Candidate Information

Nominating Committee (nine to be elected)

Note: the order of candidate information was determined by a random drawing of names.

• Mark E. Funk, AHIP
• Anne K. Seymour
• Mary Mylenki
• Cheryl Rae Dee, AHIP
• Lynn M. Fortney
• Jeanne A. Gittings, AHIP
• Susan Schweinsberg Long, AHIP
• Gail Persily
• Carolyn Ching, AHIP
• Carol G. Jenkins, AHIP, FMLA
• Stephen J. Greenberg
• Anna M. Habetler, AHIP
• Tom Flemming, AHIP
• Susan Gerding Bader, AHIP
• Gale G. Hannigan, AHIP
• Penny Coppernoll-Blach, AHIP
• Julia K. Kochi
• Elizabeth Irish, AHIP

Mark E. Funk, AHIP

Head, Collection Development, Samuel J. Wood Library, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY

Career Highlights
Mark E. Funk has been an active member of MLA since 1974 and completed a term on the Board of Directors this spring, where he also served as MLA treasurer. He has been on Section Council, has been several committees and task forces, and was the chair of the 1999 National Program Committee. He has been chair of the Library Research Section and is currently chair-elect of the Collection Development Section. He recently completed a four-year term on the National Library of Medicine's Literature Selection and Technical Review Committee, which selects journals for indexing in Index Medicus.

MLA Official Activities
National: MLA treasurer 2001–2003; MLA Board of Directors: member 2000–2003; Task Force on Fixed Meeting Schedule: member 2001–2002; National Program Committee: chair 1995–1999; Centennial Coordinating Committee: member 1996–1999; Nominating Committee: member 1996; MLA representative to Documentation Abstracts, Inc., 1994–1997; Task Force for an MLA Research Program: member 1992–1994; Louise Darling Medal for Distinguished Achievement in Collection Development in the Health Sciences Jury: member 1991–1992; Research, Development, and Demonstration Project Grant Jury: chair 1989–1990; National Program Committee: member 1988–1990; Program and Convention Committee: member 1987–1989. Section: Collection Development Section: member 1986–; chair-elect 2003–2004; Ad Hoc Committee on Collection Development Research: chair 1990–1992. Research Section: member 1986–; chair 1992–1993. Chapter: New York-New Jersey Chapter: member 1987–; Research Committee: chair 1992–1993; Ad Hoc Committee on Research: chair 1990–1992. Midcontinental Chapter: member 1976–.

Anne K. Seymour

Associate Director for Information Services, Biomedical Library, University of Pennsylvania–Philadelphia

Career Highlights
Sixteen years of Anne K. Seymour's professional life has been spent in health sciences libraries. For the last seven years, Seymour has been overseeing public services at Penn's Biomedical Library. She is responsible for providing research and information management services to a broad academic biomedical community. An active member of the Philadelphia Regional Chapter of MLA, she served as chapter chair from 2000–2001 and is currently cochair of the five-chapter regional QuintEssential Conference held in October of 2003. Prior to Penn, Seymour was assistant director at the Biomedical Academic Computing Center, Georgetown University Medical Library.

MLA Official Activities
National: Estelle Brodman Award for Academic Medical Librarian of the Year Jury: member 2001–2002, chair 2002–2003. Chapter: Quint Chapter Meeting (meeting of four MLA chapters: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Mid-Atlantic, and New York-New Jersey and the Philadelphia Chapter of SLA to be held October 26–28, 2003, in Philadelphia): cochair 2001–2003. Philadelphia Regional Chapter of MLA (PRC/MLA): member 1997–; past chair/Nominating and Awards Committee chair 2001–2002; PRC/MLA chair 2000–2001, chair-elect/program chair 1999–2000; vendor coordinator 1997–1999.

Mary Mylenki

Associate Director, National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Middle Atlantic Region, New York Academy of Medicine–New York

Career Highlights
In this position since 1986, Mary Mylenki oversaw the regional introduction of DOCLINE early in her tenure and more recently has helped implement the expansion of services to the general public as the consumer health information phenomenon burgeoned. She headed the Regional Medical Library (RML) task force, which refined the definitions of Network Membership and Affiliate Membership in NN/LM. Before joining the RML, she was librarian at the Payne Whitney Psychiatric Clinic and responsible for the Oskar Diethelm Collection in the history of psychiatry. Mylenki holds a bachelor's degree in English literature from Hunter College and a master's of library science from Columbia University.

MLA Official Activities
National: member 1977–; Bylaws Committee: member 1994–1997, chair 1996–1997. Section: Hospital Libraries Section: member 1986–. Medical Informatics Section: member 1990–. Chapter: New York-New Jersey Chapter: member 1977–; chair 1985–1986; Chapter Council representative 1983–1985; treasurer 1980–1982; Membership Committee: cochair 1982–1983; Continuing Education Committee: member 1977–1978; Hospitality/Registration Committee: member 1978–1979; Executive Committee: member 1986–1987; Bylaws Committee: member 1988–1989, chair1990–1991; Program Committee: member 1992–1994; cochair 1995–1996, 1996–1997; Professional Development Committee: member 1998–1999. Upstate New York and Ontario Chapter: member 1986–. Philadelphia Chapter: member 1986–.

Cheryl Rae Dee, AHIP

Assistant Professor, School of Library and Information Science, University of Florida–Gainesville

Career Highlights
Cheryl Rae Dee has been an active member of MLA since 1984. She has been the chair of the Hospital Libraries Section, the Medical Library Education Section, and the Florida Health Science Library Association and is the current chair of the Polk County Library Association. She is currently chair of the MLA McClure jury, was past-chair of the Fellows jury, and has received the MLA Ida and George Eliot Prize and the Lois Ann Colaianni Award for Excellence and Achievement in Hospital Librarianship. She is the current chair of the Southern Chapter Awards Committee and serves on the University of South Florida Library Council. She is a fellow of the Medical Informatics Marine Biological Laboratory.

MLA Official Activities
National: Ida and George Eliot Prize Jury: member 2000; MLA Award for Excellence and Achievement in Hospital Librarianship Jury: member 1997; Lucretia W. McClure Excellence in Education Award Jury: member 2002–2003, chair 2003–2004; Fellows and Honorary Members Jury: member 1995–1996, 2000–2001, chair 2001–2002; Mentoring Program Task Force: member 1999–2001; 2001 National Program Committee Local Assistance Committee: member 2001; Research Task Force: member 1993–1995; Lois Ann Colaianni Award for Excellence and Achievement in Hospital Librarianship Jury: member 1994–1995; ISI/MLA Doctoral Fellowship Jury: member 1991–1992; Rittenhouse Award Jury: member 1996–1997; "Information Needs of Health Professionals" continuing education course developer and instructor. Section: Medical Library Education Section: member 1993–; chair 1997–1998. Hospital Libraries Section: member 1973–; Bylaws Committee: chair 1978–1983, chair 1984–1985; Strategic Planning Committee: member 1990–1991; Professional Recognition Committee: member 1991–1993, 2001–2003. Chapter: Southern Chapter: member 1982–; Honors and Awards Committee: member 2001–2003, chair 2002–2003; Research Committee: member 1990–1997; chair 1994–1996; ex-officio member (active) 1996–; Local Arrangements Committee: member 1994; Publicity Committee: chair 1995–1996; Poster Session Committee: member 1995–1996.

Lynn M. Fortney

Vice President/Director, Biomedical Division, EBSCO Information Services, Birmingham, AL

Career Highlights
Before she came to EBSCO, Lynn M. Fortney was a hospital librarian, then an academic medical librarian. She is a member of seven MLA sections and seven regional chapters and has spoken at many annual meetings, symposia, and chapter meetings. In 2001, she delivered a keynote address at the Australian Library and Information Association "Specials" Conference. In 1999, she was awarded the first Daniel T. Richards Prize, based on the Index Medicus Price Study, which she published annually in Serials Review 1990–1998. She has been an invited speaker on medical librarianship in Germany, England, Italy, Poland, Hong Kong, France, Australia, and New Zealand.

MLA Official Activities
National: member 1974–; Board of Directors: member 2000–2003; Task Force on Online Education for MLA's Center of Excellence: chair 2001–2003; Journal of the Medical Library Association: cover editor 2000 to present; Centennial Coordinating Committee Fundraising Team: member 1998; Nominating Committee: member 1997; 1993 National Program Committee: member 1991–1993; Publishing and Information Industries Committee: member 1993–1995; "Marketing Library Services" MLA CE instructor 1989–1994. Section: Hospital Libraries: member 1990–. Leadership and Management Section: member 1975–. Technical Services Section: member 1990–. Consumer and Patient Health Information Section: member 1997–. Collection Development Section: member 1990. International Cooperation Section: member 1997–; Cunningham Fellowship Planning Committee: member 1999–2000. Corporate Information Services Section: member 2001–. Chapter: Southern Chapter: member 1975–; Strategic Planning Committee: chair 2002–2003; Nominating Committee: chair 2001–2002, member 1995, 1987; chapter chair 2000–2001; Program Committee: chair (as chapter chair-elect) 1999–2000; 1996 Annual Meeting: session moderator; 1995 Annual Meeting: invited speaker; Program Committee: member 1994; Research Committee: member 1993–1995; Professional Development Committee: member 1989–1992. Northern California and Nevada Medical Library Group: member 1990–. Pacific Northwest Chapter: member 1990–. Midcontinental Chapter: member 1990–. Midwest Chapter: member 1990–. Mid-Atlantic Chapter: member 1990–. South Central Chapter: member 1990–.

Jeanne A. Gittings, AHIP

Librarian, Health Sciences Library, Trinity Medical Center, Rock Island, IL

Career Highlights
Jeanne A. Gittings has devoted her entire career to hospital libraries. She has developed services to support patient care, administration, nursing and allied health education, and the public. Gittings is active in MLA, having served in leadership roles in three sections: Nursing and Allied Health Resources, Hospital Libraries, and Consumer and Patient Health Information. She has also served on task forces, Section Council, the Membership Committee, and the Fellows jury. Gittings received an NLM outreach grant, during which over 700 individuals over the age of fifty learned to find reliable health information on the Internet.

MLA Official Activities
National: Task Force to Develop MLA's Center for Research and Education (CORE): member 2003–2004; Fellowship and Honorary Members Jury: member 1997–1998, chair 1998–1999; Task Force on Implementation of Platform for Change: member 1993–1995; Section Council: member 1990–1993; Membership Committee: member 1990–1993. Section: Nursing and Allied Health Resources Section: chair-elect 1998–1999, chair 1999–2000, immediate-past chair 2000–2001; Strategic Planning: chair 2000–2001; Nominating Committee: chair 2000–2001; Awards Committee: chair 1995–1996; Membership Committee: 1992–1995. Hospital Libraries Section: Strategic Planning Committee: member 2002–2005; Program Committee: member 2001–2002; Professional Recognition Committee: member 1996–1999; Professional Development Committee: member 1990–1993; Membership Committee: member 1986–1990, chair 1987–1990. Consumer and Patient Health Information Section: Section Council: representative 1990–1993. Chapter: Midwest Chapter: Membership Committee: member 1991–1992.

Susan Schweinsberg Long, AHIP

Library Director, Medical Library, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA

Career Highlights
Susan Schweinsberg Long has participated in association activities on the chapter, section, and national level since 1974. At MLA '03 in San Diego, she taught an MLA continuing education class, "JCAHO Standards: Management of Information and Beyond." Working with colleagues in MLA, NN/LM, and state library groups has been the most rewarding part of her professional life. This past year, she has participated in the Woods Hole Medical Informatics program, become chair-elect of the Washington Medical Librarians Association, and worked on issues related to scholarly publishing as a member of the New England Journal of Medicine's Library Advisory Board.

MLA Official Activities
National: member 1974–; Academy of Health Information Professionals: distinguished member, 1990–; 2001 National Program Committee: member 1999–2001; Task Force on Hospital Library Certification: chair 1994–1995; 1994 National Program Committee: member 1992–1994; 1992 MLA Award for Excellence and Achievement in Hospital Librarianship. Section: Hospital Libraries Section: member 1978–; past chair 1997–1998, chair 1996–1997, chair-elect 1995–1996; Strategic Planning Task Force: chair 1992–1993; secretary 1990–1991; Professional Development Committee: chair 1987–1989; Continuing Education Committee: member 1986–1987. Chapter: Pacific Northwest Chapter: member 1978–; 1996 Program Committee: cochair 1994–1996; Governmental Relations Committee: chair 1993–1994; 1998 Program Committee: member 1987-1988; Nominations Committee: chair 1987–1988.

Gail Persily

Associate Director, Informatics Education and Center for Instructional Technology, The Kalmanovitz Library and Center for Knowledge Management, University of California–San Francisco

Career Highlights
Gail Persily began her library career in news libraries, both television and print. She entered health sciences libraries in 1990, when she joined the library at the University of California–San Francisco (UCSF). In 1991, Persily's media experience led to a position at UCSF managing what became the Interactive Learning Center. Since that time, Persily's career has focused on supporting the use of technology in health sciences education. She currently manages the UCSF library's education programs and Center for Instructional Technology. Persily is a longtime active member of the Medical Informatics and Educational Media and Technologies Sections of MLA.

MLA Official Activities
National: Technology Continuing Education Credential Task Force: Medical Informatics Section liaison 2001–; National Program Committee World Wide Web Subcommittee: member 1995. Section: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Health Science Librarians Special Interest Group: member 1995–; cochair 2002–2004. Medical Informatics Section: member 1994–; chair 2001–2002, chair-elect 2000–2001; Program Committee: member 1999–2000; Career Development Award Committee: cochair 1998; Newsletter: coeditor 1996–1998. Educational Media and Technologies Section: member 1993–. Leadership and Management Section: member 2000–. Chapter: Northern California and Nevada Medical Library Group (NCNMLG): member 1992–; secretary 1999–2000; Mentoring Task Force: chair 1996; NCNMLG/Medical Library Group of Southern California and Arizona Joint Meeting Internet Committee: cochair 1995; Professional Development/Continuing Education Committee: member 1993.

Carolyn Ching, AHIP

Reference Librarian, Hawaii Medical Library–Honolulu

Career Highlights
Carolyn Ching has been a reference librarian at Hawaii Medical Library (HML) since 1995. She received her bachelor's and master's degrees in history and her master's of library and information science degree from the University of Hawaii–Manoa. She is also a senior member in the Academy of Health Information Professionals. As the reference services coordinator for the HML, Ching has been actively involved in the teaching, grant projects, and reference desk activites both live and virtual. She also participates in developing the library's Website, evaluating electronic and print resources, and supervising the library's Mamiya Medical Heritage Center.

MLA Official Activities
National: member 1995–; Chapter Council: member 2000–2003; Chapter Sharing Round Tables Committee: member 2002–2003. Chapter: Hawaii-Pacific Chapter: member 1995–; Chapter Council representative 2000–2003; Continuing Education Committee: chair 1998–2000; chair 1998–1999, chair-elect 1997–1998.

Carol G. Jenkins, AHIP, FMLA

Director, Health Sciences Library, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill

Career Highlights
Carol G. Jenkins has been an academic library director and active member of MLA since 1972. Her career led her to five states and several MLA chapters and sections. She has served twice on the MLA Board, once as president, and has won regional and national honors. Jenkins has chaired numerous task forces and committees ranging from the National Program Committee to the Legislative Task Force. She has appreciated the diversity of expertise and interests of our members and the importance of choosing and developing our best leaders. This will guide her if elected to choose the best candidates to shape MLA's future.

MLA Official Activities
National: member 1972–; Nominating Committee: chair 2003 (nonvoting member); Task Force to Develop MLA's Center of Research and Education: member 2002–2004; Board of Directors: member 2000–2003; president-elect 2000–2001, president 2001–2002, past-president, 2002–2003; Named lifetime MLA Fellow 2001; Joint Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries/MLA Legislative Task Force: member1989–1996, 1991–1992, 1994–1996, chair 2001–2002; MLA Executive Committee: member 2000–2003, chair 2001–2002; Informationist Task Force: member 2001–2002; Janet Doe Lectureship Jury: member 1997–1998, chair 1998–1999; Task Force on Professional Development: chair 1997–1999; Fellowship and Honorary Membership Jury: member 1993–1995, chair 1994–1995; Nominating Committee: member 1993; Search Committee for the Executive Director: chair 1991–1992; Board of Directors: member 1989–1992; Task Force to Evaluate Annual Meetings: chair 1989–1992; 1986 National Program Committee: member 1984–1986; 1987 National Program Committee: chair 1984–1987; Governmental Relations Committee: member 1983–1986. Section: Medical Informatics Section: member. Leadership and Management Section: member. Research Section: member. Chapter: Mid-Atlantic Chapter: member 1980–; Honors and Awards Committee: member 1991–1993.

Stephen J. Greenberg

Reference/Collection Access Librarian, History of Medicine Division, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD

Career Highlights
Stephen J. Greenberg received a doctorate in history from Fordham University and library degree from Columbia University. Since 1992, he has worked in the History of Medicine Division at NLM. He served two terms as chair of the History of the Health Sciences section, two terms on Section Council, as council liaison to the 2002 National Program Committee, and as a member of the Oral History Committee for four years. Greenberg is committed to continuing education: he has taught courses at many MLA meetings and is coauthor of MLA BibKit #5: The History of the Health Sciences. Greenberg was the recipient of the 1998 Murray Gottlieb Prize.

MLA Official Activities
National: 2004 National Program Committee (NPC) Local Assistance Committee: member 2003–2004; Section Council: 1997–; Oral History Committee: member 1997–2002; 2002 NPC: member; Murray Gottlieb Prize: winner; Bibkit #5 on resources in the History of the Health Sciences (1999, 2d edition) coauthor. Section: History of the Health Sciences: member 1993–; chair 1994–1997. Chapter: Mid-Atlantic Chapter (MAC): member 1995–.

Anna M. Habetler, AHIP

Director of Library Services, Children's Hospital & Health Center, San Diego, CA

Career Highlights
Anna M. Habetler's first job was as a "circuit rider librarian" in a circuit of hospitals she created. This garnered her recognition as the new member representative at MLA 1979. To network locally, she became a member of the San Diego Chapter of the Special Libraries Association, of which she eventually became president. She has been active in the Medical Library Group of Southern California and Arizona (MLGSCA), having served as treasurer, president, cochair of the 2000 Joint Chapter Conference, and chapter benchmarking educator. In the Hospital Libraries Section, Habetler served as secretary, Section Council representative, and chair. In 2001, she was a Medical Informatics Marine Biological Laboratory/NLM Informatics Course fellow.

MLA Official Activities
National: member 1979–; Academy of Health Information Professionals: distinguished member 1995–; Nominating Committee Nominee 1999, 2000; Hospital Libraries Section/MLA Professional Development Grant Jury: member 2001–2002. Section: Consumer and Patient Health Information Section: member 1991–. Hospital Libraries Section: member 1981–; Membership Committee: member 1990–1993, chair 1992–1993; secretary 1995–1996; Section Council representative 1996–1999; chair-elect 2001–2002; chair 2002–2003; immediate past chair 2003–2004. Chapter: Medical Library Group of Southern California and Arizona (MLGSCA): member 1979–; Joint Meeting Planning Committee: member 1990–1991; treasurer and treasurer-elect 1992–1994; Finance Committee: chair 1994–1996; president-elect 1996–1997; president 1997–1998; immediate past-president 1998–1999; MLGSCA/Northern California and Nevada Medical Library Group 2000 Joint Meeting: cochair1998–2000; MLA Benchmarking Chapter Educator 2000–2002.

Tom Flemming, AHIP

Head of Public Services, Health Sciences Library, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

Career Highlights
Tom Flemming has worked at McMaster University since 1984; he was previously at the W. K. Kellogg Health Sciences Library of Dalhousie University, after obtaining his master's of library science in 1974. He was chair of the Upstate New York and Ontario Chapter (1988–1989); has served on Chapter Council (1991–1993), the MLA Continuing Education Committee (1992–1995), and the Credentialing Committee (2001–2004); and was chair of the Oral History Committee (1997–1998). He was a member of the Nominating Committee in 1997/98. He is currently MLA's representative to the Canadian Health Libraries Association/Association des bibliothéques de la santé du Canada and has been a longtime member of that organization. He has published in print and on the Web and develops and teaches continuing education courses for librarians.

MLA Official Activities
National: member 1986–; Academy of Health Information Professionals: distinguished member 1990–2000; Credentialing Committee: member 2001–2004; Lucretia W. McClure Excellence in Education Award Jury: chair 1999–2000; 2000 National Program Committee: member 1998–2000; Oral History Committee: member 1995–1997, chair 1997–1998, past-chair 1998–1999; Nominating Committee: member 1997–1998; Continuing Education Committee: member 1992–1995; Chapter Council: Continuing Education Committee liaison 1992–1995; Continuing Education Issues Committee: chair 1992–1995; representative (UNYOC), 1991–1993; Task Force on Chapter/Member Input: member 1991–1992; Annual Event Planning Committee: member 1991–1992; alternate representative, 1990–1991. Section: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Health Sciences Librarians Special Interest Group: member 1994–; Newsletter: editor 1995–1996. Chapter: Upstate New York and Ontario Chapter (UNYOC): member 1985–; second vice chair and Conference Planning Committee: chair 1986–1987; vice-chair and chair-elect 1987–1988; chair 1988–1989; past-chair 1989–1990; UNYOC Service Recognition Award: recipient 2001; 2000 Conference Panning Committee: member 1998–2000; Centennial Committee: member 1997–1998.

Susan Gerding Bader, AHIP

Director, Mabel Peters Caruth Learning Resources Center, Louise Herrington School of Nursing, Baylor University, Dallas, TX

Career Highlights
Armed with a University of Missouri master's of library science, Susan Gerding Bader has worked at two libraries serving major medical centers or medical schools, a regional medical library, a book distributor, a library serving a hospital and a dental school, and a nursing school library. She was once treasurer of an MLA section and has been on national, section, and chapter program committees; national and chapter local assistance committees; and many chapter committees and has even chaired a few committees. She founded a new committee in the chapter where she is president-elect. This spring, she attended the NLM Medical Informatics course in Woods Hole. At every stage, she loved meeting colleagues and networking.

MLA Official Activities
National: 2002 National Program Committee Local Assistance Committee: member; 1997 National Program Committee: member. Section: Hospital Libraries Section: member 1997–; Program Committee: member 2001. Technical Services Section: secretary/treasurer 1994–1998. Public Services Section: member 1986–. Chapter: South Central Chapter: member 1982–; president-elect 2002–2003; Credentialing Committee: member 2000–2002; Program Committee: member 1999, 1994; Local Arrangements Committee: member 1998, 1994; Fund Raising Committee: chair 1996–1998; Membership Committee: member 1995–1996; Awards and Scholarships Committee: member 1991–1993; Bylaws Committee: chair 1993–1994. Mid Atlantic Chapter: member 1986–1990; Local Arrangements Committee: member 1986.

Gale G. Hannigan, AHIP

Director, Informatics for Medical Education, Medical Sciences Library, Texas A&M University, and Health Science Center College of Medicine, Texas A&M University System-College Station

Career Highlights
Gale G. Hannigan has been a medical librarian for twenty-five years, working in Texas (HAM-TMC Library, Texas A&M Medical Sciences Library), Minnesota (University of Minnesota Bio-Medical Library), and Michigan (Upjohn Co.). Her career evolved from reference and MEDLINE searching to teaching evidence-based medicine and informatics. It has been rewarding to watch the development of information technology and resources and to see how important information management skills have become to health professionals. She also teaches a course ("Introduction to Health Sciences Information Management") at the University of North Texas. Last semester, the students said she should be a recruiter for medical libraries!

MLA Official Activities
National: member 1977–; 1997 National Program Committee: member 1995–1997; Books Panel: member 1990–1994; Section Council Communications Committee: chair 1990–1992; Section Council: secretary 1992–1993; 1986 National Program Committee Local Assistance Committee Publicity Subcommittee: member; 1983 National Program Committee Local Assistance Committee: MLA Round*Up newsletter of the 1983 Annual Meeting: editor; Editorial Committee for the MLA News: member 1982–1985, chair 1984–1985; Responsible for "How to..." Session, 1982 Annual Meeting. Section: Educational Media and Technologies Section (formerly Health Sciences Audiovisual Section): treasurer 1983–1985, chair elect 1985–1986, chair 1986–1987; Film Festival coordinator, 1993; Section Council alternate 1987–1989; Section Council representative 1991–1993. Research Section: Nominating Committee: member 2003. Chapter: South Central Regional Group: member 1977–1982. Midwest Chapter: member 1982–1990. South Central Chapter: member 1990–present; Research Committee: member 1991–1994, chair 1993–1994.

Penny Coppernoll-Blach, AHIP

Reference Coordinator, Biomedical Library, University of California–San Diego

Career Highlights
Penny Coppernoll-Blach has over thirty years of health sciences library experience in a combination of academic and corporate positions. She began her career as a reference librarian at Library of the Health Sciences, University of Illinois–Chicago. She moved to California to become the biomedical expert for Dialog's customer services for eighteen years, followed by three years in a corporate library of a biotech firm. She has returned to the academic setting at University of California–San Diego Biomedical Library. She considers all of her work with many MLA committees, sections, and chapters to have been major highlights.

MLA Official Activities
National: member 1973–; Academy of Health Information Professionals: distinguished member 1989–; 2003 National Program Committee Local Assistance Committee: newsletter chair 2002–2003; Continuing Education Committee: member 1996–1999, chair 1998–1999; Instructional Development Subcommittee, Continuing Education Committee: member 1994–1997, chair 1996–1997; Governmental Relations Committee: member 1990–1993; Section Council: representative for Pharmacy and Drug Information Section, 1989–1992, 2003–2006; Governmental Relations Committee: liaison for Public Services Section 1991–1995, Pharmacy and Drug Information Section, 1986–1989, 1992–1999; Publishing and Information Industries Relations Committee: member 1984–1988, chair 1987–1988. Section: Pharmacy and Drug Information Section: member 1980–, chair-elect 1999–2000, chair 2000–2001, past chair and Nominating Committee chair 2001–2002. Corporate Information Services Section: member 1999–, program chair 2000–2001, Nominating Committee 2001–2002, MLA Membership Committee: liaison 2002–2004, Publicity: chair 2003–2004. Public Services Section: member 1979–, Nominating Committee chair 1995–1996. Nursing and Allied Health Resources Section: member 1994–. Chapter: Medical Library Group of Southern California and Arizona (MLGSCA): member 1998–; exhibits chair, Joint Meeting of MLGSCA and NCNMLG, 1998–2000; Research Committee, 1999–2000. Northern California and Nevada Medical Library Group (NCNMLG): member 1979–1998, Program Committee: member 1991–1992.

Julia K. Kochi

Manager, Digital Library Operations, The Kalmanovitz Library and Center for Knowledge Management, University of California–San Francisco

Career Highlights
Julia K. Kochi has been involved in health sciences libraries and MLA her entire career. She began her career at the University of Virginia and then became an NLM associate. Currently the manager of digital library operations at the University of California-San Francisco, Kochi manages the digital collections and Website. She is coinstructor of the online continuing education course "Evidence-Based Medicine and the Medical Librarian." A member of the Northern California and Nevada Medical Library Group, Kochi has served on numerous MLA committees and task forces, including the 2003 National Program Committee and the Continuing Education Committee.

MLA Official Activities
National: 2003 National Program Committee: member 2001–2003; Technology Group: cochair 2001–; Task Force on Online Education for MLA's Center of Excellence: member 2001–; Continuing Education Committee: member 1997–1999, chair designate 1999–2000, chair, 2000–2001; Web-Based Resources Task Force: cochair 1999–2001; Mentoring Program Task Force: member 1999–2001; MLA '95/7ICML Conference Website Development Group: member 1994–1995. Section: International Cooperation Section (ICS): member 1991–2000; Nominating Committee: chair and cochair 1995–1997, member 1993–1994; 1994 Annual Meeting Program Committee: member; international visitors liaison 1991–1992. Research Section: member 1996–2000; continuing education liaison 1997–2000; Research Resources Committee: member 1996–1998. Public Services Section: member 1991–. Chapter: Northern California and Nevada Medical Library Group (NCNMLG): member 1996–; Nominating Committee: chair 1999–2000; Public Relations Committee: member 1997–1999; Electronic Resources Committee; Web Development Subcommittee: member 1996–1999; Public Access to the Internet Roundtable: facilitator 1998; 1997 Joint Meeting NCNMLG/Medical Library Group of Southern California and Arizona (Berkeley, CA) Program Committee: member; Continuing Education: chair. Mid-Atlantic Chapter: member 1991–1996; Professional Development Committee: chair-elect 1993–1994, chair 1994–1995; 1995 Annual Meeting Local Arrangements Committee Registration Subcommittee: member; 1994 Annual Meeting Consumer Health Roundtable: facilitator; 1993 Annual Meeting Program Committee, member.

Elizabeth Irish, AHIP

Head of Public Services/Assistant Professor, Schaffer Library of Health Sciences, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY

Career Highlights
Without a doubt, the leadership opportunities Elizabeth Irish has had through MLA over the past few years have been highlights of her career. Most recently, she had the honor of serving as chair of both the Task Force to Plan Recruitment for the Twenty-first Century Workforce and the Membership Committee. At the chapter level, she has served as chair as well as the chapter's liaison to the MLA Credentialing Committee. As she approaches her tenth year as head of public services at Schaffer Library of Health Sciences, Albany Medical Center, she looks forward to continuing to work toward the advancement of our field.

MLA Official Activities
National: member 1994–; Academy of Health Information Professionals: distinguished member 2002–; Books Panel: member 2003–2004; Task Force to Recruit the Twenty-first Century Workforce: chair 2001–2003; Membership Committee: chair 2002–2003, member 2000–2002. Section: Leadership and Management Section: member 1996–; Task Force on Chapter-Level Programming 2003. Public Services Section: member 2000–. Education Media and Technologies Section: member 1994–1995. Chapter: Upstate New York and Ontario Chapter: member 1994–; Conference Committee: member 2002–, Newsletter: columnist 2001–, MLA Credentialing Committee: liaison 2000–-; immediate past chair 1999–2000, 2001, chair 1998–1999, first vice chair 1996–1998; Nominations Committee: member 1997, 1999–2001; second vice chair 1996; conference chair 1997 Conference Committee: member 1996–1997.