Announcing the Awardees of the 2026 Core Presidential Citations

CHICAGO—Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures is pleased to announce the 2026 awardees of Core Presidential Citations. The Core Presidential Citations recognize distinguished achievements by Core members who make significant contributions to the association and to the profession. Awarded by the current Core President, Don Allgeier, this award consists of a citation and will be presented on Saturday, June 27 at the Core & John Cotton Dana Awards Ceremony during the 2026 American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference & Exhibition in Chicago, IL. The recipients are:

Julie Reese Core Executive Director

Some contributions to an organization are so foundational that they are woven into everything it has become. Julie Reese is that kind of contributor. Marking 25 years with ALA this year, Julie has been a constant and driving force behind Core's growth, stability, and success. She created the ALCTS continuing education webinar and web course program and ensured its continuity through Core despite significant organizational change. As Deputy Executive Director of Learning and Events, she was instrumental in the creation of Core Forum, working side by side with staff and members to build the foundation that has made the event a cornerstone of the Core experience. When the Executive Director role became vacant with just two weeks' notice, Julie stepped in without hesitation, picked up the work, and carried it forward with skill and dedication. In her role as Core Executive Director, she directs the work of Budget and Finance, Fundraising, Awards, Marketing, and the Web Committee, while collaborating closely with the Executive Committee, Board, and ALA Executive Staff. She also took the lead this year in planning Core Interest Group Week and successfully migrating it to the Zoom Events platform. Julie's service to Core has been a labor of love and the strength of Core today is a testament to that love. We are grateful for her vision, her resilience, and her unwavering commitment to this organization and the people it serves.

Debbie Ehrman Co-Chair, Core Forum 2025 Planning Committee; Vice Chair, Buildings & Operations Section Leadership Team (2025–2027)

Core is honored to recognize Debbie Ehrman for her steadfast dedication and leadership since Core's founding in 2020. A longtime member of Core's Buildings and Operations committees, Debbie has been a driving force behind Core Forum, involved in its planning since 2022 and instrumental in shaping each event, including our inaugural Forum in Salt Lake City, Utah. She most recently served as Co-Chair of the Core Forum 2025 Planning Committee and now brings that same energy and commitment to her role as Vice Chair of the Buildings and Operations Section Leadership Team. Debbie recently retired after a remarkable 40-year career at the Salt Lake City Public Library, where she served as Chief Operations Officer and Interim Executive Director. Her continued service to Core in retirement speaks to her deep passion for the library profession and its future. We are grateful for her collaborative nature and everything she has contributed to making Core a stronger community.

Traci Engel Lesneski Core Buildings and Operations Leadership Team (2024–2026)

Core is proud to recognize Traci Engel Lesneski for her outstanding contributions to Core and the Buildings and Operations (B&O) Section. Traci has been a dedicated member of the section and its committees for many years, beginning her volunteer service with LLAMA before transitioning to Core, and serving on the B&O Leadership Team since 2022. Her generous spirit and deep expertise have enriched the field, as she consistently shares her knowledge with library workers through presentations and discussions on a wide range of design topics. Beyond her work with the Core B&O Section, Traci has also contributed her time and talent to Core Forum, PLA, and to IFLA, including the IFLA Library Buildings and Equipment Committee and Public Libraries Committee. As President and CEO of MSR Design, she uses design as a tool for positive change, with notable library projects including the Missoula Public Library and Culture House — the first building in North America named Public Library of the Year by IFLA. We are grateful for her leadership, service, and enduring commitment to the future of library spaces.

Joe S. Agati, Jr. Chair, Core Library Interiors, Furnishing, & Equipment (LIFE) Committee (2024–2026)

Core celebrates the outstanding contributions of Joe Agati to the Library Interiors, Furnishing, and Equipment Committee. Joe has been a long-time dedicated volunteer, beginning his service with LLAMA before transitioning to Core, and bringing years of deep expertise in furniture design and library spaces to his leadership role as committee chair. He generously shares his knowledge with the profession through webinars, conferences, tours, and Core Forum, consistently supporting learning and innovation across the field. As Director of Design and COO at Agati, Inc., Joe leads product development and design for a firm that designs, engineers, and manufactures thoughtfully crafted furniture tailored to the functional, aesthetic, and technological needs of clients, including those in the education, aviation, and library markets. We are grateful for his leadership, service, and continued impact on the future of library interiors.

Lindsay Cronk Core President (2021–2022)

Lindsay Cronk's service to Core reflects a deep and lasting commitment to the organization and the profession it serves. A member of the ALCTS/LITA/LLAMA Activities Working Group that gave rise to Core, Lindsay has been part of this organization's story from the very beginning. Prior to her presidency, she served as an ALA Councilor-at-Large and on the LITA Board of Directors, bringing broad organizational leadership experience to her role as Core President during the 2021–2022 term, a formative period in the division's history. Her engagement with Core has continued well beyond her presidency, including service as, Chair of the Nominating Committee, membership on the Five Year Anniversary Steering Committee, and her current work on the Core Major Gifts Sub-Committee. Throughout, she has been a steadfast Core Champion, advocating for the division and its members at every turn. Beyond her Core leadership, Lindsay serves as Dean of Libraries and Academic Information Resources at Tulane University and holds a state-appointed seat on the Board of Commissioners for the State Library of Louisiana, reflecting the breadth of her contributions to libraries at both the institutional and policy level. We are grateful for her vision, her continued investment in Core's future, and her enduring dedication to the library profession.

Margaret Heller Core President (2022-2023); Technology Section Leadership Team Member (2025–2027)

Margaret Heller has been a dedicated contributor to Core and its predecessor organizations, including her service on the ALCTS/LITA/LLAMA Financial Working Group that helped lay the groundwork for the division's formation. She served on the LITA Board of Directors (2017-2020) and was recognized as an ALA Emerging Leader in 2012–2013. As Core President during the 2022–2023 term, Margaret led the division through a pivotal chapter, including chairing the Core Strategic Planning Implementation Project Team and spearheading the creation of Core's first strategic plan, a landmark achievement for the organization. She has continued that momentum as Chair of the Nominating Committee and Chair of the Fifth Anniversary Steering Committee, bringing the same care and commitment to every role she takes on. Margaret now serves on the Technology Section Leadership Team, contributing her expertise in digital services and library technology to the work ahead. Professionally, she is Head of Digital Services at DePaul University, where she leads a team focused on aligning digital and physical technologies with the needs of library users and staff. She is also the author of Community Technology Projects: Making them Work (ALA Editions, 2019) and a regular contributor to Library Journal. We are grateful for her leadership, her scholarship, and her enduring dedication to Core and the profession.

Margaret Sullivan Core Volunteer and Contributor (2020–Present) Founder and Principal, Margaret Sullivan Studio

Margaret Sullivan is a valued and dedicated contributor to Core, bringing her expertise and enthusiasm to the organization in a variety of meaningful ways. A longtime participant in both LLAMA and Core Buildings and Operations committees, Margaret has been an active volunteer since Core’s founding in 2020. She presents at Core, ALA, and PLA conferences and webinars, leads tours, and helps shape pre-conference programming for Core at ALA Annual and the Core Forum. She also serves as a vital connector, forging relationships between Core staff, committee leaders, and potential partners. As Founder and Principal of Margaret Sullivan Studio, an award-winning strategy and design firm established in 2014, she is a nationally recognized thought leader in public library design with a focus on social justice, racial equity, and human-centered design. Her studio has partnered with more than forty public library systems, including the LA Public Library, San Francisco Public Library, and the Columbus Metropolitan Library. We are grateful for her generosity, her vision, and her enduring commitment to the library community.

Elizabeth Nelson

Elizabeth Nelson has provided visionary leadership in her role as LL&M editor for the past 6 years, having served on the board prior to her term as editor. In collaboration with the journal’s editorial board and Assistant Editor, she has revitalized the journal in transformative ways that are truly worthy of recognition. Elizabeth has updated workflows, overseen special issues, and helped create Core-wide policies related to artificial intelligence and author name changes, and invited a diversity of voices to share their expertise and experiences. We are proud to say that to date we have published over 23 articles/year in large part due to her tireless efforts, and that citations per article are at an all-time high for LL&M, with approximately 23 articles cited in 2025. Core is grateful for Elizabeth’s work to elevate this journal through her hard work.

Brianna Gormly

Brianna is a dedicated member leader in Core. She is primarily responsible for the Preservation in Action event at ALA Annual, as the co-chair of the Preservation Outreach committee. She worked tirelessly to vet a local cultural institution in Chicago, and work with them to define a day-long preservation sprint that would be beneficial to the organization. She worked with a vendor to get supplies for the event donated as well as working with the Fundraising committee to identify additional sponsors. Brianna worked with Core Staff and Board of Directors to align this program with institutional requirements that will keep the event sustainable while maintaining affordability. Core is thankful for Brianna’s work to make this event that highlights preservation work.

Biljana Milenkovic

B is a contributor to Core who is primarily responsible for the Preservation Week events as the co-chair of the Preservation Outreach committee. Preservation Week has been going strong since 2010, but in the last few years has required more fundraising and staff support to make it successful. As chair, she identified an honorary chair for Preservation Week and helped organize the week’s webinars around a theme. These free webinars connect with potential new members, as well as encourage membership in Core and the committee in the future. Events like Preservation Week broadens the reach of Core, celebrates the work of preservation, and builds connections with members. Core is grateful for B’s work to support this event.

About Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures
Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures is the national association that advances the profession of librarians and information providers in central roles of leadership and management, collections and technical services, and technology. Our mission is to cultivate and amplify the collective expertise of library workers in core functions through community building, advocacy and learning. Core is a division of the American Library Association. Follow us on our Blog, Instagram, LinkedIn or Facebook.