Harbor Light Literacy
Our Team
The people behind the books.
A small staff and a working board, many of whom grew up in Maine's coastal towns and learned to love reading there.
Eleanor Mercer
Former Casco Bay island schoolteacher. Started Harbor Light in 2015 after watching ferry-route kids fall behind on reading.
Rafael Ortiz
Designs the Book Harbor and Reading Buddies curriculum and trains every volunteer mentor. Former public-library youth-services lead.
Naomi Whitfield
Leads fundraising and partnerships. Previously ran annual giving for a statewide children's foundation.
Henry Tran
Pediatrician and longtime Portland literacy volunteer. Chairs the volunteer board of eight community members.
Aisha Diallo
Recruits, trains, and supports the mentor corps so every child on the waitlist gets matched with a Reading Buddy.
Cora Lindqvist
Runs the book room, mail fulfillment, and island delivery routes so no child is ever turned away for lack of books.