Words Alive is thrilled to announce a new addition to our team: Celeste Brown, our Administrative Coordinator! Read on to learn more about Celeste and her drive to join the Words Alive team.
In July 2023, Words Alive welcomed Celeste Brown to the team as our Administrative Coordinator, supporting the organization’s daily operations, facility operations, and accounting. She is the key staff member supporting the Board of Directors and Executive Director. Celeste earned a B.S. in Clinical Psychology and B.A. in Human Developmental Sciences at UCSD, and has years of professional experience in administration, reception, and retail.
Now, a few words from Celeste:
What intrigued you about Words Alive?
Aside from my lifelong love of reading and all things books, what most interested me about Words Alive was its commitment to serving the highest need communities. Working in, and giving back to, underserved populations has always been important to me in all aspects of my life, so finding an organization that I felt shared that sentiment was really inspiring. I felt like Words Alive wasn’t just doing the work to be able to say they did it, but rather to really make an impact for the youth they served. After my first interview, I felt so comfortable, and so seen that I knew I had to be a part of Words Alive one way or another.
What are you most excited about in this position?
I’m most excited about learning more about the innerworkings of a nonprofit organization. Doing administrative work really allows me to peek into all the different parts of Words Alive and get a holistic understanding of what goes on. It’s been great to be a part of such a hardworking and amazing team. Also, I’m excited to be in a space where I can be representative of the populations that we serve. I know that if little Celeste had seen someone that looked like her in more spaces like these, it would’ve had such an impact.
What is your relationship with literacy and learning?
Learning is one of my favorite things in the world. Growing up, my mom was a teacher, and so the classroom has always been a safe space for me. The library too. A lot of my childhood was spent in the library, checking out stacks of books that I’d finish in a week. Being a pretty introverted and shy child (and adult), reading has always provided me with an escape when life can get too overwhelming. I’m so grateful for the opportunities that education and literacy have provided for me, and for having a parent who encouraged that love for learning. I hope to do that for others.
What are you currently reading?
I just finished Dirt Creek by Haley Scrivenor. I’m always looking for a good mystery/who done it, so if you have any suggestions, please send them my way! I also love fantasy books. My favorite book of all time is The Chronicles of Narnia. I have the whole series packed into one book and it’s a classic that I can always go back to.