Tait to step down as director of LiteracyCNY

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Marsha Tait, who has served as executive director of LiteracyCNY since 2010, will leave the organization this summer.

Tait plans to “relocate out-of-state” to live closer to her family, per a Tuesday news release.

LiteracyCNY, a local nonprofit dedicated to promoting adult literacy, says it is accepting applications for the position of executive director. The organization is located at 100 New St. in Syracuse.

LiteracyCNY says it has generated “tremendous growth” under Tait’s tenure. It increased the number of students it serves from less than 100 individuals to now more than 350. For the past 10 years, the organization has been rated “proficient and most highly proficient” by the New York State Department of Education.

Tait also suggested the idea of SCRABBLEMania, LiteracyCNY’s only annual fundraising event which attracts more than 350 attendees each year.

Seeking new director

For its new executive director, LiteracyCNY is looking for an individual “passionate” about advocating for adult education and “dedicated” to improving access to adult literacy.

The position manages daily operations of the organization that provides basic education and English language instruction to adult students via one-to-one tutoring and small-group classroom instruction.

The executive director also supervises staff, contractors and volunteers, and is responsible for the leadership and implementation of Literacy CNY’s “strategic mission” as determined by the board of directors.

Minimum qualifications include three to five years of professional nonprofit-management experience with demonstrated success in major gifts fundraising, annual giving, and donor cultivation.

A master’s degree in nonprofit management, public administration, business, adult education or in another related field is preferred. Individuals with an equivalent combination of education and professional work experience will also be considered, LiteracyCNY said.

Interested applicants should send their résumé and cover letter to SearchCommittee@LiteracyCNY.org. More information is also available online at www.literacycny.org.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com

Photo credit: LiteracyCNY website