Board of Directors Candidate
Video
Current Position:
- Associate Dean for Public Services, J. Murrey Atkins Library, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, 2022-present.
Previous Positions (Last 10 Years):
- Head of Research and Instructional Services, J. Murrey Atkins Library, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, 2017-2022.
- Reference Services Manager, Research and Education Librarian, Health Science and Human Services Library, University of Maryland, Baltimore, 2013-2017.
MLA Official Activities (Last 10 Years)
National:
- Medical Library Association: Member, 2007-present;
- Joint MLA/AASHL Legislative Committee: Chair 2024-present, Member 2023-present;
- Nominating Committee: Member 2022-2023;
- MLA ’23 National Programming Committee: Co-Chair 2020-2023;
- Virginia L. and William L. Beatty MLA Volunteer Services Award Jury: Chair 2020, Member 2019;
- MLA Reads Planning Group: Member 2019-present;
- MLA ’17 National Programming Committee: Member 2015-2017;
- Membership Committee: Chair 2014-2015, Member 2012-2016.
Caucus:
- Educational, Media and Technologies: Member 2014-present; CE Chair 2014-2016;
- Leadership and Management: Member 2014-present.
- Social Justice and Health Disparities: Member 2014-present.
- LGBTQIA+: Member 2014-present
Chapter:
Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Medical Library Association: Local Arrangements and Steering, Southern/Mid-Atlantic Joint Meeting, Co-chair 2023-2024; Membership Committee, Chair 2019-2020; Nominating Committee, Chair 2016; Chapter Chair 2014-2015.
Professional Activities (Last 10 Years)
- N/A
Professional Honors (Last 10 Years)
- MLA President’s Award, 2024.
- Association of College and Research Libraries, Career Librarian Conference Scholarship, 2023
- MLA Virginia L. and William K. Beatty Volunteer Service Award, 2022
Candidate Questions from the Nominating Committee (500 word limit combined)
Tell us a bit about your skills, qualifications, and why you are interested in serving on the MLA Board.
My experiences as an active MLA member serving in various roles has allowed me to see the many talents of MLA members as well as hear about their needs and challenges. I would come to the MLA Board with a variety of foundational skills that many librarians have, such as instruction and evidence-synthesis research support. Over time, my professional responsibilities developed leadership and management strengths that would be an asset as a board member. MLA has the capacity to serve its members in a variety of ways from educational opportunities, fostering leadership at different levels, and supporting members’ well-being. I would leverage my skills and mindset to the board and work to encourage and empower our members to accomplish our shared goals.
What do you think the board of directors should focus on in the coming year?
In the coming year it’s vital that MLA work to ensure access to health information from a variety of sources, particularly data and information from the federal government. This is constantly shifting in the current environment and I acknowledge that it’s challenging right now. The board should be in communication with librarians who might be impacted by executive orders and funding changes. This can be seen at all levels from hospital to academic health sciences librarians, but especially with our federal librarian members. The board needs to make sure they have a clear grasp of day to day challenges as this will better allow the organization as a whole to respond. I also think it is important for MLA to focus on education related to medical disinformation.
How do we show people the value of volunteering and participating in MLA?
Centering stories around how members can help each other is key in demonstrating the value of actively engaging with MLA. I have gone to my MLA colleagues to help me rethink how I teach a topic or deal with a complicated management issue more times than I can count. I would not have much of my success without other MLA colleagues and that support should be highlighted.
What would you as a board member do to help build community within our association and create an environment where members feel a sense of belonging?
MLA has done great work to build community over the years, but of course it can be enhanced. As one of the members of the MLA Reads planning team I saw first hand the sense of community that this program fosters and how you can learn from and support fellow members. MLA Be Well is another excellent example of this. Programs like this, as well as our affinity group caucuses, are more vital than ever as many of the core values of these groups are currently being challenged. I would continue to serve and participate in MLA Reads and the caucuses of which I am a member. I would also encourage the board to make sure we support these programs and groups continuing to come together and provide resources and programming to members.
What would you do to improve communications between MLA Leadership and MLA members?
Communication has been a challenge that has been recognized by MLA leadership and this is a first step for improvements. I would be open to MLA leadership offering more targeted open forums covering certain topics. I think we also need to explore changing or adapting email and social media communication.