The Book Fairies, a Long Island-based 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to eradicating illiteracy, is pleased to announce the appointment of Joanna Austin to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Ms. Austin is a highly talented leader with more than two decades of integrated marketing experience, augmenting the board’s expertise. A respected leader in the media industry, Austin is the publisher of the Long Island Press and executive vice president of events for Schneps Media, the largest family-owned community newsgroup in New York State. She will serve the board in many capacities in addition to supporting the not-for-profit’s growth.
“We are thrilled to welcome Joanna to The Book Fairies team,” said Executive Director Eileen Minogue. “She brings extraordinary talent, expertise, and energy to the table and we are very fortunate to have her by our side as we continue to build and serve communities in need and work to erase illiteracy.”
Since 2012, The Book Fairies have been changing lives, collecting new and gently used books and upcycling them to schools and organizations that work with people in need. The reading materials foster literacy and academic success, provide a respite from personal struggles and nurture a love of reading across varying age groups. To date, The Book Fairies have donated more than two million books to hundreds of underprivileged schools and organizations across Long Island, the greater New York metropolitan area, and overseas.
“I am thrilled to join The Book Fairies team and their mission to eradicate illiteracy,” Austin said. “Literacy is a cornerstone to opportunity – to imagine, learn, and dream – and I am honored to help The Book Fairies put books in children’s hands, instill the love of reading and watch their passions grow.”
The 2020 Board of Directors are listed below:
– Amy Zaslansky, founder and chairperson emeritus
– Jim Joy, board chair
– George Brennan
– Corinna Creedon
– Joe Heaney
– Christine Ireland
– Unmesh Kulkarni
– Steve Miller
– Therese Mora
– Stewart Pollak
– Michael Schnipper
– Ryan McLaughin
– Carolyn Vaeth
– Eileen Minogue, executive director
Submitted by The Book Fairies
