SPEAKERS

Sarah Amazing is the Teen Services Department Manager at the Warren-Trumbull County Public Library, where she has worked since 2007, elevating teen services from the weird collection and occasional program to the incredible experience it is today. She is a YALSA Transforming Teen Services trainer, member of the Teen Think Tank planning team, active in the Ohio Library Council, and speaks throughout Ohio. She writes at zen-teen.com.

Kacie V. Armstrong has served as the Director of the Euclid Public Library for the past 11+ years. She attended and graduated from Notre Dame College of Ohio, and went on to earn a Master of Library and Information Science degree from Kent State University. She began her career as a Teen Librarian, but has served as a Branch Manager and Central Neighborhood Team Manager. Armstrong is member of several professional organizations, including the Ohio Library Council, ALA, PLA, BCALA, and CSKBART.

Shauntee Burns-Simpson, MLIS, served as the President of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) from 2020 to 2022. She currently holds the position of Director of Youth & Family Services at the DC Public Library. As an ambassador for libraries and youth librarianship, Mrs. Burns-Simpson is dedicated to connecting individuals with the resources and services of public libraries. She is particularly focused on working with at-risk teens, fostering a love of reading and learning through innovative programming. 

Linda W. Braun is the Principal of The LEO Group.  She works with educational institutions across the United States to design and deliver quality learning experiences for youth, families, communities, and staff.  Linda has a Masters of Science in Library Science from Simmons College and a Masters of Education from Lesley University.  She manages large-scale projects such the IMLS funded Building Equity-Based Summers (in partnershp with the California Library Association) and the California-based AI Collaboratory, a project focused on working with California’s public libraries to prepare and respond to AI.  Linda is also a consultant with the University of Maryland’s Ready NOW initiative and  the Connected Learning Lab’s Transforming and Scaling Teen Services for EDI. (Both IMLS funded.) 

Meghan Damiano (She/they) is a Children's Librarian at the Wellesley Free Library in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Meghan has spent nearly a decade working in public libraries and is deeply passionate about new and innovative ways to engage with their interest in Community Service and Popular Culture. 

Michelle Francis is the Executive Director of the Ohio Library Council, the professional association that represents Ohio’s 251 public library systems, including their administrators and staff, trustees, and Friends groups. She is responsible for working with the OLC Board of Directors to establish and execute the strategic direction of the organization and the day-to-day management of its eight-member staff. Michelle was named the Executive Director in 2019. Prior to that, she served as the OLC’s Director of Government and Legal Services where she monitored state and federal legislation affecting public libraries, directed OLC’s lobbying efforts, and assisted members with legal questions. 

Steven Haynie is the Branch Manager of the South Euclid-Lyndhurst Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL) System. Steve has worked in both public and academic libraries for over 30 years with the last 12 years at CCPL. Coined as the ultimate people person, Steve enjoys making connections in the community, mentoring staff and spending time with family.

Erin Kelsey has worked as a library consultant at the State Library of Ohio for the past 5 years.  She facilitates continuing education and leadership opportunities for Ohio library staff including the Ohio Collections Analysis Initiative, Library Leadership Ohio, and ILEAD Ohio (to name a few).  She also travels all over the state doing strategic planning consultations with Ohio public libraries.  Prior to working at the State Library she worked for about 10 years in public libraries in a variety of positions such as page, children’s and adult librarian and adult services manager. 

Daryl Grabarek, School Library Journal contributor, editorial alumni, and Summit producer.

Aya Khalil is an award-winning author of picture books and board books including The Arabic Quilt, The Night Before Eid and The Great Banned Books Bake Sale. She holds a master's degree in Education and is a substitute librarian and substitute teacher. 

Lisa Kropp spent the majority of her 30-year career in youth services work as a public librarian, a school librarian, and as a youth services coordinator at the county library system. She moved into upper-level administration in 2015, becoming the Assistant Director, and then the Director, in 2018, of the Lindenhurst Memorial Library. She currently serves as the President of the New York Library Association, and is an Advisory Board member of the national Sustainable Libraries Initiative. She was the early learning columnist for School Library Journal for five years. 

Erin MacFarlane has over 18 years' experience in public libraries, including 14 years in leadership roles. She is passionate about the amazing work libraries do to serve their communities and uses her platform to advocate for broader access for all. 

Rachel McDonald (she/her) worked in youth services for 20 years, where she developed a wide range of partnerships and community-led programs, before making the transition to director. Her interests include incorporating youth voice and bridging the digital divide through library programs. Rachel has been a member of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) since 2004, serving on the Board of Directors and multiple task forces and award committees, including the Alex and Printz awards and Teen Civic Engagement Committee. She was a recipient of YALSA’s 2013 Excellence in Library Services to Young Adults.

Kymberlee Powe (she/her) has been working in libraries for over fourteen years and specializes in youth services and is currently the Children and Young Adult Consultant with the Connecticut State Library. Kym has given presentations and participated in panel conversations discussing literary equity and youth services at various conference which include, the American Library Association Annual Conference, the Connected Learning Summit, Niche Academy, and she has spoken for multiple School Library Journal/ Library Journal professional development courses. Kym was awarded the inaugural Judy Burroughs award by the Connecticut Crossroads Project, an award given to people whose skills and talents have had a positive effect on the greater Connecticut Community. In 2023 Kym was named a Library Journal Mover and Shaker in the education category, and this year Kym was granted the Literary Hero Award by the local organization Read to Grow. 

Hallie Rich is the editor-in-chief of Library Journal. Prior to her role with LJ, she served as chief communications and external relations officer at Cuyahoga County (Ohio) Public Library, where she was responsible for marketing, fundraising and government relations for one of the nation's top-rated public library systems. Rich graduated magna cum laude from the College of Wooster and earned an M.S. in Positive Organizational Development from Case Western Reserve University. She holds an M.L.I.S. from the University of South Carolina. An active library advocate, Hallie has served as an American Library Association (ALA) policy fellow, member of ALA's Committee on Library Advocacy, and as a member of the ALA Policy Corps.   

Dr. Mega Subramaniam is a Professor and the Associate Dean for Faculty at the College of Information Studies at the University of Maryland. Her research focuses on enhancing the role of public and school libraries in fostering the mastery of digital literacies among youth. Her research has resulted in several national recognitions, including the Library Journal's 2019 Movers and Shakers award, YALSA’s 2020 Outstanding Achievement Award, and the Fulbright Specialist Award. 

Sarah Smith has worked in libraries for almost seven years, specializing in children’s services. Before becoming a librarian, Sarah was a third-grade teacher in East Cleveland at Citizen’s Academy East for a couple years. After leaving teaching and starting a family, she began her career with Cuyahoga County Public Library, becoming a Children's Services Librarian after completing her MLIS. Sarah integrates her teaching background into all of her programs, to create more of an impact with the children she serves. 

Lyla Stockberger (she/her) is a rising senior at Northridge High School, which is located 40 minutes outside of Columbus in Licking County. She is a member of the Student Advocates for Speech program through the National Coalition Against Censorship. Lyla is also a library aid in her school's library and is an advocate against book banning in schools.

Desiree Thomas is a Youth Services Librarian in Columbus, Ohio. She has worked in libraries for the past 25 years and believes that our lives are made better when we share stories and learn about each other. She is an avid gardener, yogi, and reader’s advisory enthusiast.

Michelle Todd has worked in libraries for over 23 years, specializing in children's services. She started at Lakewood Public Library, then moved to Cuyahoga County Public Library, working in several branches for 15 years, obtaining her MLIS, and finding her intense passion for serving at-risk communities as a Branch Children's Services Supervisor. Her passion for programming, early literacy, and helping children find the joy in reading infuses everything she does. Michelle has served on the Youth Services Advisory Committee of Northeast Ohio Regional Library System for a couple years. 

Ricci Yuhico is an award-winning public librarian originally from Miami, Florida who celebrates her multifaceted identity as a first-generation Filipino-American.  As the Managing Librarian for Young Adult Services at the largest lending branch of The New York Public Library in midtown Manhattan, she has had the privilege of launching and running their flagship Teen Center, which officially opened in 2021. With over a decade of library service, Ricci previously managed premiere teen centers in the Miami-Dade Public Library System and Broward County Library—spaces that empower young adults in pursuit of their right to vetted information, accessible resources, and to thrive in public places. The radical power of love continues to shape her commitment to public service. 

Lynne Wagner has been the Youth & Teen Services Manager and Outreach Coordinator for the Birchard Public Library of Sandusky County for the past 5 years, after a shift to public librarianship from higher education teaching English and Literature. Her educational background includes an MLIS from Kent State University, plus an MH (English), an MH (Communication), a BA (Arts Administration), and a BA (Communication) all from Tiffin University, where she served as a graduate assistant in the Career Development department. She uses her love of art and all things creative (plus a dose of sneaky education) when creating programs for youth & teens. 

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