Spotlight On Sean Webb – Executive Director, Read With Me

If you’ve spent any time in the Coachella Valley nonprofit or civic world, chances are you’ve crossed paths with Sean Webb. A Valley resident for 25 years, Sean has pretty much done it all—teacher, youth sports coach, nonprofit leader, board member, and tireless community volunteer. Today, he serves as Executive Director of Read With Me, a local nonprofit that connects volunteer reading mentors with students throughout the Valley.

I first met Sean through Leadership Coachella Valley, where he serves as a longtime board member and past president. Funny, engaging, and warm, Sean quickly became a welcome presence at our monthly sessions, always ready to share a story, a laugh, or a bit of advice as we made our way through the 10-month program.

But it was through one of my LCV classmates-turned-good-friend, Stefan Pejovic of TideSpool Studios (who also provided the photos for this Spotlight!), that I came to appreciate Sean on an entirely different level. Their connection goes back years, to when Stefan was a high school student interning as a videographer at Desert Sands Unified School District. What began as a mentorship grew into a lasting friendship, with Sean eventually hiring him at Read With Me after he graduated from college. That perfectly encapsulates the kind of person Sean is—someone who recognizes potential in others and goes out of his way to help them realize it.

He’s also a devoted family man, and it’s perhaps this quality that I admire most. The way he speaks about his wife, Tara, and daughter, Brooklyn, and how clearly they are the center of his world, reminds me so much of my own dad—which is just about the highest compliment I can ever give.

And now, Sean’s latest chapter has taken him somewhere new: the ballot. He’s running for a seat on the Desert Recreation District Board. His campaign nickname, #CommunityGuy, is a nod to his father, whom Sean credits with teaching him the importance of relationships and giving back.

Read on to learn more about Sean, the experiences and relationships that have shaped his life in the desert, and the community he’s spent the past 25 years serving.

XO, Lindsay

Tell us a little about your background. Where did you grow up, what brought you to the Coachella Valley, and what has kept you here for the past 25 years?

I grew up in Newark, a small town in western New York. I graduated from Newark High School in 1996, earned my history degree at the University at Buffalo, and then completed a master’s in secondary education at D’Youville College. I first learned about teaching opportunities in the Coachella Valley at a recruitment fair in Buffalo. The desert was a pretty easy sell in the middle of a New York winter, and I also had family in the area. I moved here in August 2001 to begin my career in education.

What has kept me here is the life we’ve built and the relationships that have grown along the way. La Quinta is home for my wife, Tara, our daughter, Brooklyn, and me. Over the years, my work has connected me with students, families, volunteers, and community organizations throughout the Valley. It has become much more than the place where I took my first teaching job.

Your career has taken you in a lot of different directions, from education to nonprofit leadership and plenty in between. Walk us through that journey.

There have been different job titles, but the common thread has always been helping people find opportunities. I began as a history and AVID teacher and coached sports, including football. After earning my master’s in educational administration in 2007, I moved into school leadership, first at Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle School, then La Quinta High School, and later Palm Desert High School.

At La Quinta High, one of the most rewarding connections was with the Culinary Arts Institute. I had worked in hospitality since high school—as a busser, waiter, kitchen manager, and catering captain—so I understood the opportunities that program could create. We brought local chefs and businesses together with students through events such as the Blackhawk Showdown, connecting career learning with community support and fundraising.

You’ve spent so much of your career working with young people, as a teacher, school administrator, football coach and now through Read With Me. What keeps drawing you back to work that supports kids?

I want people to look at young people and see possibilities. I’ve said before that every generation tends to look at the next one and focus on the negatives. I see students who are learning in a rapidly changing world, facing challenges we didn’t experience, and preparing for careers we might not even have imagined. Our responsibility is to give them opportunities and help them recognize what they can contribute.

That can happen in a classroom, on a team, through a career program, or sitting beside a volunteer and reading a book. Read With Me’s mission speaks to something I believe is important: helping children develop skills while also showing them that someone cares about them as individuals.

For those who aren’t familiar with Read With Me, tell us a little about its mission.

Read With Me helps children from low-income backgrounds, many of whom are multilingual learners, build the skills to read, comprehend, and speak English with confidence. Just as importantly, we want every child to know that someone believes in them.

We recruit, train, and support volunteers who work alongside teachers, reading with students individually or in small groups. We also provide books children can take home and keep, helping extend that connection to reading beyond the classroom. What began in 2004 as a small effort in the eastern Coachella Valley has grown into a program serving schools across the region.

My role brings together the educational and community sides of that work—supporting school relationships, volunteers, partnerships, and the resources needed to keep the program strong. Through our partnership with the Riverside County Office of Education, we are also positioned to expand our reach.

What has been the most rewarding or surprising part of working at Read With Me?

The most rewarding part is knowing how much this support can change a child’s life, because I’m a product of a program like Read With Me. In second and third grade, I worked with a reading specialist who helped me build the skills and confidence I needed. Without that support, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Now, I get to help provide that same opportunity to other children. It’s deeply personal—a reminder that the time we invest in a child today can shape their future in ways we may never fully see.

You have an ability to recognize potential in people. What have you learned about spotting talent and helping people find roles where they can thrive?

I’ve learned to look beyond what someone has already accomplished and consider what they could do with the right opportunity. With students, that might mean connecting them with a professional or giving them a chance to try something new. I’ve also learned that leadership requires listening and collaboration. Earlier in my career, I sometimes jumped into projects before bringing everyone along. Now, I try to explain the vision, invite people’s ideas, and give them room to contribute. Recognizing talent matters, but helping people use it matters just as much.

You’ve served on more boards and been involved with more local organizations that I could probably fit into this newsletter. Where does that drive to be involved in your community come from?

My dad was truly the first #CommunityGuy I ever saw in motion. He and my high school principal taught me that the power of relationships is key to success in almost everything. That lesson has stayed with me. I’ve never viewed education as something that happens only inside a school—students benefit when schools, businesses, nonprofits, and community organizations work together. My involvement comes from wanting to build those connections and give back. For me, community service is about showing up, building relationships, and putting them to work for others.

You went through LCV about a decade ago. What initially drew you to the program and what did you take away from the experience?

I was part of LCV’s Class of 2016, and it truly opened my eyes to the desert. The relationships I built helped me assist neighboring assistant principals in finding internships for their students. Three years later, I was asked to become Desert Sands Unified School District’s first Director of Community Engagement and Foundation. Without LCV, my career, and probably my life, would look very different. It broadened my perspective, showed me the power of working across organizations, and opened doors I never knew existed. I truly believe my career is where it is today because of LCV.

You stayed involved after graduating and eventually went on the serve as board president. Why was it important to you to continue giving back to the organization and what has LCV meant to you over the years?

LCV opened my eyes to the desert and changed my life, so giving back was an easy decision. I wanted others to have that same opportunity. Joining the board and eventually serving as president was my way of paying it forward. LCV isn’t just a program you graduate from and leave behind. For me, it’s people, connections, and showing up for the community that has given me so much.

You’ve called the Coachella Valley home for 25 years. What’s the biggest change you’ve witnessed during that time – and what about this community has stayed remarkably the same?

One of the biggest changes I’ve seen is how much more career-focused student education has become. We’re helping students connect what they learn in the classroom with real opportunities through internships, career programs, and community partnerships. What hasn’t changed is the people. The Coachella Valley is full of great, loving people who show up for one another and want to make a difference. We are truly blessed to live in such a giving community. After 25 years, that’s still one of the things I appreciate most about calling the desert home.

After decades of serving through education, nonprofits, coaching and community organizations, you’ve decided to run for the Desert Recreation District Board. What led you to take this next step in your community involvement?

This feels like a natural continuation of my community service. Through education, nonprofit leadership, and serving as a La Quinta commissioner, I’ve seen how opportunities strengthen families. It’s personal, too: my daughter participates in First Tee, soccer, and basketball and loves our local parks. I’m running for the Desert Recreation District Board in District 4 to help support those opportunities across the district. My priorities are thoughtful governance, fiscal responsibility, and recreational spaces and programs that are safe, inclusive, and accessible to everyone.

If elected, what would you most like to accomplish? What would you hope to look back on four years from now and feel proud to have helped make happen?

If elected, I’d lean on what has always guided me: relationships. I want to bring people, schools, businesses, and community organizations together to support the Desert Recreation District’s mission and strengthen opportunities for the people it serves. Four years from now, I’d love to look back and see partnerships that helped more children and families participate, expanded opportunities, and made people feel connected to their community. I’m someone who shows up, connects people, and gets to work. I’d be proud to know those relationships helped make a meaningful difference across the district.

Anyone who knows you knows how important your family is to you. What have your wife and daughter taught you about yourself and how do they influence the way you approach life?

Tara and Brooklyn remind me of what matters most. They’ve taught me that no matter how busy life gets, being present as a husband and dad comes first. A colleague once told me, “As long as your wife and child smile at you at the end of the night, you’re doing the right thing.” That has really stayed with me. Tara and Brooklyn have been my rocks through what I’ll describe as an “interesting” time. Their love and support keep me grounded and remind me why I do what I do.

You seem to be someone people naturally turn to for advice. Who do you turn to when you need advice?

I turn to my mentors and my family. My high school principal, David Paddock, is someone I still communicate with regularly, and I really value his perspective. I also turn to my brothers. They saw our dad “in action” as the original #CommunityGuy, just like I did, and understand the example he set for us. And, of course, I always ask Mom for advice. These are the people who know me, keep me grounded, and will give me an honest answer when I need one.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received or the advice you find yourself giving most often?

The best career advice I’ve received, and what I tell others, is that relationships matter, and NEVER burn your bridges. Treat people well, follow through, and stay connected. You never know when your paths will cross again or when you’ll have an opportunity to help each other. That doesn’t mean you have to agree with everyone, but you can disagree and still show respect. So much of my career has grown from relationships. Your reputation follows you, and how you treat people matters long after you’ve moved on from a job or role.

What part of desert living brings you the most joy?

I love our trails and being outdoors almost every day of the year. Golf helped bring me here, and although I don’t play as often as I’d like, I love taking Brooklyn to First Tee. I also appreciate how giving this community is. Coming from Buffalo, New York, and seeing Bills Mafia donate so generously to charities connected to opposing teams, it feels fitting that I landed somewhere with that same spirit. People here care and show up for one another. We’re blessed to call the desert home.

You have an entire day off with nowhere you need to be. What does your perfect desert day look like?

My perfect desert day is spending time with Tara and Brooklyn, trying something new and exciting together. Maybe it’s a hike, a trip to the Living Desert, or checking out a community gathering. I don’t need a packed schedule or anything elaborate. The fun is exploring, laughing, and making memories together. Whatever we end up doing, the most important part is that we’re doing it as a family.

Best meal in the desert?

It depends on who’s picking! For a nice dinner with Tara, we’re big fans of Sullivan’s and Pacifica. If it’s a family meal, Brooklyn will always vote for In-N-Out or anything involving tacos! Honestly, good food and time together are a pretty great combination, whether it’s a date night or burgers and fries with our daughter.

Other Valley favorites?

Some of my favorite places are where I get to support former students. That might mean stopping at America’s Tires in Coachella, where the general manager is someone I coached more than 20 years ago, grabbing coffee at Desert Kid Coffee (pictured), where I taught one of the owners at Palm Desert High, or visiting Prime Performance and Wellness, owned by a former student whose assistant principal I was from sixth through twelfth grade. Seeing them build careers and businesses is pretty special. Supporting them is one of my favorite ways to stay connected to this community.

Thank you, Sean!

Thank you, Sean, for sharing your story and for all you do for our Coachella Valley community! 

You can learn more about Sean’s campaign here and follow him on Instagram here.