Kathi Kromer new head of ALA Washington Office

CHICAGO - After a nationwide search for the American Library Association’s (ALA) new Associate Executive Director (AED), Washington, D.C. Office, ALA has announced the appointment of Kathi Kromer to the role.   Kromer will join the ALA Washington Office team on Monday, June 5, 2017.

Prior to joining ALA, Kromer was with The Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Association for 11 years where she was their Vice President, Strategy and Outreach. 

While with ALS, Kromer created and executed public policy and outreach strategy for ALS, with the goals of raising awareness, improving the lives of people with ALS, advancing ALS research, increasing organizational and government funding, and creating strategic partnerships. She worked collaboratively in cross-functional teams to integrate mission priorities of advocacy, care services, and research. While with ALS, Kathi also:

·  Was one of the key architects responsible for legislation that created the National ALS Registry and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ruling that is ALS a service connected disease.

·  Expanded their national grassroots program from 2,000 advocates to nearly 20,000 and identified Grasstop advocates within 39 chapters across the country.

·  Created a state advocacy program that helped raised awareness and generate over $15 Million for 39 chapters.

Kromer has a Master of Arts, International Commerce and Policy from George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, and a Bachelor of Arts, History and Political Science from University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown, Pennsylvania.  Kromer  has more than 20 years’ experience working with Congress as well as with state governments. 

As AED, Kromer will direct and manage the Washington Office; represent libraries and librarians in the Washington community which includes the Congress, the Executive Branch, and the Judiciary and raise the visibility in the national debate and the public’s consciousness.

ALA extends its gratitude for a successful process to the members of the Search Committee: 

Sari Feldman, Immediate Past President, ALA and Executive Director of the Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, Ohio; Susan Hildreth Treasurer, ALA and Professor of Practice, UW iSchool; Mike Marlin, Member, ALA Executive Board and Director, California Braille and Talking Book Library, Sacramento, Cailf.; Janice Tsai, Member, Office of Information Technology Policy Committee and Privacy Manager at Microsoft, Seattle; LeslieDiana Jones, Member, Committee on Legislation and Head of Document Retrieval & Dissemination Services/Research Librarian, George Washington University Law School, Jacob Burns Law Library, Washington D.C.; Sylvia K. Norton, Executive Director, American Association of School Librarians; Keith Michael Fiels, ALA Executive Director and Daniel Hoppe, ALA Associate Executive Director, Human Resources.