Get to Know the LitWorld Team: Ellie Smith, Development Coordinator

This week, Research and Development intern, Monica Nimmagadda, sat down to interview Ellie Smith, LitWorld’s new Development Coordinator. Ellie started last week and we already love having her here!

What’s your role at LitWorld and what brought you here?

I just started as a Development Coordinator, so I'll be supporting fundraising, working with our awesome supporters, and helping to plan events. I came from working at a non-profit independent school, so I was already interested in children's education and I wanted to stay in the non-profit world — the people you meet doing this type of work are amazing. LitWorld's definition of literacy was right in line with my thoughts, and I knew it would be the right fit.

What are you looking forward to? 

Reading and writing have always been incredibly important to me. I was (and still am) a bookworm. There's something about getting lost in someone else's story that gives you perspective on your own story. I'm excited to help bring that joy to children around the world. 

What’s your favorite children’s book and why?

My favorite children's book is "Ellie's Doorstep". The obvious draw for me was that the main character shared my name, and I loved seeing myself so clearly on the pages of a book. Ellie has a huge imagination. She spends her days on her doorstep, casting magic spells so her toys come to life, and playing with Sidney the Spider. I loved how Ellie lived in her mind, created her own fun and used her imagination so vividly without even having to leave her doorstep.

What’s your “six word memoir”?

A little adventure never hurt anyone