Board of Directors - California Library Association

Board of Directors

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Officers

Jayanti Addleman (President)

Director of Library Services

Hayward Public Library

JayantiAddleman@gmail.com
Term end: 10/31/2022

Jayanti has been the Library Director and County Librarian at Monterey County Free Libraries since 2007 and is currently Director of Library Services at Hayward Public Library. She has a Masters in English from Jadavpur University in India, and a Masters in Library Science from San Jose State University. Her first job out of Library School was at the pioneering online information company Dialog which laid the foundation for her love for online information and communication. Since then, she has worked at Monterey and Salinas Public Libraries, at Hartnell College and Gavilan College, and as a volunteer librarian at her children’s Montessori school. She is passionate about getting basic library services to all California residents and consider herself a dedicated champion of the underdog. Jayanti is a strong idealist who believes that libraries broaden minds in a way that few other institutions can.

Hillary Theyer (Past President)

Library Director

Monterey County Free Libraries

Hillarytheyer@gmail.com
Term end: 10/31/2021

When I was 15 and needed a job, my mother recommended that I walk up to the public library, saying a simple “you might like that.” After several years there, watching excellent role models engage with children in powerful ways, I said “I want to do what they are doing” and found my calling. When I enrolled in the Master of Library Science program at UCLA, my first group advisor meeting included at least two people who asked “Am I about to waste two years of time and a lot of money? Are there going to be any jobs?” Our smart advisor told us there would be, and she was right. (Thank you Dr. Walter!) I entered my career at a time of recession, where between getting our first training on the Internet we routinely answered questions like “do we need libraries anymore?” These are questions we still answer today, with a resounding yes, copious examples, hard data, outcomes, and passion. I fell in love with a career and haven’t left it since.

With every job I had I looked around me and kept saying “I want to do what they are doing” so I had the pleasure of Children’s Librarian, Reference Librarian, Branch Manager, Youth Services Supervisor, Principal Librarian, City Librarian for Torrance Public Library and now I am the Library Director for the Monterey County Free Libraries. I’ve worked up and down California, as wherever I landed they needed public librarians. Everywhere I went I saw inspirational work, met amazing librarians, and was supported and taught all along the way. I learned to make a puppet, sing every verse of Wheels on the Bus, and match a chapter book to a reluctant reader. Then I learned how to handle a stopped up toilet, make a call to the paramedics, and find technology that improves service. Then I learned to write a performance evaluation, contract for materials, and plan a budget. All from working professionals who held out their hands and taught me what they knew, and much of that through CLA.

As I was aspiring to lead, I knew that I needed more education in order to continue to answer the questions about the need for public libraries. Questions about budgets and return on investment. Questions about management, community assessment, and strategic planning. So I added a Master in Public Administration, attending Cal State Long Beach with another group of passionate people, dedicated to various forms of public service.

I have been helped all along the way by others, and many models of how the profession and the institutions support each other by service to each other. From personal support such as sending me to my first CLA conference (thank you Lois!) to institutional support such as responding to any inquiry, from any library, with the best experience and examples we had (thank you to everyone on CALIX!). To give back to an institution that had given so much to me and to libraries, I first ran for the Board of CLA at the insistence of a friend (thank you Shawna!) who said “you might like that.” I was on the Board for two terms and a bit, with some time as Secretary and on the Executive Committee. Four Executive Directors, three management companies, a retool of Conference, creation of the Interest Groups, times when the budget would not stretch at all, and we had to take things that were established and determine if they fit in the changing world of libraries. That service led to time as the Chair of the Southern California Library Cooperative, trips to National Library Legislative Day, and time now on the Board of Califa. Giving back to the profession by serving on a Board for an organization I believe in, and one that makes libraries stronger, is part of this calling.

Back to my mom, who suggested I might like working at the public library. She was right, but that shouldn’t be a surprise. She’s a librarian.

Jené Brown (President-Elect/Vice-President)

Associate Director (Principal Librarian) of Engagement & Outreach
Los Angeles Public Library.

jbrown@lapl.org
Term end: 10/31/2023

Jené oversees, directs, and supports the Library’s community engagement program, including LAPL’s Street Fleet, the volunteer services department and special administrative projects and initiatives. She began her career as a children’s librarian and now has over 23 years of library management experience. Jené is passionate about innovative public service that informs, enriches and empowers diverse communities. She launched LAPL’s Diversity and Inclusion Apprenticeship Program, based on Public Library Association’s Inclusive Internship Initiative (III), and is also a PLA Leadership Academy alum. Jené holds association memberships with ALA, BCALA, CLA, the California Librarians Black Caucus and the Los Angeles Association of Black Personnel, Inc. Jené was recently appointed as the Library’s Racial Equity Officer, and she leads Changing Tones, LAPL’s core team working on the Cultivating Racial Equity and Inclusion (CREI) initiative.

To maintain her health and wellness, Jené practices mindful awareness and relaxes by letting the ocean kiss her toes or knitting gifts for babies.

Mark Fink (Treasurer)

County Librarian

Yolo County Library

dwolfgram@redwoodcity.org

Term end: 10/31/2023

Mark was raised in Alaska, attended college in Oregon, and eventually found my way to California. I’ve lived in Northern California for the last 25 years. I currently reside in West Sacramento and love the proximity to the Bay Area, Tahoe, and downtown Sacramento. Outside of work, I enjoy running, hiking, practicing yoga, and hanging out with a small group of friends. I volunteer as a community mediator, help out at the local food bank, support the local LGBT community center, and work with several library organizations in Yolo County.

Mark has always been a curious person, and loves to learn new things and take on new challenges.He's found it rewarding to learn in formal academic settings while being open to learning in more informal ways – taking yoga classes (Vinyasa, 26/2 Hot Yoga), listening to podcasts (It’s Been a Minute, Radiolab, Heavyweight), and taking random classes - all of which keep me grounded and aware of the complex world in which we live.

Stephanie Beverage (Secretary)

Library Director
Huntington Beach Public Library

Stephanie.Beverage@surfcity-hb.org
Term end: 10/31/2021

Stephanie Beverage is the Director of the Huntington Beach Public Library, working for the City since 2009. Stephanie is a native Californian (with Midwestern roots), born in the North and living in the South. She is a graduate of UCLA, both for her BA and MLIS. She has a second Masters degree in European History from Georgetown University.

Stephanie has spent the majority of her professional career working in public libraries in Southern California. Starting at the Ontario City Library, she has worked for the Los Angeles Public Library System, OC Public Libraries, Alhambra Public Library and South Pasadena Public Library. She is active in ALA, serving on Committees in both PLA and LLAMA, and she is long time member of CLA.

Stephanie currently lives in Placentia, CA with her husband and their 2 large Ragdoll cats. In her spare time, she enjoys food (both making and eating), wine, most sports and has been known to travel for college football games.

Directors

Susan Broman

Assistant City Librarian

Los Angeles Public Library
sbroman@lapl.org

Term end: 10/31/2022

Susan Broman is the Assistant City Librarian of the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL), which serves more than four million people—the largest and most diverse urban population of any library in the United States. In this role, Susan serves as the Chief Operating Officer for the organization, overseeing the $194 million budget, Central Library and 72 branches, and a staff of 1,200 people.

At her core, Susan is a thoughtful problem-solver, and she has applied that skill set to more than two decades of library work in southern California. She began her career as a children's librarian and has held a wide variety of positions including branch manager, director of services to adults, webmaster and head of information technology. Susan feels fortunate to have interacted with fantastic teams along the way and has contributed to a number of groundbreaking projects.

Genesis Hansen

Director of Library & Cultural Services
City of Mission Viejo
ghansen@cityofmissionviejo.org
Term end: 10/31/2021

Genesis Hansen is the Director of Library & Cultural Services for the City of Mission Viejo, Vice Chair of the Executive Committee for the Santiago Library System, and a member of the Infopeople Advisory Board. She has been involved in many aspects of library service over the course of her career, beginning as a Reference and Young Adult services Librarian, and eventually overseeing Circulation, Technical Services, Reference and Web Services. She was a Eureka! Leadership Institute Fellow and Mentor, and has been involved with CLA in various capacities, serving on the Conference Committee in 2010, 2011, and 2013, and on the Leadership Development Committee for a 3-year term ending in 2015.

Brandy Buenafe

Library Services Administrator

California Department of Corrections of Rehabilitation

Brandy.Buenafe@cdcr.ca.gov

Term end: 10/31/2022

A 2007 graduate of San Jose State University (MLIS) and 2018 graduate of National University (MBA, Organizational Leadership), Brandy is the Library Services Administrator for the California Department of Corrections of Rehabilitation, a position she has held for the past five years. For the seven years before that she did in fact work in correctional libraries. In her present role, Brandy provides support to staff at 35 adult institutions across the state. She also works with public libraries, academic institutions, and government agencies, to advocate for collaborative services for correctional library patrons, the vast majority of which will return to the community. These conversations have highlighted for her the need for a diversity of voices in library conversations.

Brandy is presently a Governor-appointee to the California Library Services Board, representing institutionalized persons (term ending December 2019), and for the past several years has served on the California Library Association committee for the PRExcellence award. She has also worked with the National Institute of Corrections on Evidence Based Correctional Librarianship, with prison library staff from across the country, and provided a library voice in evaluating literacy plans from organizations receiving Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Grants. Brandy lives in Sacramento with her husband and an assortment of pets. She is, prison notwithstanding, nice.

Jeanette Contreras

Library Director

Placentia Library District

jcontreras@placentialibrary.org

Term end: 10/31/2022

As Library Director for the Placentia Library District, former manager at the Fullerton Public Library and supervisor at the Santa Ana Public Library, Jeanette has had over 20 years of administrative and managerial experience leading organizations that have resulted in securing over $1M in federal, state, and private funding for these libraries. Placentia Library District received the Innovative Award from the California Special District Association (CSDA) in 2019 and coverage from CBS News and the Orange County Register. In 2017, the District also received the PRExcellence award for its Reading = Happy video from CLA.

She has served on the CLA Leadership Development and Advocacy Committees and REFORMA, chaired the DEMCO scholarship for the American Library Association, and served on the CSDA Professional Development and Fiscal & Financial Committees. As a former board member of the Homeless Intervention Shelter House and Rotary Club of Placentia, she understands some of the issues facing California libraries and opportunities to work with various community partners to address these challenges. She is a proud member of ALA, CLA, PLA, CSDA, Chamber of Commerce, and the Rotary Club of Placentia.

After 27 years in the library field, she finds that she is still learning and discovering many nuggets of knowledge from library staff, professionals and the community. Jeanette's encouragement has resulted in many of her former and present staff to enter the library profession and considers herself blessed as they have become her reversed mentors.

Dolly Goyal

Library Services Manager

San Mateo County Libraries

goyal@smcl.org

Term end: 10/31/2023

Dolly Goyal has worked in public libraries since age 15, before she knew she would be a librarian. She received her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Northeastern University. She moved to California with the intention of working in academic and special libraries, but her first position as a Page at Santa Clara City Library steered her toward public libraries and specifically, teen services. After graduating from San Jose State University with a Master of Library and Information Science, she started working in youth services and adult services in the Santa Clara County Library District. She obtained her first full-time position in teen services at San Mateo County Libraries where she later became a Branch Manager. Dolly was the Director for Los Gatos Library from 2016-17 before returning to San Mateo County Libraries as the Library Services Manager for Youth and Families. In her free time, Dolly loves to be outside in California beaches and redwood forests, with her husband and canine rescue, Lois Lane.

Shawn Thrasher
Library Director

Ontario City Library
sthrasher@ontarioca.gov

Term ends: 10/31/2021

Shawn Thrasher has been working in libraries since high school. He earned his Masters in Library Science from Emporia State University (Kansas) in 1998, and worked as a Youth Services Librarian at Johnson County (Kansas) Library for five years. In 2001, he moved to California and started working at Pasadena Public Library as teen librarian. In 2005, he took a position as Monrovia Public Library’s Senior Librarian, which he held until 2011. For the last six years, he has worked at Ontario City Library, first as Assistant Director, and since March 2018 as Director. Shawn has been active in American Library Association and California Library Association. He is a Eureka! fellow (2010). He has co-presented the annual Serving With A Purpose conference for library friends, trustees, volunteers and the staff who work with them for six years. He currently serves on the advisory board of the California Center for the Book.

Emily Weak

Adult Services Librarian

Oakland Public Library

EWeak@oaklandlibrary.org

Term ends: 10/31/2021

Emily Weak is an adult services librarian at the Oakland Public Library, where she enjoys focusing on outreach, partnerships with social service organizations, and the 600s. She has also worked for Mountain View Public Library, San Jose Public Library, Stanford Math-Stat Library, and the California Academy of Sciences (Naturalist Center Library). Prior to becoming a librarian, she was variously: a circus student, a cheesemonger, and a grocery store manager. Pretty much the only legacies from her past are a love of good food (especially cheese) and a decent back bend. She lives in Oakland with two adorable cats and an equally adorable boyfriend. One thing she really loves about her life is being able to bike to work.

Yolande Wilburn

City Librarian

Torrance Library

ywilburn@torranceca.gov

Term ends: 10/31/2023

Yolande Wilburn serves as the Torrance City Librarian, overseeing six library locations. Before joining the City of Torrance, I served as the Nevada County Librarian in Nevada County, California. I have also worked for the Los Angeles County Library, Higher Colleges of Technology in Dubai, Chicago Public Library, and the University of Chicago Regenstein Library.

After many years of working in the private sector,sheI went back to school to obtain her Master's Degree in Librarianship because she believes that the work we do is critical to the infrastructure of society.

Mayra Fuentes (Student Representative)

San Jose State University

mayraaf@gmail.com

Term end: 10/31/2022

Mayra Fuentes is currently a second year graduate student at San Jose State University. In 2017, she began working for the Los Angeles Public Library as an after-school tutor and a library page. Mayra has always had a strong desire to serve her community: REFORMA, volunteer work as an organizer for a local community garden, bilingual advocacy at a large medical facility, and as a representative in her neighborhood council meetings. Now, Mayra wants to extend the opportunity for students throughout California to participate in their local community as well as the library community through CLA.

Beatriz Preciado (ALA Chapter Councilor)

Programs Coordinator

OC Public Libraries

Term end: 10/31/2022

Beatriz Preciado is the Programs Coordinator at OC Public Libraries (OCPL). In her current role she is responsible for the development and implementation of various system-wide program activities and grants. She is also the supervisor of OC Read/ Families for Literacy, OCPL’s adult literacy program. Beatriz is the current President of the Orange County Chapter of REFORMA. She is also a part-time staff member at the Anaheim Public Library.

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