Our Mission
North County Literacy Foundation exists to provide free, evidence-based literacy education that empowers adults to achieve their personal, professional, and civic goals. We believe that literacy is a fundamental human right and that every adult, regardless of their educational history, immigration status, or economic circumstance, deserves access to high-quality instruction that meets them where they are and moves them forward. We deliver individualized and small-group tutoring through a corps of trained volunteers, partner with local institutions to eliminate systemic barriers to education, and measure our impact with the same rigor we bring to our teaching.
Our Vision
We envision a North San Diego County where every adult can read a lease before signing it, understand a prescription before taking it, help their child with homework, navigate a job application with confidence, vote with informed understanding, and participate fully in the economic and civic life of their community. Literacy is the bridge that connects individuals to opportunity, and we will not rest until that bridge is accessible to everyone who needs it. Our long-term goal is to reduce functional illiteracy in our service area by 40 percent by 2035 through sustained community investment in adult education infrastructure.
Meet Our Executive Director
Dr. Patricia Nguyen, Ed.D.
Founder & Executive Director
Dr. Patricia Nguyen founded North County Literacy Foundation in 2009 after fifteen years as an ESL and developmental reading instructor at MiraCosta College, where she witnessed firsthand the gap between institutional adult education capacity and community need. Hundreds of adults were waitlisted for basic literacy and ESL classes each semester, with some waiting two or more years for a classroom seat. Dr. Nguyen recognized that a community-based volunteer tutoring model could serve learners that the formal system could not reach.
Dr. Nguyen holds a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Adult and Postsecondary Education from San Diego State University, a Master of Arts in TESOL from the University of Southern California, and a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics from UCLA. She is a ProLiteracy Certified Trainer, a member of the Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE), and serves on the California Adult Literacy Professional Development Advisory Committee. Under her leadership, NCLF has grown from a single-site volunteer program serving 120 adults to a multi-site organization delivering over 52,000 instructional hours annually to nearly 4,000 learners.
Dr. Nguyen's research interests include structured literacy interventions for adult emergent readers, family literacy program design, and the integration of digital literacy skills into adult basic education curricula. She has presented at the National Conference on Adult Literacy, the TESOL International Convention, and the California Council for Adult Education annual symposium.
Board of Directors
Our volunteer board members bring diverse expertise in education, law, healthcare, finance, and community development to guide the Foundation's strategic direction.
David Herrera, J.D.
Board Chair
Partner at Herrera & Associates, specializing in immigration and family law. Served on the Oceanside City Planning Commission (2016–2021). David chairs the Board's governance committee and provides pro bono legal counsel for learner advocacy cases.
Dr. Susan Park, Ph.D.
Vice Chair
Associate Professor of Education at California State University San Marcos. Dr. Park's research focuses on second-language acquisition among adult immigrants. She oversees the Board's program evaluation committee and advises on curriculum alignment with state standards.
Margaret Colwell, CPA
Treasurer
Senior audit manager at RSM US LLP with twenty years of non-profit financial management experience. Margaret chairs the finance and audit committee, oversees the Foundation's annual independent audit, and ensures compliance with federal single-audit requirements for WIOA Title II funds.
James Okafor, MBA
Secretary
Vice President of Community Relations at Tri-City Medical Center. James leads the Board's community partnerships committee and has been instrumental in establishing NCLF's health literacy integration program, which connects adult learners with patient education resources and preventive care navigation.
Rosa Delgado-Munoz
Board Member
Retired principal of Jefferson Middle School in the Vista Unified School District. Rosa brings thirty-two years of K–12 educational leadership experience and serves as the Board's liaison to school district partners. She is a graduate of NCLF's Family Literacy program and joined the Board in 2018.
Accreditations & Community Partnerships
Accreditations & Certifications
- ProLiteracy Affiliate Member (since 2011)
- California Department of Education Approved Adult Education Provider
- CA DOE Supplemental Education Provider License #SEP-20847
- CASAS Certified Assessment Center (Test Site #SD-4072)
- WIOA Title II Eligible Training Provider (San Diego County Region)
- 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Organization (EIN: 82-4917305)
- GuideStar Gold Seal of Transparency (2024–2026)
- Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE) Institutional Member
Community Partners
- Oceanside Public Library System
- MiraCosta College Adult Education Division
- Vista Unified School District – Parent Engagement Office
- Tri-City Medical Center – Community Health Education
- Carlsbad Senior Center – Lifelong Learning Program
- San Diego Workforce Partnership
- United Way of San Diego County
- North County Community Foundation
- Oceanside Chamber of Commerce – Workforce Development Committee
Financial Stewardship
North County Literacy Foundation is committed to the highest standards of financial transparency and accountability. Our most recent IRS Form 990 and audited financial statements are available upon request and are filed annually with the California Attorney General's Registry of Charitable Trusts.
In our most recent fiscal year (July 2025 – June 2026), 84 cents of every dollar received was directed to program services, 10 cents to fundraising and development, and 6 cents to general administration. Our annual operating budget of approximately $2.1 million is funded through a diversified mix of sources: federal WIOA Title II formula grants (32%), California Department of Education adult education block grants (22%), private foundation grants (18%), individual donations (15%), corporate sponsorships (8%), and fundraising events (5%).
The Foundation undergoes an independent financial audit annually conducted by a certified public accounting firm in accordance with Government Auditing Standards (Yellow Book) and the Uniform Guidance for federal awards (2 CFR Part 200). Our audit reports have received unqualified (clean) opinions for each of the past eight consecutive fiscal years. Board Treasurer Margaret Colwell, CPA, chairs the finance and audit committee, which reviews monthly financial statements, approves the annual budget, and oversees internal controls.