Our Team
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Rebecca Constantino, Ph.D.
Founder & Executive Director Rebecca Constantino holds a Ph.D. in Language, Literacy and Learning. She has published a book and more than 100 articles about literacy development, equity in education, urban schools, and cultural perspectives of language acquisition. Having lived and worked in numerous countries, she was involved in language and literacy development programs in Russia, South Africa, and Eastern Europe. She taught Language Acquisition and Reading courses at the University of California Los Angeles, the University of California Irvine, and Pepperdine University. Her favorite children's book is Caps for Sale, which she read with her children when they were young. Now that her children are older, they enjoy family conversations about books and what everyone is currently reading. Two of her children are adopted and she was active in the foster care community for several years. Rebecca considers this an extension of her main mission in life: to support equity in families, schools, and communities. |
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Meghan Cason, M.L.I.S.
Library Program Director Meghan Cason joined Access Books in 2008. Passionate about information literacy, children’s literacy, and social justice, she holds a B.A. in journalism from Arizona State University and an M.L.I.S. from U.C.L.A. In addition to her work for Access Books, Meghan is the Digital Resources & Reference Librarian at Los Angeles Valley College. Raised in a chaotic home with little money to buy books, Meghan found a refuge in libraries. Her favorite books were Charlotte's Web, From the Mixed Up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, and anything by Judy Blume. As an adult, she’s fallen hard for Harry Potter. |
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Lorri Kampfner
Volunteer & Site Coordinator Born and raised in Northern California, Lorri moved to Manhattan Beach with her husband Rob, son Roberto, and daughter Isabel in 2007. She is a graduate of California State University where she earned a B.A. in journalism. Lorri worked for several years as a paralegal before becoming a stay-at-home mom. One of her favorite children’s book is Owl Moon, by Jane Yolen. |
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Sydney Kysar
Mural Program Coordinator Sydney Kysar started volunteering with Access Books in 2013 and became the first artist-in-residence. With a passion for archives and storytelling, Sydney worked in audio and video restoration up until getting her degree in Animation from Marist College in 2021. Sydney is now a full-time illustrator and animator and continues with Access Books as its Mural Program Coordinator. Her favorite children's book is No David! by David Shannon.. |
Claudia Magana
On-Site Coordinator
Claudia Magana has always known that a student’s success and appreciation of reading transfers to adults who love to read. As a result, she has focused on creating environments where reading is easily transferred from the home, school, and library experience to daily life. Her professional career has taken her from youth intervention and prevention programs, parenting classes, the classroom, and currently school libraries. Being a lifelong learner, she majored in Sociology and minored in English at California State University. This has helped encourage children and youth to use their curiosity to foster reading and inquiry in their lives. Claudia has a strong drive to bring the love of reading and learning to all, in a variety of situations. Claudia credits her mother for always encouraging and modeling reading which created her love of reading to this day. Where the Wild Things Are is one of her favorite children’s books.
On-Site Coordinator
Claudia Magana has always known that a student’s success and appreciation of reading transfers to adults who love to read. As a result, she has focused on creating environments where reading is easily transferred from the home, school, and library experience to daily life. Her professional career has taken her from youth intervention and prevention programs, parenting classes, the classroom, and currently school libraries. Being a lifelong learner, she majored in Sociology and minored in English at California State University. This has helped encourage children and youth to use their curiosity to foster reading and inquiry in their lives. Claudia has a strong drive to bring the love of reading and learning to all, in a variety of situations. Claudia credits her mother for always encouraging and modeling reading which created her love of reading to this day. Where the Wild Things Are is one of her favorite children’s books.
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Spike Dolomite Ward
Director of Development Spike Dolomite Ward has been active in the nonprofit sector of Los Angeles for over 20 years. She started her own arts education nonprofit for low income public schools in 1999 and wore every hat necessary to start and grow the organization. She has led other nonprofits, consulted for others, served on various boards, and has helped raise a lot of money for many worthy causes. As Director of Development for Access Books, she has had the pleasure of securing grants from foundations and corporations large and small. Spike loves art, cooking, writing, and dogs. Her favorite book is Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse. |
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Amanda Collins, M.L.I.S.
Bay Area Program Director Amanda Collins joined Access Books in 2015. As a school librarian herself, Amanda is excited to be bringing the valuable work of Access Books to schools in need in the greater San Francisco Bay area. Amanda holds a B.A. in History from UC Santa Barbara, and an MLIS from UCLA, in addition to being a fully credentialed Teacher Librarian. The school library played an important role in Amanda’s early life as a child living below the poverty line, giving her access through literacy to worlds of information and fantasy she never would have been able to visit otherwise, and she can think of nothing better than helping to bring strong school libraries to students and schools in need. |
