Officers

Genesis Hansen (President)
Director of Library & Cultural Services
City of Mission Viejo
ghansen@cityofmissionviejo.org
Term end: 2026
For the past year I’ve worked with community members and City of Mission Viejo staff to launch a Diversity & Inclusion Task Force in Mission Viejo, a partnership between residents, local businesses and nonprofits, and City staff. I care deeply about our profession and the work we do in our communities, and I care deeply about CLA and its role in supporting and furthering that work. I believe CLA plays a vital role in leadership development, knowledge sharing, networking, and advocacy for libraries and library staff in California, and I think it’s crucial that CLA continues to adapt and improve as an organization to serve our library community and profession far into the future. I want to be a part of that process.



Shawn M. Thrasher (Past-President)

Library Director
Ontario City Library

sthrasher@ontarioca.gov
Term end: 2025

Nichole Brown(Treasurer)
Branch Manager
Oakland Public Library
treasurer@cla-net.org
Term end: 2025

Hillary Theyer (Secretary)
Director 
Monterey County Free Library
hillarytheyer@gmail.com
Tern end 2026

It is my pleasure to once again request your support to serve CLA on the Board.  I have experience in the Secretary position twice, and on the Finance Committee, Leadership Development Committee, Interest Group Committee, Advocacy Committee, Bylaws and Governance Commitee, and as your President in 2020.  I am a lifetime member of CLA, and make attending Conference my annual professional development priority.  

Director
San Jose State University's School of Information
a.chow@sjsu.edu
Term end: 2027

I am beginning my 24th year as an LIS professor and am the Director of San Jose State's iSchool and my areas of specialty include information and patron needs, technology integration, organizational management and leadership, community assessment and strategic planning, instructional design, and systematic barriers to access to libraries and early children's literacy in underserved and tribal communities. I am a former member of ALA's Committee on Library Advocacy and was a long-term board member and co-chair of Advocacy and Legislation for the North Carolina Library Association (NCLA). I was also the founder of nclibraryadvocacy.org and long-term National Library Legislative Day (NLLD) state liaison for North Carolina.

Migell Acosta
Director
San Diego County Library
migell.acosta@sdcounty.ca.gov
Term end: 2025

My name is Migell Acosta, and I am the director of San Diego County Library. I bring to San Diego County a background in library innovation, leadership, and stewardship. I have been serving as Director of the Library since September 2016. Prior to coming to San Diego, I served as Assistant Director and Chief Information Officer for the County of Los Angeles Library. Prior to my tenure in Los Angeles, I worked for Santa Monica Library for ten years and the RAND Corporation before that.

Kris Amaral
Managing Librarian
Monterrey County Free Libraries
amaralkm@countyofmonterey.gov
Term end: 2025

TheMonterey County Free Libraries(MCFL), which serves community members from diverse backgrounds covering 3265 square miles. In this role, Kris works with a team of 5 senior staff overseeing the operations of 16 branch libraries and 100 employees.

Brandy Buenafe

Principal Librarian,
California Department of Corrections
Brandy.Buenafe@cdcr.ca.gov
Term End: 2026

 As a California librarian it is my honor to serve on the California Library Association Board as a Director at Large.  When I served my first term it was a privilege to share the perspectives of correctional librarianship to the diversity of membership on the Board.  I am running for the Board again to continue to ensure that the voices of the diverse library workers in California have a place in our State Association.   I believe passionately in the mission of the California Library Association, which is to be the community for California libraries.  State agency libraries may not feel reflected in the makeup of the Board, and I’d like them to see themselves in the diversity of our Board.

Nancy Schram
Library Director
Ventura County Library System
nancy.schram@ventura.org
Term end: 2025

Nancy Schram joined the Ventura County Library System as the Deputy Library Director in 2016. Prior to that, she worked for almost ten years for the City of Thousand Oaks Library as Deputy Library Director and Division Manager. She also worked nine years for the County of Los Angeles Public Library in several positions including Adult Literacy Coordinator and Branch Library Manager in Westlake Village and Canyon Country, CA.

Sharon Tani
LA County Library
sharontani@sbcglobal.net
Term end: 2027

I believe CLA is a valuable organization that supports and facilitates the work we do within our communities. I care about its future and I care about cultivating it as an entity which connects all of us with platforms for collaboration and innovation. I want to celebrate our libraries’ achievements and work with other members to explore its growing potential, while also continuing its remarkable tradition of developing smart thinkers, energetic problem-solvers, and new leaders.

Kelly Tyler
Manager, Office of Education and Literacy Los Angeles Public Library
ktyler@lapl.org
Term end 2026

The California Library Association has long been my professional home away from work. I am grateful for the amazing network of peers and mentors who make our conferences the premier yearly opportunity to network and learn. Being involved in the expansion of adult literacy offerings at CLA over the past few years, I know how our professional organization directly impacts the delivery of critical library services essential to equity within our diverse communities. If elected, I will continue to advocate for all library professionals. After all, it is all of us who make California an incredible library ecosystem!

Darla Wegener
Librarian
Tulare County
darla.wegener@tularecountylibrary.org
Term end 2026

I am passionate about Libraries and how we are essential to our communities and country. Today we encounter book, program, and other challenges to the first amendment rights libraries protect. In addition, libraries are protecting our most vulnerable patrons’ rights to information. Libraries and Librarians have a history of being there when needed and today we are needed more than ever.

CLA is growing the organization to ensure our members and libraries receive the recognition and support needed to accomplish the great work we do every day. CLA is working to represent the communities we serve by reflecting those communities in our staff, programs, and services. CLA is fighting with us every day to ensure the legislature is aware of what we do and how they can help us. As someone who has helped rebuild library systems all over the state, I would like to do my part to help in this effort as a member at large representing you on the CLA Board.

Ramara Rubin(Student Representative)

ramara.rubin@gmail.com
Term end: 2026

I am a second-year MLIS student at UCLA focused on public librarianship, specifically interested in working with children and teens. My focus is on building community through programming. As the 2023-2024 CLA student representative I am excited to bridge the gap between MLIS students and LIS professionals to help foster mentorship and professional development.

Ziba Perez(ALA Chapter Councilor)
Young Adult Librarian

Los Angeles Public Library
zperez@lapl.org

Term end: 2025

I am a zine enthusiast and helped create a circulating zine collection at LBPL as well as LAPL. For four years I helped organize Long Beach Zine Fest and am currently helping to organize L.A. Zine Fest 2023.