Room to Read Welcomes Actress Danielle Panabaker and Activist Marley Dias as Global Ambassadors

Room to Read, a global education nonprofit nurturing foundational learning skills in children, today announced actress Danielle Panabaker and activist Marley Dias as its newest global ambassadors.  

“We are thrilled to welcome Danielle Panabaker and Marley Dias as Room to Read ambassadors,” said Dr. Geetha Murali, CEO of Room to Read. “Danielle brings heart and purpose to her advocacy, whether on screen or during story time. As an artist and a mother, she knows that books are more than pages; they are passports to possibility. Marley’s fierce commitment to representation and her work elevating young voices remind us that, when children see themselves in a story, they can imagine new futures. Together, their passion amplifies our belief that every child, regardless of gender or geography, deserves the chance to learn, lead and thrive. With Danielle and Marley alongside us, we are one step closer to a world where possibility is truly universal.” 

As global ambassadors, Panabaker and Dias will use their platforms to raise awareness for Room to Read’s mission and help mobilize action around literacy and gender equality. They join Room to Read ahead of International Literacy Day and will support organization’s Fill Every Shelf campaign which raises vital funds during the month of September to provide age-appropriate, local language books to children who need them most. 

“I’m thrilled to be partnering with Room to Read in their mission to nurture foundational learning skills in children all over the world. I am so impressed with their efforts to support education for children in historically low-income communities, and with their programs to train educators to shape the lives of children for years to come,” said Panabaker. “As an avid reader my entire life, I know how literacy has shaped my life and I’m so excited to work with them to bring that same opportunity to kids all around the world.”  

"Literacy has always been my compass—guiding how I see myself, connect with others, and imagine new worlds,” said Dias, “I support Room to Read because every child deserves the chance to turn a page and find possibility. Their mission aligns with everything I believe: that education is a right, not a privilege, and that stories have the power to change lives." 

Panabaker began acting as a teenager and came to prominence for her roles in the Disney films “Sky High,” “Stuck in the Suburbs,” and “Read it and Weep” as well as the Emmy-nominated HBO miniseries “Empire Falls.” Panabaker graduated from UCLA at 19 while starring as James Woods’ daughter on the CBS legal drama series “Shark.” She then starred in several horror films such as "Mr. Brooks," "Friday the 13th," "The Crazies," and John Carpenter’s "The Ward." Panabaker returned to television in 2014 on The CW’s "The Flash" for nine seasons as Caitlin Snow and later as her alter ego Killer Frost, as well as directing five episodes of the series. She is also the mom of two young kids. 

Dias is the creator of the viral #1000BlackGirlBooks campaign, which she launched at age 11 to champion greater representation in children’s literature, collecting over 15,000 books and sparking a global movement. Now a student at Harvard University, Dias serves as the National Education Association’s Read Across America Ambassador, is the author of Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You! and is the executive producer and host of the NAACP Image Award–nominated Netflix series Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices. She has been honored as a United Nations Youth Laureate, a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, a TIME 25 Most Influential Teen and a Smithsonian Ingenuity Award winner. Through her storytelling, writing, and leadership, Dias continues to advocate for literacy, equity and youth empowerment worldwide.