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VICE PRESIDENT / PRESIDENT-ELECT
Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada
Biography
Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada is a Librarian at the Rancho Cucamonga Public Library in California. She received her MLIS from UCLA in 2009. One of her passions is working on diversity initiatives in the profession and to that end, Lessa is co-chair of the APALA/AILA family literacy program, Talk Story: Sharing Stories, Sharing Culture, is a member of ALA’s Committee on Diversity, and is a Member-at-Large of ALA Council. Lessa was recognized as an ALA Emerging Leader in 2011
and became a Eureka! Leadership Institute Fellow in 2014. As a continent-born part-Native Hawaiian, Lessa takes great interest in her culture and heritage, and co-authored Hawaiians in Los Angeles from Arcadia Publishing. She currently lives in San Pedro, California, with her husband, where they own a pop-up bookstore, Read on Till Morning.
Personal Statement
Since I joined APALA in 2008, I have watched and helped create new partnerships and relationships with the other ethnic caucuses, ALA, and library community members. As a library school student, APALA members took me under their wing and showed me a strong and supportive organization which cares deeply about it’s members. We are small enough that it can be easy to get to know one another but large enough that we can effect change on our profession. The work APALA has done to become a home to cultivating leaders and bringing attention to important causes is one that I want to continue and lead. As APALA Vice President/President-Elect, I would make it my goal to build upon the foundation of strength my predecessors laid by creating meaning and value for our members through engagement. By encouraging experiences such as my own with APALA of a family-like atmosphere, we can help APALA in the short term with general membership but also in the long term with succession planning and ensuring APALA’s future with new leaders. I would also continue to engage our partners and friends in the other ethnic caucuses and ALA to create opportunities for APALA to gain exposure, such as APALA’s contributions to the ALSC Dia Family Bookclub and our participation in the Emerging Leaders Program. By putting ourselves out into the larger library community, we gain visibility and promote awareness of issues affecting the APA community and librarians. Our meaningful relationships with each other and our partners is what makes APALA unique and successful. As your APALA Vice President/President-Elect, I believe that together we can make our association stronger and continue growing and evolving the great work of those who have led us over the last 35 years.
Past and current APALA involvement
Executive Board:
Secretary, 2011-2013
Member at Large, 2010-2011
Committee Chair/Co-Chair:
Finance & Fundraising, 2014-2015
Family Literacy Focus, 2010-2015
2014 Young Adult Literature Award
Committee Member:
APALA 35th Anniversary Symposium Publicity, 2014-2015
2011 Young Adult Literature Award
2010 Picture Book Award
2009 Youth Literature Award
SECRETARY
Anna Coats
Biography
Anna Mala Coats is the Head of Youth Services at Livingston Public Library in New Jersey. She supervises two children’s librarians, one teen librarian, and one library staff member. Anna creates programs that celebrate the community’s diversity and recently won the New Jersey State Library Multicultural Programming Award for her Multicultural Celebration program series.
Anna is herself multiracial and understands the importance of having everyone’s culture celebrated. “I am half East Indian / West Indian, and half Eastern European / Western European. My maternal great-grandparents emigrated from India to Guyana and my mother immigrated to the United States in the 1970s. My father’s mother was Hungarian and his father was Dutch, Scottish, and Cherokee, and could trace his ancestry in this country back to the 1500s.”
Anna received her M.A. in English from Rutgers University in May 2011 and her M.S. in Library & Information Science from the University of Illinois in December 2011. She completed both on campus degrees in two and a half years. Anna is a Class of 2015 ALA Emerging Leader and was a New Jersey Library Association (NJLA) 2012-2013 Emerging Leader. She is also involved with REFORMA’s Children’s & Young Adult Services Committee (CAYASC).
Personal Statement
“The APA community and libraries are central to me, which is why am running for APALA’s Secretary. As a member of the South Asian Diaspora community, I understand what it like to be a minority within a minority group, and want to better serve marginalized communities. APALA does this by providing a forum for the exchange of ideas by APA librarians; supporting and encouraging library services to APA communities; and more. I am eager to be more involved with APALA because it champions missions important to me. My leadership training in the ALA & NJLA Emerging Leaders programs, experience serving diverse communities, and prior position as APALA Member-at-Large have prepared me for this position. As Secretary, I will work closely with the Executive Board to represent the needs of APALA members and the APA community.”
Past and current APALA involvement
Anna is completing her 2013-2015 term as Member-at-Large, served on the 2014 Philadelphia Local Arrangements Task Force (LATF), and is on the 2015 San Francisco LATF. Anna revised APALA’s LATF Handbook and is working to strengthen LATF event marketing and financial planning. “I really enjoy event planning and working closely with APALA members in different parts of the country. LATF helps me learn what each U.S. city has to offer in terms of APA history.”
Anna also serves on the Family Literacy Focus Committee, which promotes Talk Story, a joint literacy project between APALA and AILA that reaches out to APA and American Indian / Alaska Native children and their families. “I work with a team of creative and insightful librarians on the Family Literacy Focus Committee. The supportive atmosphere encourages innovative ideas.” Anna is presenting a Talk Story Poster Session at the 2015 NJLA Conference.
Yen Tran
Biography
Since 2012, I have been the Outreach & Student Engagement Librarian at the University of Oregon. Previously, I worked as a librarian at California Lutheran University and UC Santa Barbara. I received my MLIS from the University of Washington’s iSchool and my BA in English and BA in art history from Willamette University (Salem, OR). My current job is multifaceted and varied: manager of a small residence hall library, international studies librarian, and campus partner to academic and student life departments. My current professional development and service work include being chair of the ACRL Arts Section, on the planning committee for the Oregon Library Association 2015 Conference, and a member-at-large for the Oregon Chapter of ACRL. When I am not at work, I am crafting or out on a hike.
Personal Statement
I am interested in running for an executive board position because I would like to be more involved with APALA and to take on an active leadership role. I believe that the work of APALA to create a forum that addresses the needs of Asian Pacific American librarians and those who serve the APA communities, requires a strong and informed membership. As secretary for APALA, I would prepare, make, and maintain the files that will let all APALA members know about the activities of the group. In the absence of the President and Vice-President, I am prepared to take on the leadership role and preside over the Executive Board. Those who know me know that I am dedicated to anything that I take on and am not afraid to take the lead within an organization.
Past and current APALA involvement
Since 2008, I have been a member of APALA, however, it was not until 2010 (when I became a more seasoned librarian), that I was more actively involved. In 2010, I took on the leadership role of being a category chair (Children’s and Young Adult category) for the Literature Awards Committee. In 2011, I volunteered to be on the Newsletter & Publications Committee and recently took on the role of co-chairing the Publications Committee. Additionally, I was a member of the Adult Fiction category for the Literature Awards Committee in 2013.
MEMBER-AT-LARGE (2015-2017) – vote for 2 only
Jaena Rae Cabrera
Biography
Jaena Rae Cabrera is a web producer and archivist at Reveal and The Center for Investigative Reporting in the San Francisco Bay Area. Jaena is Filipina-American and has a BA in journalism from San Francisco State University, with a minor in philosophy and religion. Jaena received her MLIS from Syracuse University in 2013, with an emphasis on digital libraries. In addition to APALA, she also volunteers for BayNet, a library and information network for the SF Bay Area. In the past, Jaena volunteered with StoryCorps, recording SF residents’ stories on growing up in the Bay Area; was a member of the Digital Public Library of America’s first class of community representatives; ALA’s Games and Gaming Round Table (GameRT) and was a technology assistant for the San Francisco Public Library. Jaena is interested in diversity, reference, archiving, open access, digital literacy, digital asset management, digitization, digital preservation, copyright issues, and community engagement.
Personal Statement
In APALA, I’ve found a multifaceted community of incredibly supportive and dedicated colleagues. As Member-at-Large, I hope to utilize my experience in social media, editorial decision-making and project management. Because of my journalism and communications background, I can help facilitate as well as generate dialogue between a variety of groups. I strongly value the importance of shared knowledge and how it can contribute to the well-being and enlightenment of the group. I hope to contribute more heavily to making APALA a forum and support group for librarians to engage in pertinent issues in our field, as well as the larger issues of the APA community. I hope to get to know the movers and shakers in APALA leadership, and learn more about the organization from their perspective. I also want to learn more about how APALA interacts with ALA and other professional library organizations. APALA, along with other library organizations, is in a unique position to leverage discussions about diversity, gender, and accessibility.
I look forward to working ever more closely with APALA, cultivating stronger connections within our community, and giving back to an organization with a vision and mission I greatly admire.
Past and current APALA involvement.
I still consider myself a fairly new member of APALA, but it has quickly become a wonderful resource and network. I joined APALA when I first started my MLIS program because I was eager to begin learning and growing in the APA library community. I also participated in APALA’s Mentoring Program, which introduced me to a number of library professionals in the Bay Area. I currently serve on APALA’s web content subcommittee as an editor and writer, and previously served on APALA’s web committee, and the newsletter and publications committee.
Ariana Hussain
Biography
Ariana Hussain is a librarian with the District of Columbia Public Library where she works in youth services. She has a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Political Science and History and an MLIS, both from the University of California, Los Angeles. Ariana was a 2014 Emerging Leader for APALA where she worked with the Map & Geospatial Information Round Table (MAGIRT) evaluating outreach, membership and services. She is a lifetime member of APALA as well as a member of the American Library Association, the Association for Library Service to Children, and the Public Library Association. She is also a member of EMIERT, MAGIRT and the Middle East Outreach Council (MEOC). She strongly believes that #weneeddiversebooks in the library and in the hands of all children.
Personal Statement
I am honored to be considered for a Member At Large position. APALA has greatly contributed to my professional development and well-being, first and foremost in providing an inclusive community of colleagues and friends who offer support, encouragement, mentoring, leadership and understanding to our professional community. Secondly, I am grateful to have been sponsored as a 2014 Emerging Leader within ALA. I strongly believe in the mission of APALA and its ability to provide various platforms and opportunities that promote visibility and issues of Asian Americans within our profession and the community at large. I will continue to serve APALA in any way I can, so that I can give back our organization and community. If elected as a Member-at Large I will strive to faithfully represent the opinions and concerns of APALA members before the Executive Board.
Past and current APALA Involvement
Ariana has been a member of APALA since 2012 and has served for the last few years on the Family Literacy Focus committee. She currently serves as co-chair of FLFC, which promotes the Talk Story Program, a joint literacy project between APALA and the American Indian Library Association. She has also been part of the 2013-2014 Literature Award Committee for Picture Books and has contributed to APALA’s “What’s Your Normal?” essay series.
Brian Leaf
Biography
Brian Leaf is an Assistant Professor and Instructional Design Librarian at the Ohio State University (OSU) where he is responsible for a number of teaching & learning projects, including the design and assessment of credit courses offered through the University Libraries. For his efforts, he was awarded the Teaching Excellence Annual Award in 2013. As of late, Brian has also gained recognition on campus for his involvement in the OSU Digital Storytelling Program. Over the past several years, he has served as a member of the ALA Building Bridges Across Mentoring committee; a member guide for a 2013 Emerging Leaders team; an officer for the ACRL Residency Interest Group; and now as a current member of the Spectrum Advisory Committee. He was a 2009 Spectrum Scholar, an ARL 2010 CEP Fellow, and received his MSLS from UNC-Chapel Hill, where he initiated efforts that eventually led to the formation of the SILS Diversity Advocate Certificate. In a past life, Brian taught and arranged music for a high school percussion ensemble.
Personal Statement
It’s been such a joy to have found such a welcoming community in APALA, and it’s even more of a privilege to be considered for Member-at-Large. On campus and at the association level, I love to listen and help tell stories of individuals, organizations, and groups that make impacts, both large and small. Through this work, I have honed my ability to foster meaningful dialogue and successfully help others reframe narratives about identity, professional development, and various other issues. It’s also allowed me connect with and make connections between a diverse range of people, both throughout campus as well as within the greater library profession. Using these strengths, I want to foreground critical discussions and unique ideas that further APALA’s mission, aid in the work of the Executive Board, and, more importantly, deeply engage with and advocate on behalf of the membership. I believe in authentic “high touch” relationships, and if elected, I would be happy and honored to use my skills and passion to help tell your stories.
Past and Current APALA Involvement
While I am a relative newcomer to the APALA scene, I have always admired the energy that I’ve seen from its members and leaders, as well as the opportunities it creates to empower others to make their own individual impact. It’s been a struggle to find an identity in the larger profession, but within APALA I believe I have found a place where I can carve out a niche with knowledge and experience from my other association activities to effectively do so. I have just finished up my first year as an APALA member, and currently I am designing the program book for APALA’s 35th Anniversary in San Francisco. Additionally, I am a member of the 2015 APALA Program committee. It’s with pride that I execute these responsibilities, and I look forward to contributing all I can in the future.
Jeremiah Paschke-Wood
Biography
Jeremiah Paschke-Wood is the Head of Instructional Services at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s Edith Garland Dupré Library. A lifelong resident of the Southwestern United States, he has gotten a crash course in Cajun culture and cuisine the last two years in Louisiana. Jeremiah received his M.A. in Instructional Resources and Library Science from the University of Arizona. In APALA, Jeremiah is an active member of the Publicity Committee and contributed Special APA Library Leaders articles on APALA founders Drs. Suzine Har-Nicolescu, Sharad Karkhanis and Lourdes Collantes for the Newsletter and Publication Committee and its Web Content Subcommittee, for which he also edited several articles. He is a member of ALA – including a Chair’s Program Committee member with the International Relations Round Table and Membership Committee with the Library Instruction Round Table – ACRL and the Louisiana Library Association.
Personal Statement
I’ve enjoyed my experience getting to know and working with APALA members as part of my committee work, and now that I’ve gotten my feet wet, I feel it’s time to expand my role within the organization and help contribute to the dialogue and the mission of APALA in engaging with the library and national community about issues facing APA librarians and others from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. I’m honored to be considered for a role on the executive committee and look forward to meeting and working with you all.
Gayatri Singh
Biography
Gayatri Singh is the Reference & Information Services Coordinator, and Librarian for Communication at the UC San Diego Library. Wearing her various hats she engages in reference, instruction, collections and liaison work to help ensure student success. She has been active in the UC San Diego Library Diversity & Inclusion Committee, California Academic & Research Libraries (CA chapter of ACRL), and ALA’s Reference & User Services Association. Gayatri earned her BA from UC Irvine (zot!zot!) and a MLS degree from UNC Chapel (where she learned college basketball is a religion).
Personal statement
“APALA is family.” This is what I kept hearing about APALA from various colleagues before I finally joined. And it’s true! It’s a professional organization like no other! As a member of APALA, I have met librarians around the country that work at a variety of institutions. I love that APALA brings us together around issues of social justice, advocacy, equity and inclusion. These are difficult topics to discuss in libraryland and I appreciate that I can always find inspiration and support from my APALA family. As Member at Large I look forward to serving the APALA membership in a new capacity. I believe I can help the APALA Executive Board in their tasks, and would love to contribute my skills to help them achieve their goals.
Past and current APALA involvement
Currently member of the Scholarship & Award Committee and head of Picture Book/Literature Award Committee. Past chair, co-chair, and member of the Scholarship & Award Committee.