Spotlight on…Eva Davis, Winston & Strawn’s Private Equity Practice Co-Chair

Education is one of Winston for Good’s pillars, and we are pleased to support Partner Eva Davis in her role as Los Angeles Regional Board Chair for Read to a Child, a national nonprofit literacy and mentoring organization. Learn more about Eva and her work for this organization in this Spotlight Q&A.

What is the mission of Read to a Child?
Read to a Child is a national nonprofit literacy and mentoring organization that inspires caring adults to read aloud to at-risk children to create better opportunities for their future. Its flagship Lunchtime Reading Program, offered in five U.S. regions, utilizes corporate volunteers who read aloud to underserved elementary school students. The Los Angeles Read to a Child program, which began in 2002, is offered at seven L.A. county elementary schools.

What is your role in Read to a Child and how long have you been involved?
I have served as chair of the Read to a Child Los Angeles regional board since 2004 and have been reading with students at an elementary school near our office since that time. I’ve been reading with my current fourth grade reading buddy Marlon since he moved to the United States from Ecuador in first grade.

What inspired you to get involved in Read to a Child?
I was seeking a non-profit organization where I could hopefully make a lifetime impact for people in our local community. At the time, I had two small children with whom I read to regularly and was hoping to do the same for other kids. I knew how important it was for kids to make the critical transition from not just learning to read but reading to learn, and that any kids who lag behind in their reading may ultimately drop out of school and have much more limited prospects for success in school and life.

In what ways has Winston contributed to Read to a Child’s mission and goals?
We have an amazing group of dedicated volunteers in our L.A. office who participate in weekly reading sessions with children at Leo Politi Elementary School, and we regularly host Read to a Child information sessions for others in the office interested in joining this effort.