Charleen Long
What is your role with The Center and what are you most excited about?
As the Vice President of Program Development, I have the honor of working in partnership with the President, to provide leadership for all program development, delivery, and evaluation as well as fundraising, budget setting, knowledge management, and all external relationship management. While serving as a member of the senior management team working to drive overall strategy for the organization and to represent The Center on a local, regional, and national basis.
What is your background?
As a lifelong learner, I have a Masters plus 30 graduate hours as a certified educational diagnostician, a Masters of Education in School Counseling, and Louisiana teaching certifications as a reading specialist (1st – 12th), early interventionist (birth – 5), educational diagnostician, school counselor, mild/moderate special education (1st – 12th), speech (6th – 12th), family and consumer science (6th – 12th) and English (6th – 12th). Some of my former roles include English teacher, special education teacher, district early childhood disabilities coordinator, educational diagnostician, and Director of Instruction and Intervention for the Division of Diverse Learners at the Louisiana Department of Education.
What is your favorite childhood book or literacy memory?
While I am lucky to have several cherished memories of my parents reading classic Disney stories and Dr. Suess books, one of my fondest childhood literacy memories is from 5th grade. Everyday at the end of recess, the class would eagerly run and line-up to go back to the classroom to experience the magic of literacy. Our talented teacher would capture everyone’s attention as she read from each book in the Boxcar Children series. She read with such expression and excitement in her voice that the story truly came to life. This was my favorite part of the school day. It was truly a treat to get lost in this imaginary world and experience life through the eyes of the characters.
Flashback to when you were 10 years old, what did you want to be when you grew up?
As a 10 year old, I wanted to be a journalist.
If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
I would be spending time with my family in a place that is sunny and 70 degrees.
What passion projects do you have outside of work?
I enjoy sewing dresses for my granddaughter and am grateful that she is not old enough to look closely at the quality of the end product.