Alex Henigman, AHIP-P

Alex Henigman is a Medical Librarian in the Department of Family & Community Medicine at the University of Missouri – Columbia, where she serves as a fully embedded solo librarian. In this role, she works with researchers, clinicians, faculty, fellows, residents, and staff to support evidence synthesis projects, scholarly communication, research, and a wide range of other library and information needs.

Alex earned her Master’s of Library Science from Emporia State University in 2023. Following graduation, she was selected as a 2023-2024 National Library of Medicine Associate Fellow. Her interests include emerging technologies, evidence synthesis, and supporting librarians new to medicine and the health sciences.

She is active within her regional MLA chapter, MCMLA, where she currently serves as Chair of the Education Committee and Co-Chair of the 2027 Conference Planning Committee, helping to organize the chapter’s first in-person meeting in eight years.

Outside of work, Alex likes taking on new home improvement projects with her husband, walking on the many local trails in Columbia, reading books of all genres and subjects, and lounging around with her three cats (Mimi, Gigi, and Kitty).

Samantha Loster, AHIP-S

Samantha Loster is the E-Resource Management Librarian at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science’s Boxer Library located in North Chicago, Illinois. She manages the library’s electronic resources (including electronic course reserves), collects data on how those resources are used and manages the library’s student workers. She has been a member of MLA since 2019 when she got her MLIS from the University of Illinois’ iSchool. She is a Senior Member of AHIP, a 2026 Data Management & Services Planning Group Member, the Chair of the Midwest Chapter of the Medical Library Association’s Fundraising Committee, a Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI) E-Resources Management Committee Member and is actively working to achieve the Data Sciences I Specialization. Her interests include data management, true crime podcasts, and mysteries. Prior to pursuing a career in librarianship, this Chicago native, dabbled in culinary arts with a certificate in Baking and Pastry from Kendall College. She loves to collect recipes, watch and talk about various baking competition shows, as well as attempt to cuddle with her Krakens (cats: Frankie, Buddha and Boris) when allowed.

Jenn Monnin

Jenn Monnin is the Evidence Synthesis Librarian at West Virginia University Libraries. She specializes in evidence synthesis and systematic review methods, working as the solo evidence synthesis librarian to her R1 institution, while also supporting students, faculty, staff, and researchers on the Health Sciences Campus in their research goals. Her current interests include search hedge and filter development, librarian involvement in institutional regulatory committees, and parenting and caregiving as a full time mom and academic librarian.

Ivan Portillo, AHIP-S

Ivan Portillo is a Health Sciences Librarian for the Leatherby Libraries at Chapman University. He received his MLIS from San Jose State University and is a Senior AHIP member. With over a decade of experience, Ivan currently serves as the Director of Rinker Campus Library Services at the Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus. He is also the subject liaison for the School of Pharmacy and the departments of physical therapy, physician assistant, and communication sciences and disorders in the Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences.

Ivan is passionate about information literacy, health literacy, and emerging technologies. He has presented and published on topics focused on artificial intelligence and health literacy. Ivan currently serves as the Chair of the Pharmacy and Drug Information (PDI) Caucus. He has held several other roles within the Medical Library Association (MLA) and the Medical Library Group of Southern California and Arizona (MLGSCA).