Our Team

CO-FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Rina Madhani began her career in education with AmeriCorps. During her time as an educator at M.S. 223 and Success Academy, Rina felt a powerful connection to a parent who reached out to her for help with their child’s literacy during the pandemic. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she co-founded Start Lighthouse and set out to create a space with empowering educational opportunities for young learners, regardless of race or zip code.

Awards & Linkedin

CO-FOUNDER

In her third year of medical school, Brittany Kramer observed that healthcare outcomes were intimately intertwined with patient literacy. By co-founding Start Lighthouse, she aimed to foster a life-long joy of learning in children and their families. These practices help to bridge a healthy and fruitful transition into adulthood.

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DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING

Deborah Rose has more than 20 years of experience in schools. She began her career as a classroom teacher and went on to oversee curriculum development and implementation, supervise teachers, and create school-specific literacy assessment tools. Deborah’s passion for reading informs her mission to help children discover the beauty of literature.

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SITE COORDINATOR

Savannah is a seasoned educator with a passion for teaching and mentoring underrepresented youth. She started her career in education six years ago, spending time in both the classroom and as a school administrator. In the classroom, Savannah cultivated lesson plans for diverse learners, coached new teachers, and promoted an inclusive culture for students, families, and staff. As a Black Woman, Savannah plans to encourage and uplift youth through novels with characters that resemble themselves and their communities. Savannah is extremely excited to teach and empower students by using literature that speaks to their lived experiences.

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PROGRAM MANAGER

Thomas began his career in education through Teach for America where he was an English and Theater teacher. Two years later, he taught at elementary charter schools in the Bronx. Since then, transitioned out of the classroom and into managing educational programming for Touro University as their Program Associate for Alternative Certification. As an educator he believes in the importance of building literacy spaces for students that are affirming, collaborative, and creative.

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SITE CORDINATOR

Ines began her education journey immediately after college, starting her career at a charter school in the Bronx. She then joined Neighborhood Charter Schools, where she dedicated three years to teaching in ICT classrooms. Outside the classroom, Ines shares her passion for teaching as a sailing instructor with Hudson River Community Sailing to both adults and children. Ines is committed to making education accessible and fostering a love of learning, She strives to create joyful and engaging classroom environments.

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SITE COORDINATOR

With over a decade of experience in youth development, Rich is dedicated to helping youth and his community. Rich has taught after school sports programs since 2014, and began running mentoring and SEL workshops for public school students since 2016. During the 2020 quarantine, Rich founded Harlem Free Fight Academy, a nonprofit using martial arts to empower teens and provide self defense for at-risk groups. When he’s not working, Rich is an active Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitor where he has medaled in several tournaments, including the IBJJF New Orleans Open.

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