News - MLA
Thursday, April 28, 2022 12:00 AM

MLA 2022 Board of Directors Election Results

Congratulations to MLA's new Directors! Scott Duimstra, Capital Area District Libraries was voted President-elect. Tashia Miller, Washtenaw Community College was elected as ALA Councilor. Angela Badke, Ojibwa Community Library; Sophia Ward Brewer, Grand Rapids Community College; and Christine Peele, Detroit Public Library, were elected as Members-at-Large to serve three-year terms, beginning July 1, 2022, and ending June 30, 2025.

Many thanks to all the candidates for demonstrating leadership by agreeing to run and to all our members who voted. We look forward to a great year! Please feel free to welcome and congratulate our new Directors!

President-elect

Scott Duimstra
Executive Director, Capital Area District Libraries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALA Councilor

Tashia Miller
Reference and Outreach Librarian, Washtenaw Community College


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Member-at-Large

Angela Badke
Tribal Librarian, Ojibwa Community Library           


Sophia Ward Brewer

Serials & Collection Librarian, Grand Rapids Community College; Trustee, Grand Rapids Public Library 

Christine Peele 
Branch Manager, Detroit Public Library

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

President-elect

Scott Duimstra HeadshotScott Duimstra
Executive Director, Capital Area District Libraries

Scott Duimstra is an incumbent candidate on the MLA Board of Directors. Scott serves as the Executive Director of the Capital Area District Libraries (CADL). Before becoming Executive Director, he was the supervisor of CADL"s Technical Services and Collection Development departments. Scott holds a Bachelor of Science in Philosophy, from Eastern Michigan University, and a Master of Science in Information degree from the University of Michigan. He currently serves on the boards of the Michigan Library Association and the Capital Area College Access Network (CapCAN). Scott has served as MLA’s Treasurer & Secretary since 2020 and as an MLA Board member from 2019-2022. He is the Chair of the 2022 MLA Annual Conference Committee and has served as a member of the 2018 MLA Annual Conference Committee, and Chair of Fantastic Fiction Committee – 2009. 

Candidate Statement

I am finishing up my first term on the MLA Board. In my time on the Board, serving as a member and the treasurer, I’ve gained the experience and knowledge needed to serve as President-Elect. With my fellow Board members and MLA staff, I have helped in decisions regarding MLA’s initiatives and focus. I feel that MLA is making great progress in advocacy, offering professional development, and building a welcoming and inclusive community, and I would like to continue that work through the role of President-Elect. 

My goals for running for President-Elect are to build on MLA’s role of providing mentorships and new ideas for our profession. I want all members of MLA to feel that they are building their skills to help them in both their current and future positions. Also, I will continue MLA’s focus of ensuring that all programs, services, and events point back to its statement on Equity, Diversity, Accessibility and Belonging so that these values become engrained in the education and professional development the organization offers to its members. If elected as President-Elect, please know that I will advocate on your behalf so that you feel protected, prepared, and supported in the library profession. 

 

ALA Councilor


Tashia Miller
Reference and Outreach Librarian, Washtenaw Community College

Tashia Miller serves as a Reference and Outreach Librarian at Washtenaw Community College and an Outreach and Engagement Librarian - Associate Librarian at the University of Michigan. Tashia earned her bachelor’s degree in Written Communication from Eastern Michigan University and a Master of Library and Information Science Degree from Wayne State University. Tashia is an active member of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA), where she has served on NCAAL conference planning and ALA Relations committees and is finishing her final year of service as an Executive Board member. She is currently part of the Joint Council for Librarians of Color (JCLC) 2022 Conference planning committee. In 2019, Tashia was selected as the inaugural recipient of the ALA Lois-Ann Gregory Woods fellowship.

She has served for one year on the MLA Nomination Committee, the 2019 MLA Annual Conference workgroup and previously participated in the 2018 Leadership Academy Cohort, as well as the 2018 MLA Academic Conference workgroup.

Candidate Statement

In my career, I have benefited greatly from the services provided by MLA. Workshops, scholarships and being able to serve as a member of conference planning and election committees gave me the experience and confidence to volunteer for national organizations. These have included serving on the Executive Committee for the Black Caucus for the American Library Association (BCALA) and receiving the honor of being the inaugural recipient of the 2019 ALA Lois-Ann Gregory Woods fellowship. This fellowship focused on education and training new librarians on the inner workings of ALA Governance. 

MLA provided me the opportunities to grow as a librarian and I want to use what I have learned to represent the state of Michigan and MLA as your counselor. MLA has given me and so many others so much, I want to use this opportunity to give back.

 Member-at-Large

Angela Badke
Tribal Librarian, Ojibwa Community Library           

Angela has served as the Tribal Librarian for the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community at the Ojibwa Community Library, Baraga, MI since 2015. Before that, she served as an instructor of Composition and English as a Second Language (ESL) Program at Michigan Technological University. Angela holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in Journalism from Michigan Technological University, a Master of Science in Rhetoric and Technical Communication from Michigan Technological University, and is currently earning a Master of Library and Information Science degree from Wayne State University. Angela has been an MLA member since 2021.  

Candidate Statement

My name is Angela Badke. I am a tribal member of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, and currently serve as their Tribal Librarian. I am running for a seat on the Michigan Library Association Board of Directors to serve and advocate for all Michigan libraries. 

My goal as a board member is to advocate for continued action within Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives at the Michigan Library Association. This may look like supporting BIPOC businesses and authors or advocating for BIPOC library staff or underrepresented libraries such as tribal or small and rural spaces. Equity, diversity, accessibility, and belonging are important to me and, I’ve dedicated most of my library career working toward bringing cultural awareness and advocating for representation of marginalized groups in library spaces and believe strongly in continuing that work with the MLA. 

If elected, I bring nearly a decade of experience working in the library, serving my community, and negotiating spaces of cultural, computer, and word-based literacy.

Christine Peele
Branch Manager, Detroit Public Library

Christine Peele has served as a Public Service Librarian for over twenty years at the Detroit Public Library. Christine holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Central Michigan University, and a Master of Library and Information Science Degree from Wayne State University. She is currently the Co-Chair of the Detroit Public Library Author Series and of the award-winning African American Booklist. Christine is also a member of DPL's Overdrive/Libby Collection. She was a member of the MLA Multicultural Roundtable. She presented at a past MLA conference "Tips on Building an Urban Fiction Collection".

Candidate Statement

My name is Christine Peele and I have been a librarian at the Detroit Public Library for over 20 years. I am running for MLA Board because the voices of librarians that work with minority communities need to be better represented.  I also believe that people of color that are considering a career in libraries need to see themselves represented in all areas of the profession. My hope is that I can encourage other librarians of color that now is the time to join MLA. I am hoping to influence MLA leadership to continue to reach to communities of color. I am also hoping that my presence on the MLA Board will give me the opportunity to participate in conversations that will lead to the changes that MLA needs to make to become a more welcoming environment for everyone.

Sophia Ward Brewer
Serials & Collection Librarian, Grand Rapids Community College; Trustee, Grand Rapids Public Library 

Sophia Ward Brewer has been a librarian for more than 20 years and has worked in libraries for more than 30. She has served in roles from entry-level to supervision, from academic to public, from technical services to reference, and as an Interim Director. She is currently a Collection Development and Reference Librarian at the Grand Rapids Community College and a citywide elected Library Commissioner for the Grand Rapids Public Library. Sophia holds a Bachelor of Science in Education Degree from Jackson State University and a Master of Information Science Degree from Wayne State University. She serves as current past-president on the Greater Grand Rapids Women History Board. She also serves on the Grand Rapids Civilians Appeals Board and currently writes a weekly column in the Grand Rapids Times Newspaper, which is a local paper focused on the African American market. Sophia has been a member of MLA at various times and has previously presented with co-workers at the MLA's Annual Conference. She was a Spectrum Initiative Scholar in 1998.

Candidate Statement

I honestly don't know where I would be if I had not discovered libraries. Libraries have been much more than a career choice for me; they have provided the foundation upon which I stand today. Like libraries, access, democracy, diversity, education, intellectual freedom, lifelong learning, service, and social responsibilities are all values I align with personally and professionally. Therefore, as someone who has gained a lot from libraries, serving on the MLA Board will allow me the opportunity to give back and ensure that others can take advantage of the many benefits libraries provide.

Today, we are mired in national debates that threaten our very foundation. Because of this, Library leadership positions require strategic, reflective, and visionary people. The skills and insights I have acquired leave me well suited to meet these requirements and advance Michigan Libraries as a Board member. I believe you will find that I am an authentic leader with the knowledge, history, and ability to step up and cultivate meaningful relationships and collaborations. My work history includes extensive strategic planning, Diversity Equity & Inclusion work, program development, and more. Please consider electing me for the MLA Board of Directors.

 

 


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