OITP Staff

Alan S. Inouye: Director - Office for Information Technology Policy

Alan S. Inouye joined ALA in 2007 as the Director of the Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP). In addition to overseeing the efforts of the Office, Dr. Inouye also serves as the Program Manager for ALA’s Digital Content Initiative. From 2004 to 2007, Dr. Inouye served as the Coordinator of the President's Information Technology Advisory Committee (PITAC) and the Coordinator of the Information Technology Subcommittee of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), both in the Executive Office of the President. At PITAC and PCAST, he oversaw the development of Leadership Under Challenge: Information Technology R&D in a Competitive World, Computational Science: Ensuring America's Competitiveness, and Cyber Security: A Crisis in Prioritization.

From 1997 to 2004, Alan served as a study director at the Computer Science and Telecommunications Board (CSTB) of the National Research Council. In 2003, Dr. Inouye served as interim director of the Board. Alan’s CSTB portfolio included a diverse range of projects at the intersection of information technology and the social sciences. A number of his major studies culminated in book-length reports; three of these are LC21: A Digital Strategy for the Library of Congress, The Digital Dilemma: Intellectual Property in the Information Age, and Beyond Productivity: Information Technology, Innovation, and Creativity.

Dr. Inouye began his career in the computer industry in Silicon Valley. He worked as a computer programmer for Atari, a statistician for Verbatim, and a manager of information systems for Amdahl (now Fujitsu). After his years in the private sector, Alan returned to school full-time to earn his Ph.D. in library and information studies at the University of California at Berkeley. In addition, he has earned degrees in mathematics, social sciences and education, management and finance, systems engineering, and information systems. In addition, Alan completed graduate study in government at Johns Hopkins University. Over the years, Alan has served as a volunteer in a variety of roles such as literacy tutor, alumni club president, career mentor, intern mentor, and database consultant.

Carrie Russell: Director - Program on Public Access to Information

Since 1999, Carrie has developed copyright education programs and related services to help ALA members understand the latest trends regarding copyright law and its impact on libraries. Carrie has given presentations and workshops on copyright issues at numerous conferences and is the author of several articles on copyright for library publications.

Before joining the Washington Office staff, Carrie was a librarian at the University of Arizona Library. During her 14-year tenure at Arizona, Carrie worked the academic librarian gamut, holding positions ranging from serials cataloger to undergraduate services librarian. As the University’s Copyright Librarian, Carrie consulted with faculty regarding curriculum related copyright issues, informed the campus community about pending copyright legislation, and developed an advocacy program for faculty on scholarly communication and alternative publishing models.  Carrie also played an instrumental role in the library’s strategic planning, organizational development, and self-assessment activities.

Carrie earned a master's degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a Master of Arts in Media Arts from the University of Arizona. Carrie was the recipient of the 2001 ALA Staff Achievement Award, writes a monthly copyright column for the School Library Journal, and is the author of the best-selling Complete Copyright: An Everyday Guide for Librarians.

Marijke Visser: Assistant Director

As Assistant Director of OITP,  Marijke’s responsibilities include primary management of OITP’s E-rate activities, working in collaboration with Larra Clark and Alan Inouye.  In addition, Marijke’s policy portfolio includes projects focused at the intersection of children and youth and information technology policy as well as broadband adoption issues including digital literacy and challenges for diverse populations.  As Assistant Director, Marijke also has responsibility for OITP communications and other office-wide activities.

Marijke was initially hired with OITP to work on the Opportunity Online Broadband Grant Program, sponsored by the Gates Foundation, and her work portfolio expanded to include E-rate and support for a number of OITP activities on the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) and the National Broadband Plan. Marijke received her master’s degree in library science from Indiana University, Indianapolis.

Larra Clark: Director, Program on Networks & Associate Director, Program on America’s Libraries for the 21st Century

As Director, Program on Networks, and Associate Director, Program on America’s Libraries for the 21st Century, Larra’s responsibilities include overall management of OITP’s telecommunications portfolio and day-to-day management of our projects in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Previously, she served as the project manager in the ALA Office for Research & Statistics for three years. Larra provided day-to-day management of the Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study, including conducting qualitative research, contributing to and editing final annual study reports, and leading outreach and communications efforts around study findings and materials. She began her ALA career in the Public Information Office as Manager of Media Relations, following more than a decade of experience in non-profit public affairs, government relations, media relations and print journalism. Lara received her M.S. from the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.