Room to Read announced today the launch of its New York Development Board. With 15 founding members, the board will focus on helping Room to Read – one of the fastest growing charities in the world – to expand the organization’s ability to reach millions more children in the developing world with the lifelong gift of education.

Announced by founder and board co-chair, John Wood and co-founder and CEO, Erin Ganju, the regional board, comprised of appointed members, will support the promotion of fundraising activity in New York and, given peoples’ global networks, around the world. The New York Development Board is Room to Read’s fourth regional board, along with the Asia Pacific Development Board, the Australia Advisory Board, and the U.K. Advisory Board.

The founding members of the board were selected for their long-term investment and support of Room to Read’s mission as well as their ability to dramatically influence awareness and fundraising potential for the organization in New York and nationwide. Each member will serve a renewable three-year term. Wood will oversee the board’s activities to provide the organization’s management and development department with high-level strategic advice and opportunities.

"As Room to Read moves toward our goal of reaching 10 million children by 2015, it is crucial that we continue to engage our network of investors in ways that are viable in their local fundraising market,” says Wood. “This new development board is comprised of individuals and couples who have been instrumental to the organization’s successful scaling. New York is an epicenter of opportunity for Room to Read and their sound counsel and leadership will augment our fundraising strategy, ensuring we provide future generations with the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty through the power of education."

The 15 founding New York board members include:

Mary Byron, global head of technology for the Federation at Goldman Sachs
Peter Grauer, chairman of Bloomberg L.P and a member of Room to Read’s global board of directors
Scott Kapnick, managing partner and member of the board of Highbridge Capital Management, LLC; CEO of Highbridge Principal Strategies, LLC; and a member of Room to Read’s global board of directors
Jaideep Khanna, managing partner and co-founder of Artha Capital
Stephen King, founder and chief investment officer of C12 Capital and his wife, Jane Power King
John Macfarlane, chairman of Vinci Zafferano Capital and Zaff LLC  and his wife Dudley Macfarlane
David Martin, managing partner of BTG Pactual and his wife Jacqueline Martin
Jerry del Missier, former COO of Barclays Bank PLC and a member of Room to Read’s global board of directors and his wife Jane del Missier
Aaron Nieman, managing director and head of Asian investing for Sigma Capital Management
Eric Varvel, CEO of the global investment bank of Credit Suisse and his wife Shauna Varvel, Room to Read’s Greenwich chapter co-leader