Our Mission
Support kindergarten and elementary school readiness by increasing access to high-quality, age-appropriate literature and offering other early literacy supports in Mower County, MN.
The Read Seed Inc is a 501c3 non-profit, charitable organization.
Board of Directors
Noelle Day
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Noelle graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 2011 with a degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education, as well as a minor in Spanish. While teaching, Noelle attended graduate school at Hamline University to obtain a Kindergarten - 12th Grade Reading License. Noelle has held positions as an early childhood educator, elementary school teacher and reading interventionist. After spending eight years as a stay-at-home mom, Noelle returned to grad school at Northwestern University for Non-Profit Management. She combined her passion for teaching and early literacy and founded The Read Seed Inc. in early 2023.
Noelle lives in Austin, MN with her husband, Dan, and their three children: Isabelle (age 8), Eva (age 6), and James (age 4). Noelle loves reading, cooking, and traveling to spend time with family and friends.
PRESIDENT
Diane Baker
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Diane Baker was born and raised in Dubuque, IA where she met her husband Jeff in high school. They have three daughters: Kayla is a nurse, Noelle is a teacher turned stay at home mom & community volunteer, and Jenna is a cardiology physician assistant. In addition, they have 7 grandchildren.
Diane is a former preschool assistant and also worked in the Austin Early Childhood Family Education Program. She has long been active in community service, including the backpack program for schoolchildren, fundraising for the Hormel Historic Home, and lending her expertise to many school and educational events.
She loves to spend time with family - especially at the lake - and is fond of cooking, photography, graphic design and making birthday cakes according to whatever theme the grandkids request.
VICE PRESIDENT
Betsy Morem
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Betsy Morem is a CPA with a passion for helping small businesses thrive through building strong accounting systems. She is a Co- Founder of Morem & Waller CPAs, a virtualbased, full-service accounting firm, as well as The MOD Medspa, a modern-day, boutique medical spa.
Betsy lives in Austin, MN with her husband, Zach, and their two children, Joanna & Ellis.
TREASURER
Allie Long
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Allie Long is a passionate advocate for literacy and education. She holds a bachelor's degree from Iowa State University and a master's degree in teaching and learning from the College of St. Scholastica. Her passion for literacy began in her role as a community impact coordinator for the United Way of Mower County. It was here she learned the importance of early literacy and its connection to lifelong success. Allie has since transitioned into an elementary teaching role, where she has taught for 5 years. She firmly believes that reading is the passage to a meaningful life of reaching self-actualization. Allie is dedicated in her aspirations to improve literacy outcomes for all learners in her community.
SECRETARY
Elsa Esquivel-Soto
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Bio coming soon!
DIRECTOR
Joe Kroc
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Joe was born and raised in Austin and is now working at Austin Public Schools. Joe graduated from Saint Cloud State University as a licensed social worker and has his Master's in Educational Leadership through Southwest Minnesota State University. Joe was a school social worker at Southgate Elementary for 11 years and will be with the REACH program at Austin High School in 2023. Joe and his wife Sarah have two children, Will and Elise, ages 3 and 1.
DIRECTOR
Michelle Lilly
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Michelle Lilly loves to help people get to the next level, and as a talent acquisition specialist for Hormel Foods, she’s in a perfect position to do that. Michelle has been with Hormel Foods since 2017, joining the company from Chicago, Ill., where she had a successful decadelong career with BP, a $164 billion global energy company.
Passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion, Michelle sought and/or accepted special assignments at BP that were designed to deepen DEI understanding and implement programs to strengthen the company’s commitment to it. In addition to holding a bachelor's degree in accounting with high honors from Langston University in Langston, Okla., she regularly brings her professional background and leadership skills to volunteer positions with a wide variety of organizations.
When she’s not working or donating her time and talent, she is very likely at home bingewatching shows with her husband.
DIRECTOR
