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Meet The Team

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Susanna Block, MD, MPH

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Susanna is a pediatric hospitalist practicing in Seattle.  She is a strong advocate for refugee health. She has worked internationally as well as within the US.

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Rachael Merola, PhD

Dr. Rachael Merola is an education expert with experience in research and practice in the United States, Europe, Latin America and Asia. She is currently a Visiting Research Professor at the Center for Research and Teaching in Economics (CIDE) in Mexico City, and is Founder and Principal of an education consulting company, Ascent Education, LLC.

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Robyn Becker, SLP.D., CCC/SLP

Dr. Robyn Becker is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, College for Community Health at Montclair State University, New Jersey. She has almost 30 years of experience as a practicing speech-language pathologist (SLP) working with children and adults with communication disorders. Her research interests include supporting speech and language development through literacy, enhancing interprofessional practice partnerships, and the scholarship of teaching and learning as it relates to service learning.

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Kimberly Perkins, PhD​

Dr. Kimberly Perkins is an international airline pilot and human performance specialist. Her research in risk mitigation inspired her to start Empirical Aero, an aviation safety consultancy firm. As a pilot, her time living and flying in Nigeria and Malaysia helped cultivate a deep appreciation for humanity, inspiring her to establish the nonprofit Aviation for Humanity, which brought school supplies to shelters and underfunded schools globally. She is deeply committed to community and education.

Jonathan Scheffer, MD

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Jonathan practices ER medicine in downtown Seattle.  He is a strong advocate for refugee health.   He has worked with various groups such as MSF, GRM and IHS.

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Our Story

"Rise up and Read" started as a conversation between friends. While working with Global Response Management in a Matamoros clinic, pediatrician Dr Susanna Block was struck by the fact that families faced with extreme stress from safety, food and shelter insecurity were also very concerned  about their children's language and emotional development.  Dr Block reached out through her network of friends to explore ways of operationalizing services to support language and emotional development for these struggling children.  This lead to forming Rise Up and Read whose board of directors consists of experienced professionals with the skills and passion to make a difference. 

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The clinic staff in Matamoros, Mexico.  Global Response Management.

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