Officers

Anthony Chow (President)

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.

Genesis Hansen (Past - 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.

Aaron Espinosa (Treasurer)
Executive Director
Rancho Mirage Library & Observatory
treasurer@cla-net.org
Term end: 2028

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 Diego County Library
migell.acosta@sdcounty.ca.gov
Term end: 2028

Jennifer Baker
Director
Benicia Public Library
jenrgee@mail.com
Term end 2027

Daisy Flores

Library Services Manager

Ontario City Library

dcflores@ontarioca.gov

Term: 2028

I believe libraries are a foundation for strong communities, and I’m committed to strengthening their impact across California. From creating meaningful programs to developing innovative services, my career has been about turning ideas into action that enrich lives.

Branch Manager

Los Angeles Public Library

ashleykkagan@gmail.com 

Term: 2028

I am excited to serve as one of your Board of Directors because I believe that it is essential to give back to the California Library Association, an organization that has played a major role in my professional growth. My aim is to further the library profession and contribute meaningfully to its leadership and ongoing progress. I would like to accomplish this as a Board Member by focusing on helping CLA achieve long-term financial sustainability, fostering stronger connections among California’s library workers, and actively engaging and developing our future leaders.

Christopher Platt

Director

Santa Cruz Public Libraries

plattc@santacruzpl.org

Tern End: 2028

 In my 30 years as a librarian I have been a leader for one of the largest and most complex urban libraries, a library vendor, and a small remote rural system.  People often focus on the differences in these jobs, but my takeaway is how similar they are.  Across our work are the universal issues of “haves vs. have-nots”, the need for sustainable funding, the need to grow library staff, to innovate, and to chart our way through complex political waters. As a profession, we are in fraught times, but libraries are strong and have repeatedly shown that working together we can successfully navigate challenges by adhering to and nourishing our core principles and values including access, equity, diversity, inclusion, intellectual freedom, and sustainability.

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.

Candice Mack 

Managing Librarian Young Adult Services

Los Angeles Public Library

cmack@lapl.org

Term: 2028

As a past recipient of ALA’s Spectrum Scholarship, I am dedicated to continuing our profession’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice in our communities, as my ability to attend library school was only possible through programs such as Spectrum - I am committed to doing all that I can to help make sure that California libraries can continue to do and hopefully expand on the great work that we do!