Our Founder – Shari Most
Shari Most is a literacy expert and the founder of ColoREADo, an initiative dedicated to eliminating illiteracy and sub-literacy across Colorado. She holds a Master’s in Elementary Education and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS) in Reading from the MGH Institute of Health Professions — a premier institution for literacy research and training.
Shari began her 20 year career as a literacy specialist in Massachusetts before moving to Colorado, where she has helped dozens of children with dyslexia learn to read. Her early work centered on the Orton-Gillingham (OG) approach, but over time she became increasingly compelled by the latest reading science and the need for faster, more effective solutions.
Today, she is a leading advocate for the Speech-to-Print approach and Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction (EBLI), which she believes represent the future of reading education—grounded in brain science, not tradition. Through ColoREADo, Shari is building powerful alliances that bring cutting-edge instruction to educators, families, and students, working to ensure that every child in Colorado has the opportunity to become a proficient and confident reader.
Deputy Director – Tal Most
Tal Most, Deputy Director of ColoREADo, is a passionate educator with an array of classroom experience. With degrees in Special Education and Elementary Education, Tal has experience in substantially separate special education, inclusion special education, 1:1 intervention and whole class instruction, providing her with a unique perspective on thinking and learning.
Tal is also a Goyen Literacy Fellow, helping to bring high quality professional development resources and videos to literacy educators across the country.
Through the Goyen Literacy Fellowship, Tal is able to elevate ColoREADo’s mission and strengthen national alliances. Tal has also been selected to participate in the Impact Denver program at the Denver Chamber of Commerce, an accelerator program for rising professionals in civic and community leadership.
Tal strives to bring high quality literacy instruction to multilingual learners, a population which deserves access to instruction that meets their unique needs. After teaching in a dual language setting and providing instruction in English and Spanish, Tal aims to integrate best practices by combining what she has learned through dual language instruction, evidence based special education approaches, and EBLI. After teaching in a dual language setting and providing instruction in English and Spanish, Tal aims to integrate best practices by combining what she has learned through dual language instruction, evidence based special education approaches, and EBLI.
Program Manager – Mandi Barnett
Mandi brings experience across nonprofit operations, program and project management, community engagement, direct service, and volunteer leadership to her work at ColoREADo. She supports the organization across operations, programs, communications, and growth, helping build the systems and capacity needed as ColoREADo continues to expand.
Her connection to community-based work began as a teenager, when she started spending her summers serving communities throughout Appalachia. That work has remained a consistent thread throughout her life and career.
Literacy and access to education are especially meaningful to Mandi. An avid lifelong reader, she also spent nearly two decades educating her three children from kindergarten through graduation. Those experiences gave her a deep appreciation for the many ways people learn and for how much access to the right support can change what is possible.
Mandi approaches her work with curiosity, a willingness to ask good questions, and a strong instinct for figuring things out. She enjoys learning how organizations work, identifying what is already strong, and helping build practical systems around what comes next.