SERVICE & LEADERSHIP

Committee memberships at academic libraries

I have strived to be involved beyond my personal position requirements to work with others across libraries and throughout campus.

Texas Woman’s University

  • Member, Dallas Campus Institutional Review Board Committee, 2023-present.
  • Member, Eat Well Committee, 2023-present.
  • Member, Mind Well Committee, 2022-2023.

TWU Libraries, Texas Women’s University

  • Member, Policy & Procedures Committee, 2024-present.
  • Member, Staff Training Committee, 2023-2024.
  • Member, Diversity Committee, 2022-2023.

SMU Libraries, Southern Methodist University

  • Member, Guides Committee, 2021-2022.
  • Member, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (EDIA) Committee, 2020-2022.
  • Member, SMU LEAD committee, which produces staff development/continuing education programs for library staff, 2019-2022. Promoted LEAD events across SMU Libraries and worked with LEAD team members to organize and lead Lunch and Learn seminars.
  • Member, Information Literacy Stipend committee, which reviews applications for a biannual stipend to encourage the teaching of information literacy with the partnership of SMU librarians, 2020.

Mentorship through alumni associations

UNT Library & Information Sciences Student Association

After I graduated with my MLS, I was asked to mentor a current graduate student at my alma mater, the University of North Texas, in the spring of 2022.

Mizzou Alumni Association & Griffiths Leadership Society

I have been an active member of the Mizzou Alumni Association (for alumni of the University of Missouri) since graduation, but I began taking leadership roles while living in New York in 2009. I was secretary of two regional chapters, and I joined the Griffiths Leadership Society in 2011, which has been a key part of my professional development since I became a member. I joined the board for that organization in 2019, becoming chair in 2022. As I stepped down from Griffiths leadership, I began a new challenge, joining the MAA Board of Directors in the summer of 2024.

Key positions held within these organizations:

  • Director, Mizzou Alumni Association Board of Directors, 2024-present.
  • Member, Griffiths Leadership Society, 2011-present.
    • Past President, 2023-2024. Mentor current President and continue to serve for one more year on the board and contribute to conference planning. Hosted a book swap at our in-person spring conference in March 2024.
    • President, 2022-2023. Led the planning of a full year of events between September 2022 and June 2023, including virtual keynotes and networking events, an online book club, in person happy hours, and our in person conference in Columbia, MO, where I gave a short keynote address and helped transition between and introduce speakers and workshops.
    • President-Elect, 2021-2022. Helped to introduce speakers at in-person conference in March 2022; was also a panel member speaking about caring for aging parents.
    • Co-Chair, Awards and Recognition Committee, 2019-2021. With co-chair, led committee to select scholarship and award winners in 2020 and 2021. Presented scholarships and awards at virtual conferences in October 2020 and March 2021.
    • Led virtual book club discussions, 2021-2024.
    • Planned and hosted local happy hours in Dallas, 2019, 2021-2023.
  • Mizzou 18 judge for recognition of outstanding graduate students (paper round), 2024.
  • Scholarship reviewer for at-large applicants, Mizzou Alumni Association, 2019-2023.
  • Homecoming Court judge (paper round), 2022.
  • Secretary, Mizzou Atlanta, 2012-2015. Launched and maintained the website for three years.
  • Secretary, Mizzou NYC, 2009-2012. Wrote updates for the website and posted profiles of local alumnae to quarterly online newsletters, and created print pieces to advertise chapter events and distribute advice about living in Manhattan.

Helping bulldogs in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas

As bulldog owners for 20 years, we adore the breed and strive to be conscientious bulldog lovers and supporters. In 2023, after the death of our second bulldog, Edith, we became volunteers for the Lone Star Bulldog Rescue for the DFW area.

Libraries in University Park, Texas

When we moved to Dallas in 2018, I became involved with both the local public library and the library at my son’s school. This helped me learn more about the administration of libraries and was part of the reason I returned to graduate school to become a librarian.

  • Co-Chair, Gift Books, Bradfield Elementary Library, 2019-2021. Parents donate books to the library on behalf of their children, and our committee worked with the school librarian to oversee the monthly distribution of and recognition of these donations. I also shelved books once a month from 2018 to 2020 and 2021-2022.
  • Communications Co-Chair and Board Member of the Friends of the University Park Public Library, a non-profit group that raises money for the community library in the town of University Park, TX, 2018-2020. I was also part of the website committee for site redesign in 2020, writing copy for the new website.

Reader’s Prize Panel, Elle Magazine

As a member of Elle magazine’s Readers’ Prize panel from 2011-2016, I was periodically asked to read and review a group of three books for publication. In addition, for the December issue, all panel members read the books chosen as the best for each month in order to rate the top three reviewed within the year.