Meet the Words Alive Team
Katy Nicholson
Executive Director
Katy Nicholson serves as Executive Director of Words Alive, leading the organization’s strategic vision, fundraising, operations, financial sustainability, and community impact. She is passionate about ensuring every child has the opportunity to develop a lifelong love of reading and believes literacy is a powerful tool for expanding opportunity and transforming lives.
Before joining Words Alive, Katy spent nearly a decade with Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), the nation’s largest children’s literacy nonprofit. As Vice President of Programs and Account Management, she led national literacy programs reaching hundreds of thousands of children annually, managed more than $6 million in restricted grants, and oversaw strategic partnerships and complex, multi-year initiatives. She also led the acquisition and integration of a publishing house, expanding RIF’s capacity to deliver literacy resources nationwide.
Previously, Katy managed The Teacher Community Program at PBS, supporting K–12 education initiatives across the country.
Katy holds a B.A. in Political Science from Saint Louis University, where she graduated summa cum laude with minors in Criminal Justice and Global and Local Social Justice.
Melinda Casey, PMP
Director, Learning & Engagement
Melinda Casey is the Director of Learning and Engagement at Words Alive. She holds a certification in project management from the internationally recognized Project Management Institute.
With more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, Melinda brings a background in arts, education, and justice organizing to their work, and she is passionate about building lifelong learning and creating equitable access across communities.
In addition to involvement with the social impact sector, Melinda is also a community doula who is passionate about reproductive rights and poverty alleviation.
Vichittra Chaleune, M.A.
Associate Program Director
Vichittra Chaleune is responsible for developing, implementing and coordinating the Words Alive Read Aloud Program. Prior to Words Alive, Vichittra was an AmeriCorps VIP Fellow at Voices for Children where she supported the volunteer management office. She is a San Diego State University alumna and continued her education in Vermont at the School for International Training where she earned her master’s degree in Service, Leadership and Management with an emphasis in Conflict Resolution. Her interest in cultural diversity inspired her to work with refugees in City Heights and complete her practicum with the International Rescue Committee. As a result, she wrote her capstone paper titled, Conflict Resolution Through the Study of Food where she identified food as a commonality shared among individuals and a potential bridge towards peacebuilding. Vichittra is a San Diego native and continues to be passionate about making positive impacts in her community.
Faryl Kander, Ph.D.
Family Program Manager
Faryl’s professional interest in education began when she learned about the inequities that exist in our education system and wanted to work to find a solution. She became a Teach for America teacher working in multicultural urban environments with linguistically and culturally diverse children and families. Faryl’s love for teaching developed into roles as a literacy coach, teacher educator, and most recently a Title 1 Reading Specialist. Faryl believes that all children deserve a quality education and is committed to authentic and meaningful practices that develop readers and writers. She firmly believes an education that enthuses a love of reading supports students in becoming deep and critical thinkers who will change our world. Faryl received her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Arizona State University, a M.Ed. with a concentration in Educational Leadership from the University of San Diego and holds a B.A. degree in English from San Diego State University.
D'Jay Scott
Director of Development
D’Jay Scott is the Director of Development at Words Alive, where he works alongside the Executive Director to lead the organization’s fundraising and donor engagement efforts, building relationships and partnerships that strengthen Words Alive’s mission and long-term impact.
With more than a decade of experience in nonprofit fundraising, development, program leadership, and community engagement, D’Jay brings a relationship-centered approach to philanthropy. Having also spent several years as a Program Director, he brings an understanding of both fundraising and program delivery, helping connect organizational needs and community impact with the supporters who make the work possible.
Outside of his work at Words Alive, D’Jay is passionate about youth development and expanding access to opportunities for young people. He has spent years coaching and mentoring student-athletes and is committed to helping young people develop the confidence, skills, and support systems they need to thrive both on and off the field.
Kyrie Rhodes
Development Coordinator
Kyrie had a book in her hands long before she could read the words, and that love of literature has continued to influence her personal and professional choices. She began her journey as a volunteer at a library in a small military base in Italy, which lead to her first job in the field. A few years later she earned her Master's in Information and Library Sciences at San Jose State University through the online program.
When she and her family moved to Alaska, she immediately began working at the base library and eventually moved on to a public library as an outreach librarian focusing on connecting the caregivers of children aged 0-5 to literacy resources. Kryrie moved to San Diego and immediately connected with Words Alive as a volunteer. In her Development Coordinator role, Kyrie joins Words Alive with the goal of discovering new and sustainable ways to continue and strengthen the impact made on the community.
Julie Ramos Oser
Program Coordinator
Dedicated to empowering and inspiring the youth, Julie brings four years of youth programming experience to Words Alive. Her previous roles at the San Diego Youth Symphony, Fleet Science Center, and Kesem have instilled a deep understanding of the importance of providing enriching experiences and resources to young people. An enthusiastic book lover and life-long learner, Julie believes deeply in the power of reading, and in the profound magic that comes from shared reading experiences.
Julie is Mexican-American and was born and raised in Chula Vista, California. Her upbringing in culturally-diverse community has sown in her a strong commitment to social justice and change-making. Julie is a community organizer, advancing human rights and peoples’ struggles locally and internationally. In her free time, Julie loves to make art, read, spend time with loved ones, and learn about evolutionary biology.
Shannon Neville
Volunteer Engagement Manager
Shannon joins Words Alive as Volunteer Engagement Manager, bringing nearly two decades of experience building relationships and creating impactful experiences at organizations including NBC Universal and Sony Pictures Entertainment. Along the way, she also led the after-school program in the Oak Park Unified School District, overseeing daily operations and programming for more than 200 children.
After moving to San Diego with her husband last year, Shannon was looking for ways to connect with her new community and found it through volunteering with Words Alive. That experience, paired with a long history of community involvement including coaching youth volleyball and volunteering with organizations like Meals on Wheels and Food Share Ventura County, made joining the staff feel like a natural next step. She earned her BA in Communications from Arizona State University.
Now, Shannon is excited to bring her passion for genuine connection and relationship-building to Words Alive's volunteer community, helping ensure every volunteer feels valued, supported, and inspired by the impact they're making.
Soroya Rowley, M.A.
Community Engagement Manager
Soroya has joined the team of Words Alive to serve as our Community Engagement Manager. They come to us with a wealth of experience in community engagement and education centered around literature and storytelling. Prior to joining Words Alive, Soroya worked with community engagement and outreach with the Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park. They also teach in the undergraduate theatre department at the University of San Diego.
In their free time, Soroya loves reading and finding new science fiction books or picking one up to read by their favorite author, Octavia Butler. While Soroya is planning to pursue an MFA in Playwriting, they will be helping Words Alive maintain community relations and prepare the role for its next inhabitant.
Haydeé Yanez
Interim Marketing Coordinator
Haydeé grew up in the border city of Tijuana, Mexico, where she was shaped by the richness, color, and creativity of life across both Californias. She studied graphic design at Universidad Iberoamericana and has since built a career designing and illustrating bilingual content — from hospitality materials to children’s books.
Alongside her professional work, Haydeé continues to develop her own line of cultural coloring books inspired by Mexican heritage, blending art, storytelling, and educational elements. In her free time, she enjoys watching classic films, reading nonfiction, and cooking with friends and family.