For complete conference information, including presentations and registration, visit 2024 Vermont Library Conference home page.
Rebekkah Smith Aldrich (MLS, LEED AP) is the Executive Director of the Mid-Hudson Library System (NY) and the co-founder / board president of the Sustainable Libraries Initiative (SLI). Rebekkah was recognized as a Library Journal Mover & Shaker and was presented with the New York Library
Association’s Outstanding Service to Libraries Award. Aldrich is an adjunct professor at the Palmer School of Library’s Information Science at Long IslandUniversity.
Crystal Baldwin, M.Ed. is a nationally awarded consumer protection expert with over 20 years in public service. As Program Coordinator for the Vermont Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Program and UVM adjunct faculty, she is a skilled educator, who applies a cross-disciplinary approach to developing
action-oriented strategic education and outreach programs.
Barbara Ball MLIS is director of the Windsor Public Library, Treasurer for the VLA, and a UVM Extension Master Gardener.
Ellen KW Brennan is the program administrator for the Vermont Space Grant Consortium and NASA’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). A neuroscientist, Ellen left the lab to support STEM access and opportunity across Vermont. As part of the Vermont Space Grant and NASA EPSCoR team, she administers programs supporting students, researchers, industry partners, museums, and more as they engage with NASA at all levels.
Tara Carpenter is the Implementation Leader for the Palace Project, focusing on providing a positive user experience by ensuring that participating libraries are onboarded, trained, and configured correctly. Tara holds a B.A.in Political Science from the University of Connecticut and a Master’s in Library and Information Science from San Jose State University.
Liza Dates is an Intelligence Analyst for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Albany Field Office. Ms. Dates has served more than 27 years in the federal government as an Intelligence Analyst and previously as a linguist for the U.S. Army. Ms. Dates currently supports the Vermont FBI offices and covers all threat
matters.
Bree Drapa is director of Westford Public Library. Bree was a member of the 2022 Association of Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL) Outstanding in Their Field Leadership Institute, and is the co-host of the monthly ARSL Solo-ish Librarian Happy Hour.
Emer Feeney is currently the Assistant Director at the Fletcher Free Library in Burlington, Vermont.
Hannah Fjeld is the preK-6 School Librarian at Neshobe School in Brandon. She has served on the Red Clover Committee since 2019 and acted as Chair since 2022.
Catherine Goldsmith’s first career was as a stage manager in NYC. After stints in retail, bookkeeping and arts administration, she commuted to Albany, NY for a Master’s in Library Science and the rest is pure library joy. The outgoing director in Starksboro, and almost past-president of VLA’s public libraries section, Catherine is looking for her next challenge which she hopes will include local history and
beautiful old buildings.
Karen Gravlin is the Vermont Department of Libraries Consultant for Inclusive Services and director of the ABLE (Audio, Braille Large-print, Electronic) Library. In these roles, she provides library services to Vermonters with disabilities that prevent them from reading standard print, and supports library staff around the state through consulting and professional development activities with a focus on library services to historically under-served communities.
Dan Groberg became executive director of Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier just days before the July 2023 flood. He worked in nonprofit management and community development for more than a decade at the City of Montpelier, Montpelier Alive, and the State of Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development.
Laura Haines, MLS, is an education and research librarian at Dana Health Sciences Library at the University of Vermont. She is one of two clinical librarians who primarily work with patrons in the UVM Medical Center hospital. Her research interests include weight inclusive healthcare practices and the information behavior of resident physicians. She lives in the Old North End of Burlington, VT with her
husband, a wood turner, two teen-aged children and a cranky cat named Django.
Denise Hersey is the Director of the Dana Health Sciences Library at UVM. She has spent most of her career in academic science and health science librarianship, particularly clinical research and education. Her research interests include data management, systematic reviews covering multiple clinical disciplines, user experience and science communication. Prior to coming to UVM Denise worked at
both Yale and Princeton Universities.
Kyrra Howard is the director of the Pettee Memorial Library.
Kate Hunter is the Librarian at the Orwell Free Library in Orwell, Vermont. Living sustainably while trying to be a good ancestor is my goal. Wrapping my library work up into a torment of community initiatives is my passion. I began the Sustainable Libraries Certification Program in 2023.
Melissa Hutson is Technical Services’ Digital Content Manager at the Fletcher Free Library in Burlington, Vermont.
Trish Ingalls is director of Leach Public Library in Irasburg, Vermont, and also a certified professional coach. She previously served as executive director and chief operating officer of two affordable housing development nonprofits, and participated in the Achieving Excellence in Community Development Program, an 18-month joint venture leadership training between NeighborWorks America and Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.
Lauren Kelley is the Vermont Department of Libraries Technical Services Librarian.
Nicole Klett is assistant librarian at Essex High School CTE Library. She is also a board-certified health and wellness coach.
Suzanne Krohn (she/they) is the outreach and programming assistant at Richmond Free Library, where she focuses on adult programming, promotion, and the process of becoming a Sustainable Libraries Initiative certified library.
Keirstan Lague (she/her) is a library technical assistant at Essex High School, where she runs the library’s makerspace.
Michaela Lavelle is the assistant librarian at the Quechee and Wilder Libraries in Hartford, Vermont. Currently working on her MLIS, she comes to library land after years in the higher education and arts nonprofit sectors.
Kate Lucia is the School Librarian at Shelburne Community School. This is her first year on the Red Clover Committee.
Professor Trina Magi is a librarian at the University of Vermont’s Howe Memorial Library. She edited the 9th edition of the ALA Intellectual Freedom Manual, and has spoken and written widely about privacy and libraries She led in the development of Vermont’s law protecting library patron privacy, and worked with Senator Bernie Sanders on a campaign opposing the USA PATRIOT Act. She has received the American Library Association’s (ALA) Elizabeth Futas Catalyst for Change Award, ALA’s ProQuest/SIRS State and Regional Intellectual Freedom Achievement Award , and the Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award.
Meg Malone (she/her) is the young adult services librarian and interlibrary loan coordinator at Burnham Memorial Library in Colchester. Prior to her work in libraries, she was a digital producer in the Vermont Public newsroom.
Hayley Martin (she/her) is a Volunteer Coordinator and Circulation Assistant at Fletcher Free Library in Burlington, Vermont. Prior to that, she worked in circulation at Waterbury Public Library. She loves working in public libraries and is currently working towards earning her Certificate of Public Librarianship with the Vermont Department of Libraries.
Patrick McAllister is a library technical assistant at Essex High School Center for Technology.
Nicole McKenzie is the Census Bureau data dissemination specialist for New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. Nicole enjoys educating data users about Census data products and assisting users with accessing and using the wealth of population, business and government data available for Vermont’s communities.
Polly Lynn Mikula
Michael Moser coordinates the State of Vermont’s Census State Data Center. Michael enjoys educating data users about Census data products and assisting users with accessing and using the wealth of population, business and government data available for Vermont’s communities.
Molly Nesselrodt is the assistant director and adult services librarian at Stowe Free Library.
Emoji Nightmare (she/her), one of Vermont’s leading drag entertainers, has been performing across the region since 2015. She and Nikki Champagne founded the Vermont Chapter of Drag Story Hour in 2017, and in 2021 she joined the national board.
Carolyn Picazio is director of library services at the Kellogg-Hubbard Library, where she has worked since 2016. Her primary professional interests are technical services and policymaking.
Susan Piccoli is the school librarian at Woodstock Union High/Middle School. She received the 2021 Victor R. Swenson Award from the Vermont Humanities Council for her work with the Young Adult Diverse Books Book Club, her programming for the Vermont Reads books, and her collaborations with arts and humanities teachers.
Sheri Rockcastle has served in various roles and departments for the State of Vermont for more than 17 years. Currently, she supports consumer concerns related to banking and outreach as a Consumer Services Analyst for the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation’s – Banking Division. Sheri has extensive experience including as Vice President at Mad River Canoe and management at United Parcel Service.
Jillian Scarson is the Partner Success Leader with the Palace Project, serving as liaison to library partners and aiding in the successful adoption and usage of the Palace platform. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration and Master’s of Library & Information Science from Syracuse University, where she focused her studies on information literacy instruction, disinformation, and the policies that
impact libraries and their users.
Marie Schmukal is Director of Warren Public Library.
April Shaw is the Vermont Department of Libraries Government Services and Reference Librarian.
Randall Smathers is director of Rutland Free Library.
Kevin Unrath is the Vermont Department of Libraries Consultant for Library Operations. He previoulsy served in supervisory and management positions at various libraries around the country, including work as director of two Vermot libraries. He is past president of the Vermont Library Association.
Liz von Nagy is Director of the Essex High School library.
Susan Whitehead is an Academic Librarian years 15-years experience working in reference, circulation, and electronic resources. She loves helping patrons navigate the library and find the resources they need.
Joy Worland is the Vermont Department of Libraries Consultant for Continuing Education and Small and Rural Libraries.
This list is incomplete. We are waiting for the conference committee and presenters to provide bios, and we will add them as we are able.
Other VLA Conference Resources:
2024 Vermont Library Conference Home Page
2024 Vermont Library Conference Session Descriptions
2024 Vermont Library Conference Speaker Bios
2024 Vermont Library Conference Presentation PDFs
Vermont Library Association Conference Committee
Vermont Library Association Past Conferences Archive
Last update June 22, 2024 (sl)