Our Mission and Values

The mission of the Washington Literacy Center, Inc., is to raise the literacy level of adults in Washington, DC, such that they may function on the job, in the family and in society.

WLC is committed to innovation and excellence for our students through:

  • Finding and implementing best practices for teaching basic literacy to adults;
  • Recruiting, motivating and retaining the staff and volunteers who carry out this work;
  • Enabling our students to enhance their life experiences and reach personal development goals; and
  • Educating decision-makers and raising public awareness of literacy efforts to benefit adult learners and their families.

We strive to uphold standards that represent the knowledge and skills our learners need, and impart that education based on the best curriculum modules.

About Us
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Our Board of Directors
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Our Staff
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Contact Us

About Us

The Washington Literacy Center (WLC) has been providing adult literacy instruction since 1963. Begun as an all-volunteer literacy organization based on the “each one teach one” philosophy of literacy pioneer Frank Laubach, our organization has evolved into a vigorous nonprofit where professional staff, paid and unpaid teachers, and volunteer tutors work together to help adult nonreaders in the District of Columbia meet their goals and function better on the job, in their families, and in society.

The WLC provides direct literacy instruction to adults who have the most limited reading skills. We work to help adults improve their basic literacy and numeracy skills so they can successfully enter and complete job training or GED programs. According to a 2007 study, 36 percent of adult DC residents are functionally illiterate. These members of our community read at such low levels that they cannot enter a GED program, enroll in a job-training program, or complete an online job application. These English-speaking DC residents are our students.

2010 Annual Report

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WLC Board of Directors

Mary T. Algire (Terry)
Executive Director
Washington Literacy Center

Warren T. Allen II
Associate Attorney
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flam, LLP

Carol Blum
Director, Research Compliance & Administration
Council on Governmental Relations (COGR)

John B. Buntin
Staff Writer
Governing Magazine

Helen F. Dalton
Director, Public Relations/Communications, Retired
Freddie Mac

Michelle Duke
Vice President
National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation

Cameron Gilreath
Vice President, Public Policy
Time Warner, Inc.

Heather McCabe

Gerald Musarra
Vice President Government and Regulatory Affairs
Lockheed Martin Corporation

Peggy Peterson
Senior Advisor
Baker Hostetler

Jonathan B. Sax 
Senior Director, Human Resources Operations
Blackboard, Inc.

Ann Scoffler
Senior Vice President, Retired
City First Bank

Desa Sealy
Associate Commissioner
U.S. General Services Administration

Peggy Sulvetta
Chief Information Officer
The Urban Institute

Jeffery A. Tomasevich
Kaye Scholer LLP

Our Staff

Mary T Algire (Terry), Executive Director

Terry started working in adult literacy in 2003 as the Executive Director for Learn To Read, an adult literacy program located in Jacksonville, Florida. She moved to Washington, DC, in September 2010 to join the Washington Literacy Center.

Nicole Lubar, Education Director

Nicole Lubar started her career in electronic publishing and software development. During much of her career, she volunteered as a tutor for the Washington Literacy Center. Nicole was later hired by the WLC as the program manager and concurrently pursued a graduate degree as a reading specialist. Nicole currently serves as the education director.

Christina Keen, Case Manager

Since October 2008, Christina Keen has provided case management services to help students overcome barriers to attendance and set job and educational goals. Prior to her work with the WLC, Christina ran empowerment and art therapy programs for at-risk teen girls in Tallahassee, FL.

Quentin Jackson, Data Entry Specialist

Quentin has been involved with the WLC since November, 2002 as both a tutor and data entry specialist. Now retired from Verizon, Quentin established and managed the Community Relations Outreach team in DC. In addition, he trained women in non-traditional (male-dominated) craft assignments, and high school students in entry level Verizon positions into which they were hired after graduation.


Contact Us

(202) 387-9029

 

1816 12th Street, NW,
Washington, DC 20009

Thurgood Marshall Center is two blocks from the U Street Metro Station and five blocks from the Shaw-U Street Metro Station, both of which are served by the Green and Yellow Lines. Go to Metro’s site for more details on rail and bus service.