PLA announces candidates for 2026 Board Election

CHICAGO —  The Public Library Association (PLA) 2025 Nominating Committee has unveiled the slate of candidates for the Association’s 2026 election. This year, eight nominees will stand for four positions on the PLA Board of Directors: 2027-2028 president, American Library Association (ALA) division councilor, and two directors-at-large.

The candidate elected in each race will serve a three-year term from July 2026 through June 2029. The candidate elected to the office of president will serve one year as president-elect (2026–2027), one year as president (2027–2028), and one year as immediate past-president (2028–2029).

The candidates and the offices for which they are running are listed below. Please click on the name of each candidate to learn more about them.

President Elect

• Aimee Fifarek, Director and CEO, The Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County (Ohio)
• Skye Patrick, County Librarian and Director, Los Angeles County (Calif.) Library,

 ALA Division Councilor

• Jennifer Brown, Library Director, Mount Kisco (N.Y.) Public Library
• Crystal R. Gates, CEO, North Little Rock (Ark.) Public Library System

Board of Directors, Seat One

• Chris Brown, Commissioner, Chicago (Ill.) Public Library
• Annie M. Miskewitch, Executive Director, Schaumburg Township (Ill.) District Library

Board of Directors, Seat Two

• Lola DeWitt, Executive Director, Live Oaks (Ga.) Public Libraries
• Derek Wolfgram, Library Director, Redwood City (Calif.) Public Library

Individuals must be members in good standing to vote in the 2026 PLA and ALA elections. Renew your membership online or by calling 1-800-545-2433, option 1. Online voting opens Monday, March 9 and ends Wednesday, April 1. Each eligible PLA member will receive an email containing voting instructions and their unique ballot URL.

Members are invited to hear directly from the candidates for PLA President on March 12, at 1 p.m. Central Standard Time. PLA President Dr. Brandy McNeil will facilitate the candidate forum, and participants will have the opportunity to ask questions.  

PLA sincerely thanks the members of its 2026 Nominating Committee for their service: Sonia Alcántara-Antoine, Chair, with committee members Stephanie Chase, Richard Kong, and Michael Lambert.

Standing for election to the board of directors is one of several ways for members to become more deeply involved with PLA. Learn how to get more engaged with PLA on the PLA web site.

About the Public Library Association 
The Public Library Association (PLA) is the largest association dedicated to supporting the unique and evolving needs of public library professionals. Founded in 1944, PLA serves nearly 9,000 members in public libraries large and small in communities across the United States and Canada, with a growing presence around the world. PLA strives to help its members shape the essential institution of public libraries by serving as an indispensable ally for public library leaders. For more information about PLA, contact the PLA office at 1 (800) 545-2433, ext. 5PLA, or pla@ala.org.