Jill Downing might be one of EWI’s newest site coordinators, but she has more institutional history than most in the organization. She was named to the original Board of Directors in 2002. “I was a mentor until 2009, when I moved to Oregon. I had such an affiliation with Monroe Elementary in Des Moines that when I moved back, I became the site coordinator there in 2022,” Jill says. In her new role she takes joy in observing Power Read in action. “My favorite thing is standing back once the students are seated with their mentors and seeing the magic and energy, seeing eyes light up, watching relationships being built through spoken and written words,” she says. As Jill looks to the future, she hopes to see more corporate involvement. “Corporate support will help us sustain our growth and development,” she notes.