How to Find us

 Celita Brown is a native Memphian and attended The LeMoyne Owen College to receive her B.S in Early Childhood Education and The University of Memphis for post-grad studies. She obtained an M.S in Curriculum and Instructional Leadership and Coaching w/ emphasis on Pre-K-12 Literacy. Currently she is a fellow in New Leaders: National Aspiring Principal Fellowship and plans to continue her studies at Bank Street College of Education during her process with New Leaders. Celita currently teaches at Cornerstone Prep-Denver as the Reading Enrichment Teacher. In this role, her duty is to increase the love of reading for the entire school. This is done through various enrichment projects, reading incentive programs, and more! She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. During her spare time, she enjoys traveling, reading, binge-watching TV shows, and spending time with her family and friends.  

 Thomas Lannan is a Recruiting Director/Broker in the Memphis market with Ashford Advisors - previously, an Advertising Executive of over 40 years (winning one of three national Clio Awards)! Tom brings extensive board experience to our team, having served as Past President of the American Marketing Association (with a focus on Economic Empowerment), and Past Board Member of the following organizations - Junior Achievement, Sales & Marketing Executives, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, and a volunteer with SCORE mentors. He is a member of the Collierville Rotary Club, Germantown Chamber, and Collierville Chamber. He and his wife Katherine have two wonderful grown children, Patrick and Lauren. 

  Seven Swarn is a dedicated non-profit professional currently serving as a Senior Specialist—Programs at ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Seven has successfully led initiatives to enhance awareness and support for St. Jude's mission within the interfaith community, establishing key partnerships and increasing program visibility. With expertise in community engagement and peer-to-peer fundraising, Seven has made significant contributions to the 

St. Jude Sunday of Hope program.

Previously, Seven played a pivotal role at The Juice Plus+ Company, contributing to marketing strategies and DEI initiatives. Seven holds an A.A.S. in Business Management from Southwest Tennessee Community College. Outside of work, Seven is an avid reader, caregiver, and loving pet parent.

 Dr. Huan Gao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Instruction and Curriculum Leadership at the University of Memphis. She earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Florida, specializing in Language and Literacy Education with a concentration in Educational Technology.

Dr. Gao’s research lies at the intersection of digital literacies, multilingualism, transnationalism, and educational equity. She investigates how migrant children, families, and communities engage with digital information and media, aiming to inform and transform educational practices. Her work centers on leveraging diverse student populations' cultural and linguistic strengths to promote their academic success, social well-being, and identity development in an increasingly intercultural world.

She has taught across K–12 and higher education settings, both nationally and internationally. Outside of academia, she enjoys movies, reading, hiking, and spending time with her family. 

Hadley Hoskins grew up in a rural area near Memphis and has maintained strong ties to the community throughout her life. Currently pursuing her J.D. at the University of Mississippi School of Law (expected 2027), she serves as a Staff Editor on the Mississippi Law Journal and is active in various legal societies. Prior to law school, she earned her B.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications with minors in General Business and Legal Studies from the University of Mississippi, while working at a law firm where she progressed from clerk to administrative assistant.
Hadley is passionate about expanding access to education and legal resources for underserved communities. Through volunteer initiatives, she assists clients located in rural areas with estate planning, property matters, and family law issues. Her legal work, combined with her own rural upbringing, has shown her how literacy impacts every aspect of life. She recognizes that without strong literacy skills, individuals face barriers to understanding legal documents, advocating for their rights, and engaging in meaningful civic life.

When not studying or volunteering, she works as a property manager and Pilates instructor in Oxford, MS. In her spare time, Hadley enjoys reading, traveling, cheering on the Ole Miss Rebels, and spending time with family and friends.

Samuel McKay works as an attorney in Memphis. He is the son of a public school teacher and has always been an outspoken advocate for education and literacy. 

His favorite activities when not working on a case or for the SLC are walking his rescue dogs, Dug and Beebee, or cheering on his favorite teams - the Grizzlies, Redbirds, and Ole Miss Rebel!

Dr. Matthew Panozzo is an Assistant Professor of Literacy at the University of Memphis and a middle school teacher at heart. His passion and focus as an educator is to empower students of all ages. He inspires them to not be limited by labels but to continuously acquire new skills, meet new people, and explore new worlds–both ours and fictional ones.  

Throughout his career, he has focused on the words of S. I. Hayakawa, who poetically describes the impact of reading and writing by saying, “To be able to read and write is to learn to profit by and take part in the greatest human achievements…the pooling of our experiences in great cooperative stores of knowledge, available to all.” He is excited about working with Shelby Literacy Center to highlight the resources in our community, providing students of all ages and backgrounds with the tools they need to be successful.   

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 We appreciate the many volunteers, mentors, and board members who devote their time, fundraising support, and talents to this mission! Are you interested in joining our board or advisory board? We'd love to have your support! Please email Pam DeMato at Director@ShelbyLiteracy.com.