NLT elects Prior to board of trustees

The National Literacy Trust (NLT) has elected Joanna Prior as vice chair of their board of trustees. 

Prior has been at Penguin Random House for 21 years, where she is currently managing director of Penguin General. 

As an industry leader and as a former president of the Publishers Association, she has been instrumental in growing partnerships between the publishing sector and literacy charities, said the NLT. 

Prior has held a trustee role at the NLT for nearly five years. She will be stepping up to strengthen the charity’s mission to change the life stories of disadvantaged children through literacy and enable them to succeed in life at a moment when the charity is strengthening its focus on the UK’s most disadvantaged communities.

She said: “I am delighted to take on the role of Vice Chair of Trustees at the National Literacy Trust, a charity whose mission is close to my heart. I am looking forward to visiting the charity’s Literacy Hubs across the country, where the Trust collaborates with the local community, working with public sector, corporate, education and cultural partners to break intergenerational patterns of poor literacy. I’m proud to represent the publishing sector and our commitment to supporting the work of the Trust through the Publishers Association’s Literacy Project. The initiative matches the unique assets we can bring to bear — creativity, people, authors and books — with National Literacy Trust Hubs to raise literacy levels through targeted and concentrated action, driving up low levels of literacy and social mobility in the UK’s poorest communities.”

Julia Cleverdon, chair of trustees for the NLT, said: “All of us on the Board are so delighted Joanna Prior will become our Vice Chair. She brings with her not only a wealth of fantastic experience but a huge commitment and track record in bringing the might of the publishing world to help improve access to books, reading and creativity for everyone. In a country where one in three adults in disadvantaged communities lack functional literacy skills, Joanna’s support of the work of the National Literacy Trust will be invaluable.”