It is a bittersweet moment for all of us at Riverside as we announce that our Board Member, Suzanne Carothers, Ph.D., stepped down at the start of the year. Dr. Carothers has served on the Riverside Board of Directors since 2014 and has dedicated her life to youth education and adult literacy. She spent the past four decades as a teacher and a leader in education. Dr. Carothers retired from her full-time position as a Professor of Early Childhood Education at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development in the Department of Teaching and Learning and served as Director of the Undergraduate Childhood/Childhood Special Education Program and Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Formerly, Dr. Carothers served as the Adult Literacy Program Director in the Office of the Mayor of the City of New York during the Ed Koch administration, where she coordinated the New York City Adult Literacy Initiative. At the time, the initiative was central to the movement to improve adult reading, writing, and English speaking skills. Much of Riverside’s work in adult education is largely owed to Dr. Carothers’ pioneering vision to ensure all New Yorkers are equipped with the necessary reading, writing, and communication skills to get a job or continue their education.

“Suzanne is a fierce champion of our mission and will be deeply missed. Personally, she has been and will continue to be an important source of support and friendship. On behalf of the entire Riverside community, I thank her for her wise leadership and dedication to our organization,” Berta Colón, Executive Director.