Rachel is honored to be the new Executive Director for International Book Project! An avid lifelong reader, Rachel truly feels like this is her dream job, combining her passion for literacy and the opportunities it creates with her 14 years of nonprofit experience. Prior to joining IBP, Rachel worked at Lexington Children’s Theatre, first in development and then as Managing Director, and before that, at Joseph-Beth Booksellers as Marketing Manager. She has a BS in Speech Therapy and a BA in English from the University of Kentucky. She is a 2012 graduate of Leadership Lexington and is a past National Philanthropy Day Chair for the Association of Fundraising Professionals of the Bluegrass. She is Board President of Girls on the Run Central Kentucky and is a founding board member of First Generation Women Achievers of Kentucky, an organization whose goal is to award scholarships for women who are first generation college attendees. In her free time, she likes to hang out with her husband, Bobby, and their dogs Biko and Sadie, read, run, and craft. Picking a favorite book is like picking a favorite child, but at the top are Pride and Prejudice, To Say Nothing of the Dog, and anything by Terry Pratchett.
Stacie is the Director of Operations at the International Book Project. Her love of books was inspired by her first grade teacher, Mrs. Watanabe who challenged her to read at least one book each week. Stacie received a BS in Political Communications from Florida State University and a Master’s degree in Library Science from the University of Kentucky. While Stacie has worked in a variety of areas, putting people together with books quickly became her mission. Beginning in the book retail business, Stacie saw the joy of helping others discover books and went on to share this experience in public and prison libraries. In addition to serving book communities, Stacie fosters kittens for the Lexington Humane Society and holds a special place in her heart for feral/community cats. While Stacie could not choose a favorite author, Geraldine Brooks, Haruki Murakami, and Richard Russo are in her top five.
Marilyn is the Administrative Assistant for the International Book Project. An avid reader since childhood, Marilyn believes that literacy is the key to a happier, healthier, and more compassionate world. She is originally from Braxton County, West Virginia. Marilyn recently graduated from the University of Kentucky with bachelor’s degrees in Theatre and Arts Administration and a minor in International Studies. During her time as a student at UK, she was lucky enough to intern at AthensWest Theatre Company and Kentucky Educational Television. Before International Book Project, Marilyn enjoyed a series of strange and unusual jobs, including being a cashier at a museum about monsters and a game master at an escape room. She also frequently stage manages for professional and community theatres and opera programs around central Kentucky. Her favorite genres to read are fantasy, horror, narrative nonfiction, and literary fiction. When she’s not reading or working, Marilyn enjoys playwriting, hiking, traveling, playing with cats, and watching bad horror movies.
