My name is Earl Martin Phalen and I am the CEO of Reach Out and Read. I was born into the foster care system but graduated from Yale University and Harvard Law School. I am now a nationally-recognized education leader and social entrepreneur. I became the CEO of Reach Out and Read in September 2009. Previously, I was the CEO of Building Educated Leaders for Life (BELL) a national nonprofit organization he cofounded in 1992. I am the Founder and Chair of Summer Advantage USA, which combats summer learning loss. In 2008, I served on the education policy group for Barack Obama's presidential campaign and as co-chair of Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick's education task force. President Bill Clinton named me as a recipient of the President's Service Award in 1997.