Below is the roster of the 2023 Leadership Fellows.
Sally Bowler-Hill
Manager, Administrative Operations
University of New Mexico Libraries
Sally Bowler-Hill, MA, MSIS, PMP, is the manager of Administrative Operations at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center (HSLIC). In her job, she manages budget, finance, purchasing, HR, facilities, communications, assessment, and strategic planning for the library.
Sally has extensive project management experience, including library renovation projects. Many of her recent remodeling projects also aim to increase the accessibility of library spaces. Recently, she led a project to construct a universal restroom for the HSLIC building.
As a former art and antiques appraiser and IT project manager, Sally has an interest in assessment and collecting institutional data. She leads HSLIC’s Assessment Team, which provides assessment services within the library to assist HSLIC’s functional units/teams in developing key performance indicators for resources, education, research, and other activities. Her recent assessment projects include a fifth administration of the Measuring Information Service Outcomes survey and a research study to elicit opinions from library employees about what they desire in terms of remote and hybrid work.
Additionally, Sally is currently working on a collaborative research study with two other librarian researchers to assess the use of disempowering language in online patient education materials about type 1 diabetes.
Sian Brannon
she/they
Senior Associate Dean
University of North Texas University Libraries
Sian Brannon, senior associate dean at the University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries, has worked in academic and public libraries since the 1990s, and is an adjunct professor for Technical Services and Research Methods courses. In her role for the UNT Libraries, she coordinates Collection Management, oversees library-wide assessment, and manages a $9 million materials budget. Sian served as an inaugural member of the Library Council for Diversity and Inclusion, helping to revise hiring and onboarding procedures with inclusivity and accessibility in mind. Sian is a trained mediator and helps facilitate employee disputes at UNT, and served two years as an Academic Affairs Fellow for the Office for Faculty Success at UNT, where she helped coordinate the Anti-Bias and Cultural Awareness program.
Curtis Brundy
he, him, his, himself
Associate University Librarian for Scholarly Communications and Collections
Iowa State University Library
Curtis Brundy serves as the associate university librarian for Scholarly Communications and Collections at Iowa State University. He oversees a broad division that includes collections and open strategies, technical services, and access services. He and his team have established a national reputation for excellence in the areas of open educational resources (OERs), research data management, open strategies, and library publishing and are active voices in national conversations around the future of collections and open science. Curtis is recognized as an international leader in efforts to transform scholarly communications and speaks and writes regularly on issues around equitable open access, sustainable open business models, and negotiation strategies. His research interests range from pricing and equity to leadership and library innovation. He has been active with numerous groups working to shape a more open and equitable information environment, including OA2020, the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA), SPARC, and the Subscribe to Open Community of Practice.
Daniel Chamberlain
he, him, his, himself
Associate Dean of Libraries, Research & Digital Strategies
Dartmouth College Library
As the associate dean of Libraries, Research and Digital Strategies at Dartmouth, Daniel provides vision and long-range planning for the library’s digital programs and initiatives; collaborates with faculty, students, and key partners across campus and the Ivy Plus network to advance research and teaching; and fosters a culture of collaboration, innovation, and experimentation at Dartmouth.
Christopher Cronin
he, him, his, himself
Associate University Librarian for Collections
Columbia University Libraries
Christopher Cronin (he/him/his), associate university librarian for Collections at Columbia University Libraries, provides leadership for collections strategy, overseeing the acquisition and management of scholarly resources and distinctive collections. He has held several leadership positions in research libraries, first at the University of Colorado Boulder, and then as the director of Technical Services at the University of Chicago. He is active in a number of national and international associations, most recently serving as president of the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS) and as inaugural president of Core: Leadership, Infrastructures, Futures, the newest division of the American Library Association (ALA). He has published and presented widely on a variety of topics, including administration, cataloging and technical services, digital collections metadata, and standards development. Chris earned his bachelor of arts (honors) in English at the University of British Columbia, and a master of information studies from the University of Toronto.
Abigail DiPaolo
she, her, hers, herself
Executive Director of Administration and Technology
Rutgers University Libraries
Abbey DiPaolo is the executive director of Administration and Technology for the Rutgers University Libraries (RUL). In this role, Abbey oversees the majority of the central infrastructure that supports all Rutgers libraries across New Jersey. Her areas of oversight include finance and budget, collection acquisitions, interlibrary loan, fulfillment coordination, holdings management, integrated information systems, and library applications and development. She also leads the cross-functional team that handles the implementation and ongoing management of RUL’s integrated library systems. Abbey holds a BS in accounting from Penn State University and a master of accountancy with a focus in auditing from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Angela Hamilton
she, her, hers, herself
Chief Librarian, U of T Scarborough Library
University of Toronto Libraries
Angela Hamilton is the chief librarian for the UTSC Library at the University of Toronto Scarborough. Angela served as interim chief librarian beginning in 2018 and was appointed in the role in 2020. Prior to taking on this administrative position, she served as the deputy chief librarian and the coordinator for the Liaison Librarian Program as well as a science liaison librarian. Angela’s main interest lies in strategic library management and innovation, particularly how the library evolves to meet the changing holistic needs of study, faculty, and other colleagues. Angela’s publications include work on liaison librarianship and knowledge synthesis work. She has also served on university committees relating to the development and implementation of the strategic plan.
Angela holds a BA from Simon Fraser University and a MISt from the University of Toronto.
Scott Hanrath
he, him, his, himself
Associate Dean, Research Engagement
University of Kansas Libraries
Scott Hanrath is associate dean for Research Engagement at the University of Kansas (KU) Libraries. In that role he participates in setting strategic directions and aligning resources as a member of KU Libraries’ leadership team. Areas of responsibility include Digital Initiatives, Collections Strategy & Development, Research & Learning, and Scholarly Communications, as well as collaborative oversight of libraries systems with KU Information Technology. Previous roles include interim co-dean, assistant dean for Digital Initiatives and Discovery Services, director of integrated Technology, and Web Services manager. Before joining KU Libraries, Scott was a senior programmer and systems analyst in KU Information Technology and in the Center for Survey Statistics and Methodology at Iowa State University, and a research associate at a private science and mathematics education research firm.
Scott earned an MS in information science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a BA in English and philosophy from St. Olaf College. He has published and presented on usability and library discovery systems, web analytics and library digital platforms, metadata and institutional repositories, and supporting open access policies. Scott has served on the DSpace Steering and Leadership Groups (chairing a Product Visioning Working Group) and the ArchivesSpace Technical Advisory Council.
Scott Hollander
Chief of Staff, Director of Communications, Associate University Librarian for Distinctive Collections
University at Buffalo, SUNY, Libraries
Scott Hollander is the chief of staff and serves as the director of Communications and associate university librarian for Distinctive Collections at the University at Buffalo Libraries. With over two decades of service to the institution, Scott plays a pivotal role in the libraries’ leadership, offering comprehensive expertise in driving scholarly processes that elevate academic programs and initiatives in communications, scholarly communication, and distinctive collections. As the senior communicator within the library, Scott spearheads strategic communication initiatives and marketing campaigns. His focus is to advocate for the pivotal role of libraries in research, teaching, student success, and community well-being. His tenure at the University at Buffalo, which began in 1999, has been marked by progressive roles, including his prior positions as the associate university librarian for Administration and Technology. Scott is deeply engaged in the academic community, contributing as a longstanding member of the Western New York Library Resources Council, and holding an active role on the Academic Directors Committee of the Empire State Library Network. His educational background includes an MLS from the University at Buffalo and a BA in economics from Canisius University.
Thomas Hyry
he, him, his, himself
Associate University Librarian for Archives and Special Collections and Florence Fearrington Librarian of Houghton Library
Harvard Library
Tom Hyry is associate university archivist for Archives and Special Collections and Florence Fearrington Librarian of Houghton Library at Harvard University. In this role, he provides strategic leadership for and management of the circa 100 staff who comprise Archives, Arts, and Special Collections, a group of repositories that includes the Fine Arts Library, Harvard Film Archive, Harvard University Archives, Houghton Library, and the Eda Kuhn Loeb Music Library. He also partners across the university to advance system-wide infrastructure and approaches for the administration of Archives and Special Collections. Since arriving at Harvard in 2014, Tom has led a major renovation of Houghton Library and a reorganization of Archives and Special Collections, among other accomplishments. Prior to coming to Harvard, he served as director of UCLA Library Special Collections, head of the Manuscript Unit of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library and head of Arrangement and Description in Manuscripts and Archives, Yale University Library. Tom hails from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and holds an MLIS degree from the University of Michigan and a BA from Carleton College. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the Society of American Archivists.
Bohyun Kim
she, her, hers, herself
Associate University Librarian for Library IT
University of Michigan Library
Bohyun Kim is associate university librarian for Library Information Technology at the University of Michigan. She has over 20 years of experience in library technology, and her research interests lie in emerging technologies and their application in the library context, including artificial intelligence and machine learning. She is the author of three books—Moving Forward with Digital Disruption (2020), Understanding Gamification (2015), Library Mobile Experience: Practices and User Expectations (2013)—and many articles. Bohyun is a frequent speaker at international and national conferences and the former president of the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). Currently, she serves as an elected officer for the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) IT Section, the co-chair of the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) Libraries’ Library Digital Strategies and IT Services Group, and a member of ALA’s UN Sustainable Development Goals Subcommittee and ARL’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.
Harish Maringanti
he, him, his, himself
Associate Dean, IT & Digital Library Services
University of Utah Library
Harish Maringanti is the associate dean for IT & Digital Library Services at the Marriott Library. He is responsible for advancing the library’s technology initiatives, including strategy, policies, compliance, business processes, program development, and infrastructure. He leads several programmatic areas including supporting established and emerging technologies, Digital Library Services, enterprise applications, Digital Scholarship, and Research Data Services in the library.
Harish’s primary research interests include applications of emerging technologies in digital libraries, and promoting equitable access to data and technology. Supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), his work facilitated widespread accessibility to digital newspapers. Additionally, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation supported his team’s work to enhance the accessibility and discoverability of library and museum collections. Harish’s work has also been funded by Lyrasis (feasibility of using machine learning models to support metadata creation efforts), and Council on Library and Information Resources (making legacy research data widely accessible). He serves on the governing board of Mountain West Digital Library (MWDL). He holds an MS in computing and information sciences and a graduate certificate in organizational leadership, both from Kansas State University, and a BE from Osmania University, India.
Shelly McCoy
she, her, hers, herself
Associate University Librarian for Public Services and Space Planning
University of Delaware Library
Shelly McCoy, she/her, is the associate university librarian for Public Services and Space Planning at the University of Delaware (UD) Library, Museums and Press. She started at UD in 1999 as an entry-level librarian and coordinator for microforms and digital mapping. She has since had leadership experience in reference, media, access services, communications, and development while she made her way through the ranks to full librarian. Shelly is known for developing and leading the Student Multimedia Design Center, which was at the time the largest in an academic library focused on multimedia, and starting the American Library Association (ALA) Video Round Table multimedia-l listserv when there was no group to meet the needs of those with this specialty. She is currently co-chair of the ALA Core Dialogue with Directors interest group. Shelly has enthusiastically led several library renovation projects and is currently the point person for a multi-phased project to add hundreds of student seats and renovate Special Collections in Morris Library. Shelly also enjoys her partnership with other operational campus entities, such as the Police Department, Environmental Health and Safety, Student Wellness, Dining, Recreation, Transportation, and Student Life. A native Pennsylvanian, Shelly lives with her family in Lincoln University, Pennsylvania.
Michelle Misner
she, her, hers, herself
Rose Associate Director for Access and Operations
New York Public Library
Michelle Misner is the Frederick Phineas and Sandra Priest Rose Associate Director for Access and Operations at the The New York Public Library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, where she oversees teams in Access Services, Periodicals/Microfilms, and Operations in the Rose Main Reading Room. In her role, she optimizes operational effectiveness in the seamless and timely access to research library collections from the point of request, whether from a reference desk or from the catalogs, to delivery at numerous service points. Michelle joined the library in 1998 and has served as a reference librarian, web editorial coordinator, scrum master, digital project manager, web team manager, manager of library services, and acting director. She holds an AB in anthropology from Bryn Mawr College and an MSI in library and information science from the University of Michigan.
Angie Ohler
she, her, hers, herself
Associate University Librarian for Collections and Content Strategy
University of Minnesota Libraries
Angie Ohler is the associate university librarian for Collections and Content Strategy at the University of Minnesota Libraries, where she provides vision and leadership for library enterprise systems, copyright and scholarly communications, collection development, technical services, and resource sharing. A library leader with 20 years of professional experience in research libraries, she excels at strategic relationship building, and at empowering teams and individuals to make big changes, practice authentic inclusion, and build transformative library programs and services. Angie has also served as the associate dean for Content and Digital Initiatives at the University of Arkansas Libraries and head of Acquisitions and later director of Collection Services at the University of Maryland Libraries. She is the 2023–2024 president-elect for the American Library Association’s Core Division, representing library professionals engaged in library leadership and management, collections and technical services, and library IT. Angie earned an MLIS from Catholic University and a master’s in anthropology from American University in Washington, DC. A first-generation college graduate, she is a native of Oklahoma and grew up in a working-class family with Indigenous roots. Her research focuses on scholarly communication, collection development, library leadership, IT, and organizational change management.
Weiwei Shi
she, her, hers, herself, they, them, their, their, themself
Associate University Librarian
University of Alberta Library
Weiwei currently serves as the associate university librarian at the University of Alberta, a position she has held since March 2020. In this role, she oversees diverse portfolios, including Library Technology, Cataloguing Strategies, Metadata Strategies, Library UX Planning and Design, and the library’s strategic partnership with the regional library consortium—NEOS. She also oversees the Indigenous initiatives; Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Advisory Committee and Accessibility Advisory Committee; and the library’s communication team.
Weiwei’s academic librarian journey began in 2005 as an intern at the University of Alberta (UAL), where she graduated with an MLIS earlier. She also holds a bachelor of management in management information systems from China. Her previous experiences revolve around digital initiatives and library technology, including the design and development of UAL’s institutional repository and digital assets management system, and leading the technical work on the research data management (RDM) planning platform, which later extended as Canada’s national RDM planning platform—DMP Assistant.
Having arrived in Canada as an international student in 2003, Weiwei is deeply proud of her Chinese heritage. She is passionate about fostering a culturally sensitive and inclusive library environment.
As a dedicated mother of two boys, she cherishes family time and enjoys immersing herself in nature through hiking, camping, and gardening, reflecting her love for the outdoors.
Laurie Taylor
she, her, hers, herself
Associate University Librarian for Collections & Discovery
University of Connecticut Library
Laurie Taylor (she/ella) is the associate university librarian for Collections & Discovery at the University of Connecticut Library. Her work is geared towards enabling a culture of radical collaboration that values and supports diversity, equity, and inclusion. Kindness counts.
Joel B. Thornton
Associate Dean, Collections & Scholarly Communication
University of Utah Library
Joel B. Thornton serves as the associate dean for Collections and Scholarly Communication for the J. Willard Marriott Library at the University of Utah. With over 25 years of experience in private industry and academic libraries, he leads collection development and acquisition of materials, digital scholarship services, liaison services, and scholarly communication for the Marriott Library.
His most recent roles include serving as director of Research and Instruction Services and interim associate dean of Research & Learning at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Before that, Joel served at Texas A&M University.
Joel graduated from the University of North Texas with an MS in information science after earning a BBA in accounting from Pittsburgh State University. While at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, he earned an MS in operations management and a project management graduate certificate. As a certified public accountant, Joel has provided financial leadership and expertise for global corporations.
Joel participated in the Harvard Leadership Institute for Academic Librarians. Additionally, he was a Spectrum Scholar and is a past participant in the ARL Leadership and Career Development Program. While at the University of Arkansas, he participated in the SEC Academic Leadership Development Program.
Kaya van Beynen
Associate Dean
University of South Florida Libraries
Kaya van Beynen is a librarian and the associate dean of Library Research & Instruction at the University of South Florida (USF). She received an MSc in library and information science from Simmons College, an MA in geography from McMaster University, and a BA in anthropology from McGill University. She started her career as a social science analyst at the Smithsonian Institution then worked at the Hispanic Health Council, where she received two Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Environmental Education grants. In 2003, she became a librarian and has since worked for the USF Libraries, primarily at the USF St. Petersburg campus. Kaya has served as chair of the Education & Behavioral Sciences Section (EBSS) of the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL), as well as the evaluation chair of the St. Petersburg Science Festival, where she participated in a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant on informal public science education. Her multidisciplinary research focuses on sustainability, engagement, and information communities of practice. In 2021, she received the EBSS Distinguished Education & Behavioral Sciences Librarian award from ACRL.
Zhiwu Xie
he, him, his, himself
Assistant University Librarian
University of California, Riverside, Library
Zhiwu Xie is assistant university librarian for research and technology at the University of California, Riverside, where he oversees research services, cyberinfrastructure, digitization, finance, and facilities. Previously he was chief strategy officer at Virginia Tech Libraries, where he promoted the library’s research partnership with a broad spectrum of campus researchers. He has collaborated in research with faculty in ecology, history, linguistics, computer & information science, mechanical & civil engineering, physiology, and neuroscience. He has won about $1.7 million in competitive grants, $1.2 million of which he serves as the principal investigator (PI). Zhiwu has also directed two Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) grant programs on professional development in libraries, archives, and museums (LAMs) and participated in drafting three national standards on library technologies. Zhiwu holds a PhD and a BEng in mechanical engineering from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China; an MSc in electrical engineering from the University of New Mexico; and an MBA from Virginia Tech, and has completed postdoc training in computer science at Staffordshire University and the University of Reading, both in the UK.
