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ABOUT US

At Burke Literacy Council, we believe literacy creates opportunity, strengthens families, and builds a more connected community. Since 1988, we have been dedicated to helping adults and families in Burke County grow in confidence, develop essential skills, and pursue brighter futures through education.

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We provide free one-on-one tutoring, literacy support, and small group ESL classes for individuals seeking to improve reading, writing, and English language skills. Through compassionate guidance and community support, we strive to make learning accessible, welcoming, and life-changing for all.

What We Believe

In Lak'ech


“You are my other me. If I do harm to you, I do harm to myself. If I love and respect you, I love and respect myself.”

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"Tú eres mi otro yo. Si te hago daño a ti, me hago daño a mí mismo(a). Si te amo y te respeto, me amo y me respeto a mí mismo(a).”

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— Luis Valdez

This belief reflects the heart of our mission: when one person grows, our whole community grows.

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Dr. Mary McLachlan

Executive/ Program Director

Mary is a career educator with experience teaching in public schools as well as at the university level and in adult education contexts. She holds a PhD in Teaching, Learning, and Sociocultural Studies from the University of Arizona and Master’s degree in Teaching English as a Second Language from NC State.

 

In her free time, she likes to go on adventures with her partner Andrew– hiking, camping, and traveling to visit friends and family.

director@burkeliteracy.org

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Stacy Orellana Buendia

Office Manager

Stacy supports Literacy Council with the daily operations, community outreach, and program coordination. She holds an Associates Degree in Arts and a diploma as a Dental Assistant II, and she is passionate about helping others and creating welcoming spaces where individuals and families feel supported, connected, and encouraged to grow.

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Outside of work, Stacy enjoys spending time outdoors, traveling and making memories with her family. 

officemanager@burkeliteracy.org

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Charles Conley

Bookkeeper

Charles was born and raised in Morganton. He has lived here permanently since 1976.

He retired from the mortgage lending business in 2012 after 32 years. He owned his own mortgage brokerage for 17 of those 32 years. 

He went to work as the bookkeeper and office manager at Burke County United Way as a retirement job in 2012. He is still working there after 14 years. His bookkeeping experience is with QuickBooks Desktop for 9 years with BCUW. He transitioned to QuickBooks Online in 2021 with BCUW and added Burke County Literacy QuickBooks Online in November, 2024 to date. 

accounting@burkeliteracy.org

Together We Make a Difference

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