Below is the roster of the Leadership Fellows Program 2025 cohort.
2025 Leadership Fellows
Neelam Bharti
Associate Dean for Research and Learning Services
Florida State University (FSU) Libraries
Neelam Bharti is the associate dean for Research and Learning Services at Florida State University Libraries. Previously, she held the position of associate dean for Liaison Services and senior librarian for Chemical Sciences and Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University from 2018. Before her role at Carnegie Mellon, Neelam was assistant university librarian for Chemical Sciences and Engineering at the University of Florida. She holds an MLIS and doctoral degree in bio-medicinal chemistry and completed postdoctoral research with the drug development group at the University of Florida. Neelam contributed to several NIH-supported projects on synthesizing natural products and managed pro-drug projects, including work leading to three drugs entering clinical trials for iron overload and cancer treatment. She has taught courses in drug development, chemical information, and information literacy. Neelam participates in professional organizations, including the Association for Research Libraries (ARL), and is involved in AI literacy initiatives, open access, and open sciences, and actively explores research service solutions for interdisciplinary research support. Her professional focus includes AI literacy and emerging technologies to address challenges in the library profession and establish evolving roles of libraries in higher education.
Jonathan O. Cain
he, him, his, himself
Associate University Librarian for Research and Learning
Columbia University Libraries
Jonathan O. Cain is the associate university librarian for Research and Learning at Columbia University Libraries. In this role, Jonathan provides leadership in several areas, including research support, teaching support, copyright and information policy, digital scholarship, and access services. His work in librarianship focuses on enhancing access to data education, educational technologies, and scholarly communications.
Jonathan has served on the advisory board of the Open Copyright Education Advisory Network (OCEAN) and was a member of ARL’s Scholars and Scholarship Committee. Currently, he is a member of the ARL Advocacy and Public Policy Committee and is also a member of the SPARC Advisory Board.
He is currently pursuing a PhD at Simmons University. He earned an MSLIS from Pratt Institute, an MA in Africana studies from New York University, and a BS in anthropology from the College of Charleston.
Kerry Creelman
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Associate Dean for Collections Strategies & Discovery
University of Houston (UH) Libraries
Kerry Creelman is an associate librarian and associate dean for Collections Services and Discovery at the University of Houston. Kerry has worked with UH Libraries for 16 years and has served in roles related to collections, liaison services, and teaching & learning. She received her MLIS degree from the University of Western Ontario. Her professional development interests focus on organization change management, succession planning, and strategic planning. Her scholarship has included best practices in collections management and information literacy instruction, as well as public services service models.
Emily Daly
she, her, hers, herself
Associate University Librarian for Research and Public Services
Duke University Libraries
Emily Daly serves as associate university librarian for Research and Public Services at the Duke University Libraries. Emily has worked in a number of roles during her 19 years at Duke, including interim AUL for Research and Public Services, interim head of Research & Instructional Services, and head of Assessment & User Experience, a department that she helped establish. Prior to working at Duke, she taught high school English and then served as the teen librarian at Natrona County Public Library in Casper, Wyoming, and as librarian in Durham’s Southern High School. Emily received a BA in English/secondary education from NC State University and an MS in library science from UNC–Chapel Hill.
Kate Donovan
she, her, hers, herself
James D. Hart Director of The Bancroft Library & Associate University Librarian for Special Collections
University of California (UC), Berkeley Library
Kate Donovan is the James D. Hart Director of The Bancroft Library and Associate University Librarian for Special Collections at UC Berkeley, overseeing the largest special collections library in the University of California system. Kate provides strategic leadership across collection development, technical services, research services, instruction, exhibitions, and public programming while overseeing three academic research units and leading fundraising initiatives. She has previously held leadership positions at Harvard University, New York University, and Emory University.
A passionate cultural heritage leader and advocate for broad public access to distinctive collections, Kate believes in the democratic and transformative power of libraries. She focuses on building inclusive cultural institutions that welcome diverse communities, foster belonging, and inspire lifelong learning. She holds an MS in information from the University of Michigan, an MA in history from the University of Iowa, and a BA in history from Vassar College.
Maggie Dull
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Assistant Dean, Scholarly Resources and Curation
University of Rochester Libraries
Maggie Dull provides leadership, vision, and strategic direction to ensure the ongoing access, discovery, preservation, and stewardship of the University of Rochester River Campus Libraries’ (RCL) scholarly resources and distinctive collections. Maggie collaborates closely with colleagues across RCL and the University of Rochester Libraries on the sustainable development and maintenance of the libraries’ complex digital and technological infrastructure, particularly tools and systems that support collection discovery and stewardship activities. A skilled systems thinker, she fosters effective cross-departmental interoperable workflows, governance structures, and technology-driven services that advance the research, teaching, and learning missions of the university. She founded RCL’s Metadata Outreach program, a service that draws on the libraries’ deep expertise in information organization, metadata schema, and controlled vocabularies, to help the University of Rochester community address their information or metadata challenges. Maggie holds an MLIS from the University of Washington and a certificate in curation and management of digital assets from the University of Maryland. An engaged member of the profession, she teaches sections of Fundamentals of Metadata, an online continuing education course offered by Core, a Division of the American Library Association (ALA).
Sarah Forzetting
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Associate Director, Acquisitions & Collections Services
Stanford University Libraries
Sarah Forzetting has worked for more than a decade leading staff and operations in licensing, purchasing, and discovery services for print and digital content. Before transitioning to academic libraries, Sarah worked in book sales at Ingram Content Group and as an editor at ABC-CLIO. She is active in various consortia and is currently president of the California chapter of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL).
Jody Gray
she, her, hers, herself
Associate University Librarian for Research
University of Minnesota Libraries
Jody Gray is the associate university librarian for Research at the University of Minnesota, where she provides strategic leadership for advancing research support services across the libraries. Her professional focus is on bringing a strong commitment to creating inclusive and culturally responsive library services.
From 2005 to 2015, Jody served as the diversity outreach librarian for the University of Minnesota Libraries. She later became the director of the Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services at the American Library Association (ALA) in Chicago, where she led national efforts to embed equity and inclusion into library practices and policy.
Jody holds an MLIS from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and a BA from the University of Minnesota Morris. She is a past president and the current executive director of the American Indian Library Association (AILA), where she continues to advocate for Indigenous representation and leadership in librarianship.
Jody is a citizen of the Cheyenne River Sioux (Lakota) Tribe of South Dakota and lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Jen Green
she, her, hers, herself
Associate University Librarian for Collections, Research, and Engagement Services
Case Western Reserve University Libraries
Jen Green has served as the associate university librarian for Collections, Research, and Engagement Services at Kelvin Smith Library (KSL), Case Western Reserve University since September 2023. In this leadership position, Jen directs teams, librarians, and staff across Access & Resource Services, Research & Engagement Services, Collection Strategies, and University Archives & Special Collections. She is responsible for setting standards of excellence, shaping academic engagement approaches, fostering partnerships, and advancing research, teaching, and learning through strategic collecting, expanded resource access, and the development of innovative research services. As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, she plays an integral role in shaping the library’s vision and direction.
Jen holds an MLIS from Dominican University (2007) and a BA in art history from the University of Minnesota (2004). Her professional interests center on strategic thinking, building high-functioning collaborative teams, and driving innovation in teaching and learning.
Melanie Griffin
she, her, hers, herself
Associate Professor and Chair, Archives & Special Collections
University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries
Melanie Griffin is the chair of Archives & Special Collections at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries. Melanie’s previous roles include interim associate dean for Special Collections and director of Special Collections Services at the University of Arkansas and Special Collections librarian at the University of South Florida. She holds a PhD in literacy studies with an emphasis in children’s literature and an MLIS. Her research interests include accessibility in the archives and special collections profession and the history and practice of special collections librarianship in academic libraries. Melanie is the immediate past chair of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL).
Erika R. Hosselkus
Associate University Librarian, Distinctive and Academic Collections
University of Notre Dame, Hesburgh Libraries
Erika Hosselkus has spent more than a decade working in the academic core of higher education. Erika is currently associate university librarian for Distinctive and Academic Collections at the University of Notre Dame. Her portfolio includes research collections, special collections and archives, metadata, and preservation. She oversees collection development and collections-related services that support Notre Dame’s commitment to providing an elite undergraduate education, its growing emphasis on rigorous graduate education, and research on and beyond campus. Prior to her associate university librarian appointment, Erika served as Special Collections curator for Latin American, Iberian, and Latino/a collections. She holds a PhD in history and an MA in Latin American studies from Tulane University. Her current research interests include strategic planning in academic research libraries, the development of print culture in colonial Latin America, and 19th- and 20th-century histories of collecting and exhibiting.
Polina E. Ilieva
Associate University Librarian for Collections and UCSF Archivist
University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Library
Polina E. Ilieva is an associate university librarian and an adjunct assistant professor at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Polina leads UCSF Archives and Special Collections, including the Industry Documents Library and UCSF Library Development. Previous roles include leadership of the Collection Development and Collection Management departments. She served as a principal investigator (PI) for numerous collaborative multi-institutional grant projects funded by the Sloan Foundation, Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), US National Archives, National Library of Medicine (NLM), and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) that support the expansion and digitization of holdings related to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the COVID-19 pandemic, and women scientists, as well as making archives computationally actionable. A transformative leader with 25 years of experience in research libraries and archives, Polina specializes in strategic relationship building and securing resources for innovative programs at the intersection of technology and the humanities. Her work reflects a commitment to empowering teams, fostering inclusive leadership, and advancing public access to knowledge. She collaborates with community groups to create a more equitable historical record and leads efforts to integrate historical medical records into the contemporary research enterprise. Polina launched the UCSF Digital Health Humanities Program, enabling research with “archives as data.” She is a Society of American Archivists (SAA) Fellow.
Annie Johnson
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Associate University Librarian for Research, Teaching, and Technology
University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press
Annie Johnson is the associate university librarian for Research, Teaching, and Technology at the University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press. Annie’s areas of responsibility include the Research and Design Commons, Reference and Engagement, Student Success and Curriculum Partnerships, Library IT, and the University of Delaware Press. She believes that knowledge is a public good and works to further open access, open education, and open data at the University of Delaware and beyond. She has published and presented on a variety of topics, including scholarly communication work in libraries, collaborating with university presses, and publishing open textbooks. Annie is currently serving on the board of the Library Publishing Coalition (LPC). She holds a PhD in history from the University of Southern California (USC).
Carrie Johnston
she, her, hers, herself
Associate Dean of Research and Digital Strategy
Southern Methodist University (SMU) Libraries
Jennifer Gunter King
Associate University Librarian for Academic Engagement and Special Collections
Boston University Libraries
Jennifer Gunter King serves as the associate university librarian for Academic Engagement and Special Collections at Boston University. In this role, Jennifer provides vision, leadership, and strategic direction for public services and archives across the Boston University Libraries, including Access Services, Library Experience, Liaison Librarians, the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center, Digital Ventures, and the African Studies Library. From 2018 to 2024, she directed the Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library at Emory University, where she led efforts to improve online access to collections, strengthen collaboration, and build a high-trust team. Previously, she served as director of the Hampshire College Library (2012–2018) and the Mount Holyoke College Archives and Special Collections (2004–2012). Jennifer earned her BA in history from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and her MA in history and MLS from the University of Maryland. She has a strong track record of collaborative and innovative leadership in advancing 21st-century library services.
Clarence Maybee
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Associate Dean for Learning
Purdue University Libraries and School of Information Studies
Clarence Maybee is the associate dean for Learning and the W. Wayne Booker Endowed Chair in Information Literacy at Purdue University Libraries and School of Information Studies. Clarence is the director of the Institute for Information Literacy at Purdue, which supports research that explores the role of information literacy in addressing information challenges. He co-leads Information Literacy is a Discipline (ILIAD), an international group of scholars advancing the recognition of information literacy as an emerging discipline. In 2019, he received the Librarian Recognition Award from the American Library Association (ALA). Clarence is the author of the book IMPACT Learning: Librarians at the Forefront of Change in Higher Education, published in 2018 by Chandos Publishing. He earned his PhD from Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia, and his MLIS from San José State University.
Jennifer McKinnell
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Director, Health Sciences Library
McMaster University Libraries
Jennifer McKinnell is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario (BA honours 1993, MLIS 1998) and York University (MA 1996). Jennifer joined McMaster’s Health Sciences Library in 2000 as an education liaison librarian. Since that time, she has held a variety of positions at the university, most recently as director of the Health Sciences Library. In this role, she works closely with library partners, members of the research community, and education leaders in academic and healthcare sectors. Jennifer is currently the Partner Relations officer for the Canadian Health Libraries Association (CHLA) and contributes to the New and Interim Directors Committee with the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL). She holds a specific interest in supporting leadership initiatives that prepare the next generation of library leaders for what will undoubtedly be a challenging future, contributing to mentorship programs for current and future health library leaders in both Canada and the United States. Jennifer’s most recent research interests focus on library service design, evaluation, and leadership.
Rebecca Metzger
Associate University Librarian for Learning & Engagement
University of California (UC), Santa Barbara Library
Rebecca Metzger has been at UC Santa Barbara since 2012, where she most recently served as the interim deputy university librarian from 2024 to 2025. As associate university librarian for Learning & Engagement, Rebecca leads a public services division of approximately 40 employees comprising the departments of Research & Engagement, Teaching & Learning, Access Services, and External Relations. She is passionate about student success, course material affordability, peer learning, undergraduate research, user experience, and makerspaces. Prior to receiving her MS in library & information science from Simmons College, Rebecca was a public relations officer for museums, artists, and arts organizations, and she is committed to bringing her expertise in communications, marketing, and events and exhibitions planning to libraries. She has taught continuing education courses on library marketing and serves on the advisory board of the open access Marketing Libraries Journal. In 2023, the American Library Association (ALA) adopted her “Competencies for Outreach Work in Academic Libraries” as a national professional standard.
Lisa Nickel
Associate Dean of Research & Public Services
William & Mary Libraries
Lisa Nickel is the associate dean of Research & Public Services at William & Mary Libraries, where she provides strategic leadership for research instruction, library operations, Reeder Media Center, and the William & Mary Press, an open access publishing initiative. With over 20 years of experience in academic libraries, Lisa leads teams and cultivates partnerships that advance the library’s role in research, teaching, and student success.
A collaborative leader, Lisa has guided cross-campus initiatives, overseen major renovation projects, and expanded the library’s presence in academic and student life. She is committed to building inclusive, service-oriented environments that reflect core values of equity, intellectual freedom, and knowledge creation.
Lisa is active in the American Library Association (ALA), Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), and Core, and has published on leadership, assessment, information literacy, and distance education. She serves as a campus Title IX advisor and as a mentor for first-generation limited-income students (FGLI).
Prior to William & Mary, Lisa held leadership roles at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and began her career as an instruction librarian at the University of South Florida. She holds an MLIS from the University of South Florida and a BA in history from Rutgers University.
Alexa Pearce
she, her, hers, herself
Associate Vice Provost for Collections & Scholarly Communications
University of Pennsylvania Libraries
Alexa Pearce is the Gershwind and Bennett Family Associate Vice Provost for Collections and Scholarly Communications at the Penn Libraries. Alexa leads collection strategy, academic and community engagement, and the administration of 11 departmental libraries. She directs a team of 90 staff, oversees a $30 million collections budget, and has stewardship responsibilities for the libraries’ world-renowned collections in all formats. Prior to joining Penn, Alexa served as associate university librarian for Research at the University of Michigan, where she led the library’s engagement with research and scholarship. At Michigan, she also held roles as director, Social Sciences and Clark Library, and librarian for History and American Culture. Alexa served as librarian for Journalism, Media, Culture, and Communication at New York University (NYU) and has held teaching appointments at the University of Michigan School of Information, the Pratt Institute’s School of Information, and Long Island University (LIU). She holds an MA and BA in history, both from NYU, along with an MSLIS from LIU. Alexa’s professional service has included participation in the OCLC Research Library Partnership (RLP) Leadership Roundtable, Higher Education Leadership Initiative for Open Scholarship (HELIOS Open), CHORUS Academic Advisory Working Group, Ivy Plus Libraries Confederation Collection Development Group, and Big Ten Academic Alliance Heads of Public Services.
Ben Rawlins
Associate Dean for Outreach, Engagement and Collections
University of Kentucky (UK) Libraries
Ben Rawlins is the associate dean for Outreach, Engagement, and Collections at the University of Kentucky Libraries. Ben has served in various leadership roles in academic libraries, including library director at Georgetown College, SUNY Geneseo, and Texas A&M International University. In his current role, Ben leads a diverse portfolio that includes reference services, educational services, collections, acquisitions, liaison services, interlibrary loan, electronic resources, open educational resources, assessment, and the branch libraries (Education, Fine Arts & Design, and Medical Center). He holds a BS in history from the University of Rio Grande, an MA in history from Marshall University, an MS in library and information science from the University of Kentucky, and an MS in information science from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Mindy Thuna
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Associate Chief Librarian for Science Research & Information
University of Toronto Libraries
Mindy Thuna is currently the associate chief librarian for Science Research & Information and the acting director of the Gerstein Science Information Centre at the University of Toronto (UofT). From 2016 to 2021, Mindy was the head of the UofT Engineering & Computer Science Library. Before that she completed a BSc in palaeontology from UofT in 1993, an MSc in vertebrate morphology from University of Calgary in 1997, and an MISt from the Faculty of Information Studies from UofT in 2005. Her first librarian role in 2005 was at the Mississauga campus of UofT, where she worked for 11 years in a variety of science librarian roles, including the AstraZeneca Science Liaison Librarian and the Research Enterprise librarian.
Elias Tzoc
Associate Dean for Teaching, Learning, and Research
Clemson University Libraries
Elias Tzoc is originally from Guatemala and is a 2007 graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, School of Information. Elias has also completed leadership programs at the Library Leadership in a Digital Age Institute at Harvard University and the EDUCAUSE Digital Learning Leaders Institute. He spent 15 years at Miami University Libraries, where he led numerous initiatives in digital scholarship and innovation. He currently serves as associate dean for Teaching, Learning, and Research (TLR) at Clemson University Libraries, where he leads a team of over 40 professionals supporting a wide range of services, including: Information and AI Literacy; Data and Research Services; Open Educational Resources; Scholarly Communications; Digital Scholarship; Creative and Emerging Technologies; Experiential Learning; and Research Impact and Analytics. Elias has published extensively on topics such as digital scholarship, open access, makerspaces, innovation, leadership, experiential learning, and AI literacy. He has also served as principal investigator (PI) and co-PI on several successful grants, including projects funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Sherri Vokey
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Associate University Librarian, Academic Engagement
University of Manitoba Libraries
Sherri Vokey is an accomplished academic librarian and strategic leader with over two decades of experience in managing and transforming academic library services. Currently serving as associate university librarian for Academic Engagement at the University of Manitoba, Sherri leads a team of librarians and managers, focusing on liaison services, research support, instruction, and collection management. Her career highlights include roles as head of Neil John Maclean Health Sciences Library and subject librarian positions supporting Pharmacy and Health Sciences, where she advanced clinical research, systematic reviews, and evidence-based practice.
Sherri has extensive experience in strategic planning, program assessment, library operations, and stakeholder collaboration. Her dedication to evidence-based librarianship is reflected in numerous publications, conference presentations, and active participation in national library organizations. Her contributions extend beyond her institution through leadership roles with the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) and the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC). Sherri holds an MLIS from Western University, an MA in sociology from Queen’s University, and has completed multiple professional certifications in university administration and library management. Known for her mentorship, collaborative spirit, and innovative approach, Sherri continues to impact academic librarianship regionally, nationally, and internationally.
Rebecca Miller Waltz
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Associate Dean for Learning and Engagement
Penn State University Libraries
A 2012 American Library Association (ALA) Emerging Leader, Rebecca Miller Waltz earned an MAEd in instructional design and technology from Virginia Tech in 2014, an MSLS from the School of Information and Library Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2007, and a BA in English and religion from the College of William & Mary in 2004. Rebecca has served as an adjunct instructor for Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies and a facilitator for the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Information Literacy Immersion Program since 2017. She has been active in regional, state, and national library organizations and has authored and coauthored a number of books, book chapters, technical reports, and articles on teaching, learning, and instructional technologies in libraries, including publications in College & Research Libraries News, Journal of Learning Spaces, Library Leadership & Management, and Journal of Library Administration. More information about Rebecca’s work is available on her website: www.rebeccamillerwaltz.com.
