Barnard, Events Coordinator
Trang Dang, Communication
Coordinator
Robin Wuebbenhorst,
Program Assistant
Carmen Choto, Program
Assistant
Denise Essa, Program
Assistant
Laurie
Hartig, Founder and Director of Programs
 Laurie
Hartig is a retired elementary school librarian. Laurie graduated
from Southern Methodist University with a B.A. in Education
and a Masters Degree from UNLV in Curriculum and instruction,
specializing in Library Science.
During
her 16 years working with at-risk children, she realized the
impact that ownership of books made in the lives of her young
students. Although inspiring children to check out books from
her library was her goal, when she could provide youngsters
with a book of their own from her discarded library books,
this was when she saw the magic of book ownership. Her students
sparkled—they stood taller and prouder.
At
Kids to Kids, Laurie promotes
the program through speaking engagements and other outreach
efforts, and oversees all the different program aspects of
Kids to Kids.
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Lisa
Habighorst, Executive Director
 Lisa
Habighorst was a middle school mathematics teacher for 12
years. She earned her undergraduate degree in Education at
Oregon State University and a Masters Degree in Education
Administration from UNLV.
Being
a believer in literacy and an avid reader, she jumped at the
chance in July 2001 to coordinate the Kids
to Kids program.
Lisa
is responsible for the overall management of Kids
to Kids. She oversees all employees and financials
as well as the daily operation of the program. Lisa spends
a large amount of time on growing the program through Board
relations, strategic planning, vision and stability.
Sherry
Walker , Director of Development
 Sherry
is a graduate of Miami of Ohio in Oxford, Ohio. She has a
B.S. in Business and Marketing. She worked for 10 years as
an international flight attendant out of JFK airport in New
York.
Sherry
has been involved with the Early Childhood program in Clark
County schools and has seen what a difference early intervention
can make in a child's life. She believes Kids
to Kids can make a huge impact in the lives of
children by helping them develop good reading habits at an
early age.
On
behalf of Kids to Kids,
Sherry cultivates relationships within the corporate, nonprofit
and grassroots communities, enlisting their support through
donations and sponsorship opportunities.
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Cynthia
Hensel, Breakfast With Books Program and Book Drive Coordinator
 Cynthia
Hensel graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN with
a major in biology and minors in chemistry and psychology.
She returned to college to become a science teacher for grades
7-12.
After
teaching for six years, she entered the medical field and
became a cytogenetic technologist. Cynthia is a mother of
two boys. She volunteers in her children's school and works
part-time for the Kids to Kids literacy project. She is very
passionate about helping to facilitate literacy learning opportunities
for all children.
Cindy
organizes book drives, oversees the monthly book distributions
to adopted schools, and manages book pick-ups and drop-offs.
She is also responsible for the "Breakfast with Books"
program for Kids to Kids,
as well as planning, scheduling and organizing, soliciting
sponsorships and raffle prizes for the monthly events.
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Jennifer
Czarnecki, Volunteer Coordinator
 Jennifer
is a graduate of U.C. Santa Barbara (B.A., Political Science:
International Relations); the University of Redlands (Elementary
Education); and she has a Masters Degree in Educational Administration
from UNLV.
Jennifer
worked for eight years teaching elementary school (K, 1st
and 3rd grades), where she also mentored and trained new teachers.
She recently took a leave of absence to be a "stay at
home" mom for her two children.
Jennifer
is working for Kids to Kids
because she feels reading should not only be a school activity,
but a family activity as well. She loves the first-hand experience
of helping and watching children discover their own love of
reading and seeing how magical it can be.
She
manages all the volunteers who assist with our various programs.
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Becky
Barnard, Events Coordinator
 Becky
Barnard joins our team as Special Events Coordinator. She
spent the last four years as a preschool teacher and previously
worked at UNLV as a Program Coordinator in the office of Student
Activities.
Becky
is a graduate of California Polytechnic University at Pomona.
Becky is responsible for the annual Storybook Gala and the
many exciting events Kids to Kids supports to promote literacy.
She is excited to have the opportunity to enrich lives of
children throughout the Las Vegas Valley.
Becky
and her husband Will have three children and enjoy camping,
participating in sports and of course lots of reading!
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Trang
Dang, Communication Coordinator
 Trang
earned a Bachelor's degree in Human Services (major) and Child
Development (minor) at California State University, Fullerton,
and a Master's Degree in Social Work at the University of
Southern California. Before relocating to Nevada with her
husband and two daughters, Trang worked as a clinical social
worker in an outpatient behavioral health clinic in California.
She served children with emotional, behavioral and special
needs and provided mental health evaluations of children designated
under special education in local school districts.
Trang
joined Kids to Kids as
a part-time staff member in August of 2007 and currently works
with media sources to promote the program, oversees communications
efforts, and assists with other program management responsibilities.
She will also facilitate book cleanings at other community
centers, assist with program promotion, and facilitate book
drives.
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Robin
Wuebbenhorst, Program Assistant
 Robin
Wuebbenhorst is a graduate of Northwood University in Midland,
Michigan. She has a BBA in Management and Marketing and an
AA in Hotel and Restaurant Management. She is currently attending
Nevada State College part-time taking classes towards a Bachelor
of Science in Nursing.
Robin
runs the bi-monthly cleaning parties with the National Charity
League volunteers and Foothill High School, facilitates various
other monthly cleaning parties, and assists in promoting Kids
to Kids at various community events.
Robin
is currently a "stay at home" mom with two boys.
She spends many hours volunteering at her son's school, John
C. Vanderburg, where she is the chair director of the Kids
to Kids book drive. One of the many reasons she
works part-time for Kids to Kids
is getting the children excited about helping other children
through the book drive.
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Carmen
Choto, Program Assistant
 Carmen
E. Choto moved to the U.S. 27 years ago from El Salvador,
Central America. Carmen is a wife and full-time mom of four
children. As a bilingual speaker (of Spanish and English),
Carmen worked for the St. Anne Church as the head of events
and planning of the Pastoral Ministry. Carmen has also volunteered
for more than four years at St. Rose Dominican Hospital, aiding
in retail services. Lately, she has been working in childcare
at St. Thomas More Church.
With
more than two years of psychology study under her belt, from
the Jesuit University in El Salvador, Carmen has a unique
understanding of how reading helps in the development of children.
Carmen's drive and enthusiasm for Kids to Kids was inspired
by a realization of how—growing up in El Salvador, and seeing
how any type of literature was hard to come by—books were
gifts and that many children are still incapable of obtaining
the magic and wonder of reading. Through her work, Carmen
shows her true appreciation of the amazing unity between books
and children.
Carmen
oversees weekly book cleanings at the Henderson Senior Center.
She works with our "Breakfast with Books" program
as a facilitator at a number of schools and helps promote
Kids to Kids at community
events.
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Denise
Essa , Program Assistant
 Denise
attended Moraine Valley College in Palos Hills, IL and UNLV.
She currently enjoys being a "stay at home" mom
of two school age children and has helped volunteer at their
school. Raising her own children has helped her realize the
importance of creating an interest in reading and is excited
to be involved in the Kids to Kids
program bringing the gift of books to children.
Denise
oversees bi-weekly book cleanings at the Lieburn Senior Center.
She works with our "Breakfast with Books" program
as a facilitator at a number of schools and helps promote
Kids to Kids at community
events.
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