SPEAKERS ARE LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER BY FIRST NAME; FEATURED SPEAKERS LISTED FIRST
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Emily Drabinski
President, American Library Association
Emily Drabinski is Associate Professor at the Queens (NY) College Graduate School of Library and Information Studies. She currently serves as president of the American Library Association.
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Jocelyn Kennedy
Executive Director, Farmington Libraries (CT)
Jocelyn Kennedy is the Executive Director of the Farmington Libraries in Farmington, Connecticut. Jocelyn has served as Executive Director of the Harvard Law School Library, Director of Library Services at the UConn Law Library, and as a research librarian at the University of Michigan Law Library.
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Josh Kantor
Music and Public Services Assistant, Houghton Library at Harvard University and Boston Red Sox Organist
Joshua Kantor is the organist for Boston Red Sox home games at Fenway Park and is the Music and Public Services Assistant for the Houghton Library at Harvard University. He plays keyboards and organ for the bands Jim's Big Ego, the Split Squad, and the Baseball Project.
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Kara Roselle Smith
Afro-Indigenous Content Creator and Activist
Kara Roselle Smith is an Afro-Indigenous multi hyphenate creative, writer, and model based in New York City. She uses her platform to normalize the process of unlearning and seeking justice for her tribe, the Chappaquiddick Wampanoag. As one of the chiefs of the tribe, Kara’s mother instilled in her a strong sense of social justice that has led her to create resources, including writing her first book, that have reached hundreds of thousands. Most recently, Kara was hand picked by Lizzo to join her on stage at the People’s Choice Awards to accept the People’s Champion Award in recognition of the work that she does in service of her tribe.
- Social Media Handle
- https://www.instagram.com/kararoselles/
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Mayor Charlie Sisitsky
Mayor of the City of Framingham
Charlie Sisitsky, sworn in as Mayor of the City of Framingham on January 1, 2022, is a seasoned and accomplished municipal executive with forty years of public administration leadership experience. A Framingham resident and homeowner since 1971, Charlie has an extensive record of public service in our community.
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Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, MLS, LEED AP
Executive Director, Mid-Hudson Library System (NY) and Co-Founder, Sustainable Libraries Initiative
Rebekkah Smith Aldrich (MLS, LEED AP) is the Executive Director of the Mid-Hudson Library System (NY) and the co-founder/current president of the Sustainable Libraries Initiative (SLI). For over twenty-five years, Rebekkah has worked with public libraries across the globe to ensure library services are relevant and responsive so that our communities thrive. Rebekkah is an active member of the American Library Association (ALA), most recently chairing their new Council Committee on Sustainability and serving on the board of the Center for the Future of Libraries. She was also a founding board member of their Sustainability Round Table. Rebekkah was recognized as a Library Journal Mover & Shaker and recently presented with the New York Library Association's Outstanding Service to Libraries Award. Aldrich is an adjunct professor at the Palmer School of Library & Information Science at Long Island University, serves as Library Journal's Sustainability columnist, and has written/edited three books for ALA Editions in addition to her authorship of the New York State handbooks for both library directors and trustees. Rebekkah is a frequent national and international presenter and writer on the topic of leading libraries forward in smart, practical, and effective ways.
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Terri Lesley
Former Executive Director, Campbell County Public Library System (WY)
Terri Lesley, a lifetime resident of Wyoming, worked in the library field for 27 years in marketing, information technology, and administrative roles before assuming the Executive Director position of the Campbell County Public Library System in 2012. Terri has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Marketing from the University of Wyoming and a Master of Library and Information Science degree from the University of North Texas. She lives in Gillette, (WY) with her husband, Doug, and their dog, Mr. Earl.
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The Honorable Maura Healey
Governor of Massachusetts
Maura Healey is the 73rd Governor of Massachusetts. In 2022, she became the state's first woman and first openly LGBTQ person elected to the position.
In her first year as Governor, Healey has already delivered on key promises to help Massachusetts become a leader in clean energy, a more affordable and equitable place to live, and a great place for businesses to operate.
On her first day in office, Governor Healey appointed the nation's first cabinet-level Climate Chief and created the Office of Climate Innovation & Resilience to coordinate policies across all of state government to address the climate crisis. Governor Healey has also prioritized education and workforce development by making free school meals for K-12 students permanent and creating a free community college program for residents ages 25 and older. She has made historic investments in apprenticeships and other career pathways. Governor Healey also delivered on her promise to make Massachusetts more affordable by cutting taxes for the first time in 20 years, including creating the most generous Child and Family Tax Credit in the county. Her tax cuts package puts money back into the pockets of families, renters, seniors, and others who are struggling to keep up with the rising cost of living. She also recently introduced the $4 billion Affordable Homes Act, which would be the state’s largest housing investment in history, to create tens of thousands of homes and lower costs.
Healey previously served two terms as Massachusetts Attorney General, first elected in 2014 and then re-elected in 2018. In her role as the People’s Lawyer, she took on difficult issues impacting Massachusetts residents, including the opioid epidemic, the climate crisis, escalating health care costs, and student loan debt. Earlier in her career, Healey was a prosecutor in Middlesex County and a litigation partner at WilmerHale.
Healey grew up the oldest of five siblings in an old New England farmhouse. She and her siblings were raised by their mother, Tracy, who worked as a nurse at the local elementary school. Her stepfather, Edward, who later joined the family, was a teacher and local union president. He coached her high school basketball team and instilled a lifelong love of the sport. Healey attended Harvard College, where she captained the basketball team, and then spent two years as a 5’4” starting point guard on a professional basketball team in Austria.
For much of her career, she’s been the only woman in the room and has taken every opportunity to elevate other women. She is a passionate advocate for LGBTQ rights, women’s health, and women’s equality in general, especially in sports.
Governor Healey lives in Arlington, Massachusetts with her partner, Joanna Lydgate.- Social Media Handle
- https://www.twitter.com/massgovernor
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Alessandra Seiter
Community Engagement Librarian, Harvard Kennedy School
Alessandra Seiter (she/they) is the Community Engagement Librarian at Harvard Kennedy School Library & Research Services, where she oversees projects, events, and communications that connect the HKS community with library resources.
Alessandra’s librarianship is informed by an academic background in the geography of social movements and over a decade of community organizing. They’re interested in how libraries can support the visionary world-building activities of grassroots collectives, and more broadly in the relationship between infrastructure (social, physical) and democratic participation. Alessandra holds a BA in Geography from Vassar College and a Master of Library and Information Science from Simmons University. She is currently pursuing a Master of City Planning at Boston University.
In their free time, Alessandra advocates for multi-modal urban transportation policies and projects, including as Chair of the Somerville Pedestrian & Transit Advisory Committee (PTAC). She also runs, bikes, hikes, and loves a good documentary. -
Alicia Monks
AIA, Project Manager, CHA Consulting
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Amy Beck
Director of Senior Services, Town of Hopkinton
Amy Beck is the Director of Senior Services in Hopkinton. Ensuring that everyone can come to the table and take part in the community is what Senior Services is all about. Building an age- and dementia-friendly community is just one piece of Hopkinton's commitment towards diversity, equity and inclusion --giving everyone a voice.
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Amy Stimac
Head of Children's Services, Goodnow Library, Sudbury
Amy Stimac began her library career in academic libraries but quickly realized her true passion was providing library services to children. She has worked in the children’s department at the Goodnow Library in Sudbury since 2012 and has been Head of Children’s Services at Goodnow since 2018.
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Ashley Brown
Program Manager, Online MLIS@Denver
Ashley Brown was a children's and youth services librarian for most of her career in public libraries until she made her way to academia, where she is now the Program Manager of the Online MLIS@Denver through the University of Denver. She has an MLIS and an MA in Children's Literature from Simmons University and her MA in English from Boston University. She resides in the greater Boston area.
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Becky Hass
Life and Engagement Coach, Joy Work, LLC
Becky Hass (she/her/hers) creates brave spaces for transformative conversations. Becky brings more than 15 years of experience in various leadership capacities. Her areas of focus are leadership, organizational development, and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. As the Programming and Outreach Manager at Anne Arundel County Public Library, she supports hundreds of community partners, non-profits, and presenters through a process she describes as "program matchmaking."
As a Life and Engagement Coach, Becky is on a mission to support joyful, resilient individuals and communities where all can use their agency to empower their goals. She is the founder and owner of Joy Work, LLC (https://joyworkllc.com/) in Maryland. -
Brian DeFelice
Library Director, Hull Public Library
Brian DeFelice (he/him) has over twenty years of experience working in public libraries. He holds an MLIS from San Jose State University and an MPA from Suffolk University.
- Social Media Handle
- linkedin.com/in/brian-defelice-lib/
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Brianne Skywall
Teen Technology Coordinator, Teen Central, Boston Public Library
Bri Skywall is the Teen Technology Coordinator at the Boston Public Library. Having previously worked in a correctional setting she was excited to continue doing the important work of providing resources to incarcerated folks through outreach at BPL. Bri loves showing teens how to harness their creativity through technology and will crash their game of Just Dance if provoked.
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Chelsea Jordan-Makely
Library Director and Research Consultant
Chelsea Jordan-Makely is a Library Director and the principal consultant at Renewed Libraries, LLC. Her research focuses primarily on library services and incarceration. She is Co-Chair for the ALA Library Services to the Justice Involved. Chelsea is also an Agile coach and practitioner. She is based in Heath, MA.
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Christi Farrar
Consultant, Massachussetts Library System
Christi Showman Farrar is a Consultant at the Massachusetts Library System (MLS), where she provides guidance and continuing education to library staff all over the commonwealth. Prior to working at MLS, Christi worked as a children’s and teen librarian in Massachusetts public libraries for a decade, and was the director of the School and Public Library division at a well-known library vendor. She has a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from Simmons University, as well as a Master’s in Language, Reading, and Culture from the University of Arizona. In her "spare" time she teaches Children's Literature in the Library Media Studies program at Salem State University and she is a trained Touchpoints in Libraries facilitator.
- Social Media Handle
- @LibraryChristi
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Danielle Cook
Reference and Technology Supervisor, Hopkinton Public Library
Danielle Cook (she/her) is the Reference and Technology Supervisor at the Hopkinton Public Library. Danielle is an academic nerd who terrorizes her patrons, administration, and friends with Sci-Fi and Fantasy book recommendations, glitter-laden craft programs, and way too many weird science facts. She spends her free time listening to audiobooks while crafting, baking, gaming, and cuddling her puppy.
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Dorrie Karlin
Branch Librarian, Concord Free Public Library
Prior to joining the Concord Free Public Library, Dorrie worked in youth services in the Worcester Public Library, the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, and the Woburn Public Library.
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Elena Zachary
Regenerative Design Group
Elena is a designer, artist, and native plant enthusiast. She combines her background in the arts with ecological thinking to find creative solutions to landscape design problems. Elena aims to create thoughtful designs that consider the human experience to make spaces of comfort while also providing wildlife habitat and ecological functions to the broader ecosystem. She holds an MS in Ecological Design from The Conway School and a BFA in ceramics from Alfred University.
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Ellen Rainville
Library Director, J. V. Fletcher Library (Westwood)
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Emily Andrews
Community Engagement Librarian, Olin College Library
TBA
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Eric Meade
Principal, Whole Mind Strategy Group
Eric Meade is a futurist, facilitator, and strategic consultant based in Boulder, Colorado, where he leads team and peer processes to help nonprofit and public sector clients find their place in a complex and uncertain world. He is an award-winning author of two books. He has an MBA from INSEAD and a BA in history from the University of Virginia.
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Erica Husting
Media and Journalism Specialist, Boston Public Library
Erica Husting is a media and journalism specialist at the Boston Public Library. Her work focuses on teaching workshops and developing programming about media and news literacy, journalism, and civic engagement. Erica holds an MLIS from the University of Washington and a BS in journalism from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Before her career in libraries, Erica worked in the public relations field.
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Erin Fragola
Marketing and Outreach Coordinator, Perkins Library
Erin Fragola is the Marketing and Outreach Coordinator at Perkins Library in Watertown, the Regional NLS Library providing accessible resources for people living in Massachusetts who have print disabilities as well as the institutions that service them. Erin is an MLIS graduate of Valdosta State University in Georgia and has worked in design and marketing for international and non-profit organizations for more than a decade.
- Social Media Handle
- @Perkins_Library
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Erin Rush
Teen Librarian, Woburn Public Library
Erin Rush (she/her) has been the Teen Librarian at the Woburn Public Library for three years, and previously held careers in publishing and education. Since starting at the WPL she has transformed the Teen Room into a thriving, exuberant space that encourages teens and tweens to explore and express what they’re passionate about. She holds a Master of Library and Information Science from Simmons University.
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Francesca Passiglia
Teen Librarian, Greenfield Public Library
Francesca is the first ever teen librarian and makerspace coordinator at Greenfield Public Library. She loves advocating for local teens in her community and hosting fun-filled teen programs. She is on the marketing committee for the Massaschusetts Teen Choice Book Award and a former PLIX (Public Library Innovation Exchange) Ambassador through MIT.
- Social Media Handle
- @ gplibrarymateen on Instagram
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Gabrielle Griffis
Assistant Youth Services Librarian, Brewster Ladies Library
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Gerry Deyermond
Assistant Head of Circulation, Memorial Hall Library (Andover)
Gerry Deyermond has been at Memorial Hall Library for 25 years and is the Assistant Head of Circulation. She spends about eight hours a week in the makerspace helping patrons with 3D printing, use of the Glowforge, the Silhouette Vinyl cutter, the poster printer, sewing machines and more. The new maker space opened in February of 2023.
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Gianna Gifford
Chief of Adult Library Services, Boston Public Library
Gianna manages a number of teams at the Boston Public Library, including: Community Learning, Kirstein Business Library & Innovation Center, Community History, Library Social Work, and Adult Programs. She has been at BPL for 12 years. Prior to that, she spent 20 years as part of the Beatley Library staff at Simmons University in Boston, doing information literacy, instruction, and reference work with students and faculty.
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Gina Wise
Supervisor of Borrower Services, Newton Free Library
Gina Wise (she/hers) has 13 years of experience in public libraries, including roles as Branch Library Assistant, Reference and Programming Librarian, and Circulation Supervisor. She has managed a circulation department for the past six years, formerly at the Public Library of Brookline and currently at the Newton Free Library. She is the mother to two toddlers who are loads of fun.
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Grace Spaulding
Literacy Program Coordinator, Literacy Volunteers of Methuen and Reference Librarian, Nevins Memorial Library, Methuen
Grace Spaulding is the program coordinator of Literacy Volunteers of Methuen and reference librarian at the Nevins Memorial Library. She has 10 years of working cross culturally and is passionate about welcoming new arrivals and meeting the information needs of all patrons in our communities.
- Social Media Handle
- https://www.facebook.com/NevinsMemorialLibrary/
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Haley Lawrence
Children's Specialist and 20s and 30s Coordinator at Tewksbury Public Library
Haley Lawrence is the Children’s Specialist and 20s and 30s Coordinator at the Tewksbury Public Library. She has created new, innovative programming specifically for underserved 20s and 30s patrons. In its first ten months, the program has served over 500 patrons in their 20s and 30s and the Meetup group has over 200 members.
- Social Media Handle
- www.linkedin.com/in/haley-n-lawrence (LinkedIn) @tewksburylib (Instagram for TPL)
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Hannah Avila
Legal Access Manager, City of Boston Mayor's Office for Immigrant Advancement
Hannah Avila is the Legal Access Manager at the City of Boston Mayor's Office for Immigrant Advancement. In this role, she works with constituents, nonprofits, funders, and other stakeholders to seek to improve access to immigration legal services to Boston residents through strategic programming and partnership.
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Hannah Bernhard
Program Manager for Student Success Communications, UMass Amherst
Hannah Bernhard is a poet, activist, and communications specialist in the Western Mass area. She currently serves as the Program Manager for Communications in the Undergraduate Student Success Office at UMass Amherst. She spearheaded, and has successfully led, the #UMassReads Summer Reading Challenge for the last three years.
- Social Media Handle
- Instagram: @successumass
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Heath Umbreit
Adult Services Librarian, Morrill Memorial Library, Norwood
Heath Umbreit, MLIS, is the Adult Services Librarian at Morrill Memorial Library in Norwood. Heath uses they/them pronouns, and is trans/nonbinary and genderfluid. In their work, they intentionally center the values of equity, access, and social justice.
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Hermayne Gordon
Library Director, Woburn Public Library
Hermayne Gordon is the Director of the Woburn Public Library (WPL). She assumed the role in September 2021. She began working at the library in July of 2018 and was previously appointed Acting Director in August 2021. Before coming to the WPL in 2018, she served as Head of Youth Services for the Rowley Public Library for almost 10 years. Hermayne has worked in public libraries for over 20 years and has over 10 years of teaching experience. For her, the public library has always been her favorite third space and she considers the work of public libraries to be vital to any community. It is an honor and privilege for her to serve in her home library.
Hermayne has led the WPL through a period of change following a renovation and expansion of the library's historic building better suited to the needs of an expanding population in the 21st century. She and her team have worked tirelessly to advance the Vision and Mission of the WPL, welcoming individuals and families from diverse backgrounds and connecting them to resources and services that educate, enrich and entertain. Hermayne holds a BS and MS from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MLS from Simmons University. -
Jaclyn Youngblood
Co-Director, The Lab @ MassDOT
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Jake Sadow
Statewide Digitization Program Supervisor, Boston Public Library
Jake Sadow is the Statewide Digitization Program Supervisor for the Boston Public Library. He project manages the Statewide Digitization program, serving as a liaison between Massachusetts-based cultural heritage institutions and digitization staff at the Boston Public Library. He has worked with over 300 institutions to get their cultural heritage collections online, including libraries, museums, historical societies, and universities. He also acts as an educator, raising awareness among library and information professionals of issues in digitization and promoting conversations between institutions to address those issues.
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Jane Stimpson
Massachusetts Library System Consultant
I joined MLS in January 2023 after thirteen years working in community college libraries in Houston and Boston, where I specialized in instruction, reference, and outreach. My professional interests include information literacy instruction, active learning, the ACRL Framework, critical librarianship, and student transitions in the P16 pipeline.
My goal as the Consultant specializing in Library Instruction and Educational Technology is to create and facilitate learning opportunities for MLS members to become more confident, knowledgeable, and impactful in their teaching. -
Jenna Young
Literacy Services, Boston Public Library
Originally from North Carolina, Jenna has been teaching English and writing around Boston for over a decade. She has a Master's in English Language and Literature from Boston College and TEFL certification from ITTT.
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Jennifer Pickett
Acting Assistant Director and Reference Librarian, Brooks Free Library, Harwich
Has been a Reference Librarian at Brooks Free Library in Harwich for the past 17 years, also serving as Acting Assistant Director since June 2023. Worked at other Cape Cod Libraries and served as Head of Circulation at Goodnow Library (Sudbury), and at Watertown Free Public Library. BA in Psychology from Brandeis University and MLIS from Simmons.
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Jenny Santomauro
Head of Teen Services, Peabody Institute Library, Danvers
Jenny Santomauro is the Head of Teen Services at Peabody Institute Library of Danvers. The Danvers library recently hosted a drag queen makeup class for teens that drew threats and criticism from local and national hate groups. The community rallied around the library and the LGBTQIA+ community, and hundreds of people showed up in support. For the majority of her 15 years as a librarian, Jenny has worked with and advocated for youth, with a focus on services and support for LGBTQIA+ teens and emerging adults.
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Jeremy Goldstein
Data Curation Librarian, Minuteman Library Network
Jeremy Goldstein is the Data Curation Librarian for the Minuteman Library Network. He supports acquisitions, serials, and various reporting tools of MLN's ILS, and develops custom data applications to meet the needs of member libraries.
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Jessica Snow
Assistant Manager of Youth Services, Boston Public Library
Jess Snow is the Assistant Manager of Youth Services for the Boston Public Library. She was the first Teen Outreach Librarian for the Oakland Public Library and has created numerous partnerships with organizations providing library services to underserved teens. In 2020, she published Outreach Services to Underserved Teens: A Starter Guide through the American Library Association.
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John McCarthy
Community Relations Officer with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
John McCarthy has been employed by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) since 2008, first working as an Adjudicator. In 2015 he became the Community Relations Officer for the Boston District Office and his role changed to providing information about immigration benefits; what the eligibility requirements are, what applications to file, and how the process works.
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Judith Terrazano
Library Associate, Reading Public Library
Judith has worked as a paralibrarian for more than 10 years. She has worked at Lucius Beebe Memorial Library in Wakefield, Flint Memorial Library in North Reading and is currently a Library Associate at Reading Public Library.
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Kai Fay
Discovery & Access Strategic Projects Manager, Harvard Library
Kai Fay (he/they) is the Discovery & Access Strategic Projects Manager at Harvard Library. In their role, they manage cross-functional projects for the library, primarily related to digitization and digitized collections. Their other interests include trauma-informed practice and community-building in libraries.
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Karina Rodriguez
Library Assistant, Waltham Public Library
Karina Rodriguez started as a teen "Real Talk" Leader at the Waltham Public Library, was hired as a Page in 2019, was promoted to a part-time Library Assistant position in the Children’s Department in 2022, and in 2023 was promoted to a full-time library assistant in the same department. Karina is dedicated to helping create a welcoming multilingual, and multicultural space for all patrons as well as helping Spanish speaking community members.
Karina Rodríguez comenzó como una líder adolescente de "Real Talk" en la Biblioteca Pública de Waltham, fue contratada como ayudante en la clasificación y organización en los retornos de libros en el año 2019, fue promovida a un puesto de asistente de bibliotecario a tiempo parcial en el Departamento de Niños en 2022, al año siguiente obtuvo la promoción de la misma posición a tiempo completo en el mismo departamento. Karina se dedica a crear un ambiente multilingüe y multicultural para todos los que usan la biblioteca, así como ayuda a los miembros de la comunidad que hablan Español. -
Karolina Zapal
Program Coordinator, Massachusetts Center for the Book
Karolina Zapal is an avid reader and also a writer. She serves as the Program Coordinator for Massachusetts Center for the Book, where she runs the year-long Reading Challenge, Letters About Literature, the Mass Book Awards, and other programs.
- Social Media Handle
- Instagram @masscenterforbook
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Kate Pontes
Programming and Outreach Librarian, Worcester Talking Book Library
Kate Pontes (she/her) is the Programming and Outreach Librarian at the Worcester Talking Book Library. In this role, Kate engages blind and print-disabled patrons in fun programming, like audio-described movie showings and the All Access Book Club, while finding new communities who could benefit from WTBL’s services. In her spare time, Kate enjoys writing, stress-baking, and exploring Worcester’s restaurant scene.
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Kathy Meagher
Local History Specialist, Billerica Public Library
Kathy has worked at the Billerica Public Library for more than 25 years, initially as a reference librarian focused on Community Information and Resources. Since 2000, she has worked as Billerica's Local History Specialist tasked with growing the Local History collection and performing the role of Local History Librarian. Over the years, Kathy has grown the collection and the role beyond the library. In addition to servicing the Reference Desk daily, Kathy assists patrons with more in-depth genealogy and local history research. Her duties also include providing Billerica town departments with historical information for Town projects as needed.
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Katie Nelson
Head of Teen Services, Beverly Public Library
Katie has been the Head of Teen Services at the Beverly Public Library for the last three Summer Reading Programs. Before that, she worked in Circulation and Communications. She is the co-chair of the Mass Teen Choice Book Awards and has not read a grown up book in a long time.
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Keri Bradeen
Head of Children's Services, Somerville Public Library
In her short career thus far at the Somerville Public Library, Keri has worked in many different roles. She started out as a part time Senior Substitute Librarian before being hired as a full time Generalist Librarian to assist with many different departments and library marketing. Not afraid to jump at opportunities, Keri became the Youth Services Librarian before transitioning to her current role as Head of Children's Services. In additional to regular programming, Keri has also worked on library-wide initiatives such as ComixCon and the SPL's One-City, One-Book initiative "Somerville Reads."
- Social Media Handle
- somervillelibrary
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Kerry O'Donnell
Head of Adult Services, Somerville Public Library
Kerry O'Donnell (she/her) is the Head of Adult Services at the Somerville Public Library and an active member of the Program Planners Section of the Massachusetts Library Association, as well as a NELA member. In addition to her MLIS, she has a Master's in Children's Literature and a background in youth services. She is passionate about initiatives around Library of Things collections, programs and event planning, and building digital collections and services for patrons (so it's fortunate those are areas she works on at the Somerville Public Library). She oversees the Library's "Somerville Reads" One-City, One-Book initiative and participates in planning numerous library-wide programs and events. She strongly believes that program planning is a core service that libraries provide to the public, and that libraries should continuously work to rebrand themselves as 21st Century spaces that offer new and innovative ways of connecting our communities to the things they need.
- Social Media Handle
- @1KerryOD on X and Instagram
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Kristin Merrill
HR Generalist, Town of Hopkinton
Kristin Merrill is the HR Generalist for the Town of Hopkinton, MA.
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Laura Saunders
Associate Director and Professor, Simmons University School of Library and Information Science
Laura Saunders is a Professor and Associate Director at Simmons University School of Library and Information Science. She teaches and conducts research in the areas of user services, information literacy, and intellectual freedom. She has a strong interest in the connections between information literacy and social justice issues, as well as in the impact of mis- and disinformation.
She is the co-author, along with Melissa Wong, of the open access textbook Instruction in Libraries and Information Settings: An Introduction. Laura has a PhD and a Master of Library and Information Science, both from Simmons College, and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Boston University. She is the 2019 recipient of Simmons University’s Provost Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching. -
Linda Braun
Principal, The LEO Group
Linda W. Braun is the Principal of THE LEO Group. She works with educational and community organizations to build strength-based community services. Linda has a Masters of Science in Library Science from Simmons University and a Masters of Education from Lesley University. She authored and co-authored articles, books, and reports including Library Staff as Public Servants:A Field Guide for Preparing to Support Communities in Times of Crisis.
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Liz Reed
Head of Adult Services, Morrill Memorial Library (Norwood)
Liz uses she/her pronouns and is Head of Adult Services at the Morrill Memorial Library in Norwood, MA.
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Lyndsay Forbes
Project Manager and Grants Specialist, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
Since 2017, Lyndsay Forbes has worked at the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) as the Project Manager and Grants Specialist. Prior to her work at the MBLC, she held a variety of positions in urban public libraries. She holds a Master of Library and Information Science from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.
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Magda Morris
Young Adults Librarian, Boston Public Library
Magda Morris is currently the Young Adults Librarian at the Codman Square Branch at the Boston Public Library. Previous workplaces include Milton Public Library and Osterhout Free Library (located in Wilkes-Barre, PA). Magda has a passion and calling for working with teens to give them a voice in the library and community.
- Social Media Handle
- @librarychick14 - Instagram
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Margot Malachowski
Education and Outreach Coordinator, Network of the National Library of Medicine
Margot Malachowski is an Education and Outreach Coordinator for the National Network of the National Library of Medicine in Region 7 serving Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Margot has worked in public, hospital, and academic libraries since 1996.
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Massachusetts Library Association
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Matthew Oudens
AIA, LEED AP, Principal, Oudens Ello Architecture
Matthew Oudens is a founding principal at Oudens Ello Architecture with over thirty years of experience focused on cultural, educational, and community-based projects, with a particular interest in site responsive building solutions. Recent work includes the net zero energy, LEED Gold certified Eastham Public Library on Cape Cod, recognized with a 2018 AIA/ALA Library Building Award, and the LEED Silver Norwell Public Library, recipient of 2023 American Architecture Award from the Chicago Athenaeum and a 2022 U.S. Wood Design Award. Current projects include the Boston Public Library’s first mass-timber-framed branch in Boston’s Fields Corner neighborhood, a new net zero energy public library for the town of Shutesbury, MA, and a new visitor center at the Brewster's Woods Wildlife Sanctuary for the Massachusetts Audubon Society.
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Maty Cropley
Teen Outreach Librarian, Boston Public Library
Maty Cropley is a Teen Outreach librarian at Boston Public Library. Outreach library work aims to build and repair trust within the library's community; and to reimagine how library resources can be better and more collaboratively imagined, shared, and leveraged in service of the education, advocacy for and liberation of people. Maty is proud to be union, enjoys things like basketball and egg foo young, and has no dog.
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Meena Jain
Library Director, Ashland Public Library
Meena Jain has been a passionate library program planner for nearly 20 years. She has been teaching program planning skills for the last two years to help librarians and library workers gain a foundational understanding of this core library service. She was the founder of the MLA Program Planners Section and her day job is the Director of the Ashland Public Library.
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Melissa Andrews
Chief of Collection Management, Boston Public Library
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Melissa Theroux
Literacy Coordinator, Boston Public Library
Melissa Theroux has been working with the Boston Public Library since 2013, joining the Literacy Services department in 2016. In collaboration with the library's literacy instructors, Melissa organizes literacy and English instruction for adult learners, as well as plans programming to support the city's immigrant community.
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Michelle Filleul
President, Massachusetts Library Association and Assistant Director, Reading Public Library
Michelle Filleul is the Assistant Director at the Reading Public Library, where she has worked for the past 20 years, initially as the Head of Borrower Services. She has been in her current position since 2019. Michelle has been a proud member of MLA for almost as long, starting as a Conference Committee member and progressing to Conference Co-Chair. Conference is close to her heart and, in her humble opinion, the best committee to start with as a newbie MLA member. When Michelle is not librarianing it up, she enjoys watching live music, hiking, or hanging out with her family including her beloved cat, Millie in North Andover.
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Mike Oliver
Director, St. Mark's Community Education Program
Mike Oliver has been working with immigrants in some capacity for over 30 years. Since 2013 he has served as director of St Mark's. In 2018, he recruited a number of volunteers to expand the citizenship program to libraries and other locations in Greater Boston. The program currently is the largest volunteer-led program in Massachusetts.
- Social Media Handle
- https://www.facebook.com/StMarksESL
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Nanci Hill
Library Director, Hopkinton Public Library
Nanci Hill is the Library Director of the Hopkinton Public Library. She is MLA's chapter councilor to ALA and has previously served as President of both MVLC and MLA. She reviews romance for Library Journal and is the author of Reading Women: a Book Group Guide for Women's Fiction, published in 2012 by ABC-CLIO.
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Nina Rabkina
Reference Librarian and ELL Coordinator, Public Library of Brookline
Nina Rabkina, MS ILS is a reference librarian and ELL coordinator at the Public Library of Brookline. She welcomes the adventure of reference work, the inspiration of coordinating the one-on-one tutoring program, and the creativity of leading ELL groups. In her free time, Nina likes to take nature walks, cook, and play board games.
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Olivia Sederlund
Head of Technical Services, Goodnow Library, Sudbury
Olivia has been Head of Technical Services at the Goodnow Library since 2018. Prior to entering the library profession, Olivia was a history teacher at the high school level and she’s always excited when she gets to make use of her education degree in her library work.
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Patty Bailey
Technical Services Specialist, Morrill Memorial Library (Norwood)
Patty works as a Technical Services Specialist at the Morrill Memorial Library in Norwood, MA. Beginning in circulation, she has been at the library for 15 years and leads a monthly book group called Turn the Page. In 2019, Patty received the MLA Library Support Staff Award. Patty has been a U. S. Passport Application Acceptance Agent for over seven years.
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Representative Jack Patrick Lewis
MA State Representative
Jack Patrick Lewis serves as the state representative for the 7th Middlesex District, comprised of the town of Ashland and precincts 9, 11A, 17—20, and 23—27 in the city of Framingham. First elected in November 2016, Jack currently serves as the Chair of the House Committee on Federal Stimulus and Census Oversight. During his four terms in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Jack has been honored with numerous awards from statewide organizations, including the Caring Bear Award from the Provider’s Council, the Political Icon Award from MassEquality, the Trans Community Ally Award from the Trans Community of New England, and many more. Jack earned his bachelor’s degrees in Political Science, International Studies, and Middle East Studies from the University of Utah in 2007, and his Master of Divinity from Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri in 2010. Building upon his leadership of the congregation’s youth groups, Jack co-founded OUT MetroWest in 2011. When Jack isn't at the State House or connecting with constituents, he enjoys joining his husband and kids for a walk with their bulldog, perfecting his favorite coconut curry dish, and gallantly losing new board games.
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Sam Correia
Community Engagement Librarian, Duxbury Free Library
Sam Correia is the Reference and Community Engagement Librarian at the Duxbury Free Library. Their work focuses on outreach, equity-based programming, accessible resources for all, and radical librarianship. They are passionate about LGBTQ history, community archive projects, and getting tattoos.
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Sandra Murray
Reference Librarian, Sandwich Public Library
Sandra has been the Reference Librarian at the Sandwich Public Library since the fall of 2021. This is her 8th year working at the Sandwich Public Library. Sandra comes from a background in Marketing and Public Relations, and has used these skills to her advantage in her role developing adult programming for the library. A Massachusetts native, Sandra was born and raised in Springfield, MA. Her and her husband moved to Sandwich 25 years ago and enjoyed bringing their 3 children to many library events over the years.
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Sarah Hertel-Fernandez
Library Director, Belding Memorial Library, Ashfield
Director of Belding Memorial Library in Ashfield.
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Sarah Sogigian
Executive Director, Massachusetts Library System
to come
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Sarah Thompson
Literacy Interventionist and Consultant
Sarah Thompson is a Literacy Interventionist and Consultant with a private practice in Sudbury, MA. She holds a BA in Elementary Education and a MEd in Language and Literacy. She is a former elementary school teacher and school-based learning specialist and is a certified Orton-Gillingham Associate. As the parent of three young boys, two of whom have dyslexia, she is passionate about providing children with the instruction and support they need to become confident, enthusiastic readers and writers.
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Sean Sweeney
Senior Vice President, OPM/CM/Higher Education, CHA Consulting
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Seana Rabbito
Head of Children's Department, Waltham Public Library
Seana Rabbito is the Children’s Department Head at the Waltham Public Library in Waltham, MA. Before joining Waltham in 2017, Seana worked as a Library Assistant in the Children’s Department of the J.V. Fletcher library in Westford and at the Gleason Library in Carlisle for 17 years. In her current role, Seana creates a fun and welcoming space for all with the goal of making the Waltham Public Library Children’s Room the BEST Children’s Room in the WORLD!
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Susan Elbag
Marketing Committee Co-Chair, Mass Teen Choice Book Award; Teen Services Librarian, Worcester Public Library
Susan Elbag (she/her) received her MLIS from Simmons University in 2022 and is a Teen Services Librarian at the Worcester Public Library. This is her second year as Marketing Committee Co-Chair for the Mass Teen Choice Book Award and third year on the award's reading committee. A lover of dogs (she has three rescue pups at home), she also spends her time volunteering as a dog walker at the Worcester Animal Rescue League.
- Social Media Handle
- @Susan_Reads (Twitter)
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Taylor Silva
Young Adult Librarian, Fall River Public Library
Taylor is currently the Young Adult Librarian at the Fall River Public Library. Some of his favorite aspects of his job are program planning and meeting others in the community he works in!
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Tegan Mannino
Technology & Technical Services Librarian, Clapp Memorial Library, Belchertown
Tegan (they/them) is a professional librarian during the week and a professional wrestler on the weekend.
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Theresa Tangney
Reference Coordinator, Thomas Crane Public Library, Quincy
Theresa has worked at TCPL for 17 years in various capacities. She earned her MLS in 2015 and has been in her current role as Reference Coordinator since 2019. She enjoys working in an urban library, managing a small team, and providing community outreach services.
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Veronica Koven-Matasy
Reader Services Supervisor, Boston Public Library
Veronica Koven-Matasy is the head of the Reader Services Department at the Boston Public Library, where she delights in connecting patrons with books through any medium necessary! Yes, she WILL help you figure out how to get that ebook on your phone. In her free time, she reads a lot of sci-fi, fantasy, and romance novels and plays baroque viola. Veronica is a proud graduate of the Boston Public Schools and holds degrees from Harvard, Oxford, and UNC-Chapel Hill.
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Zoe Rath
Adult Services Librarian, Norwell Public Library
Zoe Rath is the Adult Services Librarian at Norwell Public Library. She holds an MS in Library and Information Science from Simmons University. She has worked as a reference and acquisitions librarian for 20+ years in academic and public libraries. Zoe enjoys planning events at both the library and in her volunteer position with the Appalachian Mountain Club. When she is not working, she is often hiking or playing with her two cats.
- Social Media Handle
- @norwellpubliclibrary
