Our Board

Our Board members are part of an active group of community people who believe in the mission of Reading ASSIST Institute and have a unique desire to bring their knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm to the organization. The RAI Board meets every other month with an RAI Executive Committee meeting on the other months.

FOUNDER
Virginia Biasotto
Virginia (Ginger) Lanier Biasotto is a native of Delaware and a graduate of the University of Delaware (1959). She is the founder of Reading ASSIST® Institute and has authored ten Reading ASSIST textbooks as well as the autobiographical book, Educating Andrew, A Promise Fulfilled. In 1994, Ginger was the first recipient of The Janet L. Hoopes Award from the Philadelphia Branch of the International Dyslexia Association. In 2005, she received Delaware's Jefferson Award for her contribution to literacy. She and her husband, Lawrence, are semi-retired and spend half of each year in Wilmington, Delaware, close to children, grandchildren and mothers, and the other half in Palm City, Florida where she enjoys the luxury of time to paint.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jack Woodall, President
Jack Woodall joined the Board of Reading ASSIST® in June 2006, because of family and friends who have experienced reading difficulties. Today he serves as president of the Board of Directors of RAI. Jack served with the U.S. Army for 34 years before joining the civilian corporate world as president of a manufacturing company in Florida. After five years, he left Florida and joined the Technology Sector of MBNA in Wilmington, DE. Jack continues to provide corporate and government consulting in addition to volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House of Delaware and RAI. Jack stays busy traveling to visit his four children and 12 grandchildren.

Bill Higgins, Vice President
Bill Higgins joined the RAI Board of Directors in 2007 and currently serves as its Vice President. He is the Chief Lending Officer of ING DIRECT USA with over 20 years offinancial services experience. Bill’s banking credentials have been an invaluable resource to RAI. Bill is active in various community efforts through both his family as well as ING DIRECT USA initiatives like Junior Achievement.


Stephen Brauerman, Esq., Secretary 
Steve joined the board of RAI in 2008 and serves as RAI’s Secretary. He is currently an attorney with the Bayard, P.A., and specializes in corporate and intellectual property litigation. He is a graduate of American University, Washington College of Law and Johns Hopkins University. Steve’s legal and human services background has been an asset to RAI.  

Israel Mercado, Treasurer
Israel Mercado is the RAI Board Treasurer. He has been a member of the Board for five years and has helped guide the organization on financial matters. A CPA, Israel works for the Santora CPA Group as an auditor. Israel is a graduate of the University of Delaware and has been involved with and volunteered time for various professional organizations and Delaware charities. 
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BOARD MEMBERS
Michael Cradler
Michael Cradler came aboard in June of 2004 and served as the RAI Secretary. Mike currently works as a Workforce/MIS Manager for Energy Plus Company in Philadelphia, PA providing call center scheduling, forecasting, and reporting. He received a Masters degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science both from the University of Delaware. Mike has previously been a mentor in both the H.O.S.T.S. and the MentorMe Program in New Castle County and is currently his civic association treasurer. Mike is married with four children and lives in Wilmington.

Jane Gerlach
Jane Gerlach grew up in Ohio although she calls Tennessee "home". Receiving her BS in Elementary Education from Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, she taught first grade there until she and her husband Howard moved to Delaware and began their family. Retiring in 1998 she worked for 20 years as Director of Children's Ministry at her church where she is still very active in Women's Ministries. She was a volunteer tutor for Project Assist in the 1980's serving in an inner city school. She is the mother of a successful daughter as well as granddaughter both of whom have benefited from the methods of the Wilmington area Reading Assist®. Their son and his family live in Tennessee. Her favorite pastimes include being with her six grandchildren and traveling the world with her now-retired husband.
 
Steven League
Steven League is a graduate of Oklahoma State University where he earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree. His career includes senior management positions with Wells Fargo, CalFed Bank, US Bancorp, and MBNA where he worked for 11 years. Most recently, Steve has become a managing principal for his own consulting practice. In addition to being a part of the RAI Board, Steve has demonstrated his commitment to the community and his passion for helping children through his service on the board of Jobs for Delaware Graduates, where he served as Board Chairman. He is also affiliated with the United Way’s Leadership Communities and the Boys and Girls Clubs in other states. When not consulting or volunteering, Steve enjoys spending time with his family.
 
Kay McFadden
Kay McFadden spent 37 1/2 years as a classroom teacher in Caesar Rodney and Milford School districts. Kay graduated from the University of Delaware and holds a masters degree from Salisbury University. She was one of the first teachers to be trained in the RAI methods and used her skills throughout her teaching career. In 2006, Kay retired from public school teaching but continues to serve as an adjunct faculty member of Wilmington University a job she has held since 2003. Kay achieved National Board Certification for Teachers in 2001. Living in Kent County, Kay is helping RAI expand its programs to schools in Kent and Sussex Counties. She is active in the Delaware Choral Society, currently serving as its president. She is married and has four children.
 
Timothy I. McIntosh
Tim McIntosh is a Wilmington, Delaware native who benefitted from the services of Reading ASSIST as a child. Since then, Tim graduated from the University of Richmond with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and a Management Concentration in Entrepreneurship. While at Richmond, he managed the crew team. Tim was founder and president of Strata Fitness, Inc in Wilmington and currently works for Yet2Ventures, a venture capital firm.
 
Stephen Reid, P.E.
Steve served as president of RAI’s Board of Directors from 2004 to 2011. He is currently President and CEO of TG Advisers, Inc. Wilmington DE. He brings a wealth of experience on policy, problem solving, contracts, and management skills to the board. As president of his own engineering firm, Steve's team provides services to major energy companies worldwide. Steve was the recipient of the nationally recognized ASME George Westinghouse Silver Medal Award for his contributions to the Power Industry in 1993 and is past Chairman of the ASME Power Generation Operations Committee. 
 
Kiran Kumar Sanubala
Kiran Sanubala Sanubala holds a Master of Science degree in chemical engineering from the University of Cincinnati and is a business analysis manager and Business Analyst III with JPMorgan Chase. Previous employers have included Capital One, where he served as a Senior Operations Analyst, and USFilter, where he worked as a Product Manager for Bio Filters. Kiran brings organizational and planning skills to RAI’s board. At the University of Cincinnati, Sanubala served as vice president of the India Students Association.
 
Representative Darryl Scott
Representative Scott is a native of Austin, Texas, who relocated to Dover in 2002. He served three and a half years on the Capital School District Board of Education and has served, since 2008, in the General Assembly as the State Representative for 31st District. He serves as vice-chairman of the Education committee and Chairman of the Telecommunications, Internet and Technology committee. He has degrees in Economics and Marketing from Eastern Kentucky University. In his spare time he has coached with the Central Delaware Soccer Association and held a seat on the Board of Directors for the Elizabeth W. Murphey School in Dover. He is currently Director of Account Operations at Sitel located in Milford DE. He and his wife Carol live in Dover and have two sons.
 
Pamela Smith
Pamela Smith brings valuable experience as a member of the Board of Directors of RAI. A resident of Dover, she has been an accountant with the State of Delaware since 2008 with previous experience as a financial analyst with JP Morgan Chase. Ms. Smith is a graduate of Iona College in New Rochelle, NY. She has served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for Children in Foster Care (CASA) in New York City and has experience working with other nonprofit organizations, including the Jewish Child Care Association of New York.
 

 

  • Reading ASSIST® Institute
  • 100 West 10th Street, Suite 910
  • Wilmington, DE 19801
  • P: (302) 425-4080
  • (888) 311-1156
  • F: (302) 425-4085
  • info@readingassist.org