ABOUT US
BUILDING A STRONGER COMMUNITY WITH THE POWER OF LITERACY
- 52% of K-12 students in Collier County come from non-English speaking homes
- 17% of Collier County residents live below the poverty level
- Estimated 50% of Literacy Collier students live below the poverty level
Serving thousands of students over the years – with a growing list of individuals to be served – Literacy Collier helps meet the challenges of Collier County’s growing and diverse population by ensuring that people from various walks of life and countries are given the skills to more fully participate in their community.
An accredited affiliate of ProLiteracy America, Literacy Collier’s volunteer tutors work with students of all levels, changing lives for the better.
“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.”
-Ludwig Wittgenstein
OUR STAFF
Brandon Wilkins, Executive Director
Brandon Wilkins joined Literacy Collier in May of 2020 as the organization’s first Development Director. Brandon has been instrumental in growing the revenue and donor base of Literacy Collier over the last 4 years. In September 2023, Brandon stepped into the Executive Director role, continuing his work in helping Literacy Collier continue to grow
Contact: 239.262.4448, Ext 303 or [email protected]
Sandra Barreto, Office Manager
Sandra has been an integral part of Literacy Collier since 2006. Born in Peru, her proficiency in English and Spanish provides major support to the adult program in addition to overseeing the organization’s administrative duties and event planning. A graduate of Southwestern State College, she is dedicated to making a positive impact on our students and provides her support where needed.
Contact: 239.262.4448, Ext. 301 or [email protected]
Veronica Pavon-Baker, Director of Adult Programs
Veronica has over thirty years of experience in adult training and development, working closely with the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) Adult ESOL Programs. A retired administrator from Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Veronica holds two Master’s degrees, one in Education in Curriculum and Instruction with ESL Specialization and another in Business Administration. Veronica’s extensive background in teaching, student assessment and administration is helping Literacy Collier develop first class tutors for the Adult Program.
Contact: 239.262.4448, Ext. 304 or [email protected]
Samantha Zuniga, Director of Families Programs
Samantha Zuniga came to Literacy Collier in March 2020 as a test proctor. With great skills in marketing and IT, Samantha quickly accepted the additional role of Marketing Coordinator. Born in Peru, she also lived in Spain for 6 years before coming to Naples in 2016. Samantha has a degree in Computer Engineering from Vista Alegre College in Madrid, Spain, and she is currently pursuing a degree in Digital Marketing from State University of Illinois. In her time here, Samantha has broadened the reach of Literacy Collier with her skills in design and ability to convey the Literacy Collier message. Look for Samantha on Facebook, email, and Twitter, where she is telling everyone about the great work of Literacy Collier staff and volunteers.
Contact: 239.262.4448, Ext. 306 or [email protected]
Board of Directors
Francis Fee – President
Mary Colina-Fowler – Vice President
Chris Spitz – Treasurer
Victor Cerna
Marc Fletcher
Ana Munro
Jack Wert
Dan Kreuzer
Dr. Elizabeth McBride
Barb Murray
Izabela Sikorski
Peter Zimmermann
Honorary – Scott Turow, Lawyer and Best Selling Author