Kristin Norell has served nearly a decade as national CEO of the Kennewick-based Children’s Reading Foundation.
Tri-City Herald file
Kennewick, WA
The Children’s Reading Foundation in Kennewick announced Friday its CEO will step away after nearly a decade leading the national nonprofit dedicated to ensuring kids can read by 3rd grade.
“It has been an honor to serve the Children’s Reading Foundation and the families, educators, volunteers, staff, and board members who make this work possible,” CEO Kristin Norell said in a statement.
“I remain deeply committed to the organization and look forward to working closely with the board to ensure a thoughtful leadership transition that positions CRF for continued success,” she continued.
Kristin Norell
Norell will stay in her role until the board completes a nationwide search for her successor.
Children’s Reading Foundation co-founder and Board President Nancy Kerr said Norell’s “expertise, energy and dedication” brought real results to their organization and positioned them for continued success.
Under her watch, it expanded its nationally recognized READY! For Kindergarten program, broadened partnerships that reached families across the U.S., and guided it through the COVID pandemic.
“Her advocacy for early learning and literacy has improved the lives of thousands of children throughout North America,” Kerr, a retired educator, said in a statement. “The board of directors thanks Kristin for her outstanding contributions and looks forward to building on the strong foundation she has helped establish.”
Kerr said the board hopes to have someone new in the role by early next year. It will close its search in about 60 days, then take another 60 days to review applications and conduct background searches before interviews.
Norell has more than 20 years experience in sales, licensing and marketing experience, with strong ties to the publishing industry.
She served about five years on the Children’s Reading Foundation’s board of directors before she was selected as its CEO. Norell has held previous leadership roles with Chronicle Books, World Books and Andrews McMeel Universal.
The Children’s Reading Foundation was founded 30 years ago and oversees reading and tutoring programs in 30 states.
It was created after five Tri-City citizens and eight school districts came together with the belief that the entire community is responsible for helping to solve the literacy gap. It adopted the goal that 90% of students would read proficiently by the end of 3rd grade, and preaches the power of parents reading 20 minutes a day to their children.
There are about seven affiliated chapters across the nation, including the local Children’s Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia. Both the national and Mid-Columbia chapter is based in Kennewick.
Inquiries for hiring materials can be made by emailing ceosearch@readingfoundation.org. Candidates may also send a cover letter, resume and supporting materials to the address.
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Eric Rosane is the Tri-City Herald’s Civic Accountability Reporter focused on Education and Local Government. Before coming to the Herald in February 2022, he worked at the Daily Chronicle in Lewis County covering schools, floods, fish, dams and the Legislature. He graduated from Central Washington University in 2018.
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