Building Spaces of Solidarity Speaker Information
SPEAKER INFORMATION
Listed in alphabetical order by last name.
Jessica Anne Bratt is a Digital Infrastructure Futurist & AI Learning Strategist dedicated to shaping the future of technology-driven education and equitable digital spaces. With expertise in AI, game-based learning, and instructional design, she specializes in creating immersive experiences that bridge innovation with accessibility. Jessica has led cutting-edge initiatives integrating automation, community-driven change, and ethical AI into digital learning ecosystems. Passionate about future-proofing technology for diverse audiences, she empowers organizations to build inclusive, forward-thinking solutions that drive meaningful impact.
Shauntee Burns-Simpson is the Director of Youth & Family Services at the Washington DC Public Library. She comes to the DC Public Library from the New York Public Library, where she served as Associate Director of School Support & Outreach. From 2020 to 2022, she served as the President of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA). As an ambassador for libraries and youth librarianship, Mrs. Burns-Simpson is dedicated to connecting individuals with the resources and services of public libraries. She is particularly focused on working with at-risk teens, fostering a love of reading and learning through innovative programming. In addition to her leadership role at BCALA, Mrs. Burns-Simpson chaired the Committee on Diversity of the American Library Association. She also serves as a board trustee for the Freedom to Read Foundation. In recognition of her contributions to the field, she was awarded the 2023 Demco Award for Excellence in Librarianship. Mrs. Burns-Simpson is widely recognized as a leader in the profession and a change agent. Burns-Simpson received her MLIS from Queens College.
Renate Chancellor is Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility at the School of Information Studies at Syracuse University. She received her Master’s and Ph.D. in Information Studies from UCLA. Dr. Chancellor is an affiliated faculty at the Syracuse Lender Center for Social Justice. She has published widely in the areas of critical race, critical cultural information studies, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), and social justice in Library and Information Science. She serves on the editorial boards of Library Quarterly and Education for Information. Dr. Chancellor received the Association for Library and Information Science Education’s (ALISE) Excellence in Teaching Award in 2014 and was recipient of the ALISE Norman Horrocks Leadership Award in 2012.
Makeda Cheatom is Executive Director and Founder of the WorldBeat Cultural Center for 30 years. She has produced programs and presented artists from wide cultural genres represented within the cultural center. Makeda has received numerous awards for her service to the community. Makeda is the founder of her own radio show, Reggae Makossa, broadcast on Fusion Radio 102.5 FM. She has been on the air for over 25 years. She produces her own television show WorldBeat Live, which is broadcast on numerous community television networks throughout the county. Makeda “Dread” Cheatom is dedicated, committed and determined to raise world consciousness through music, dance, and the arts. She promotes unity in diversity while teaching world peace.
Sandra Michele Echols is a thought-leader librarian, Bibliotherapist, and educator with extensive experience managing public, academic, and school libraries. As a dedicated professor and mentor, she is passionate about interdisciplinary collaboration, applying artificial intelligence in education, engaging classroom experiences, developing leadership training, and adapting to the evolving education, library, and nonprofit industries.
Amanda L. Folk is an associate professor and head of the Teaching & Learning Department at The Ohio State University Libraries. She earned PhD from the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Education. Her research explores the sociocultural nature of information literacy through an equity lens, as well as the academic and library experiences of marginalized student populations higher education in the United States. In addition to serving as the editor in chief for The Journal of Academic Librarianship, Amanda has been published in many scholarly journals, including College & Research Libraries and the Journal of Information Literacy, and she received the 2020 ACRL Instruction Section’s Ilene F. Rockman Instruction Publication of the Year Award.
Rodney Freeman is a seasoned library professional with over 13 years of experience across academic, public, and government libraries. His expertise spans digital collections, databases, and taxonomy, beginning with a focus on digital archives and evolving into roles ranging from library page to administrator. As the founder of Reminisce Preservation, Rodney empowers libraries, schools, nonprofits, and individuals by offering innovative tools and networks to facilitate the creation, interaction, and preservation of legacies. His work reflects a passion for connecting communities with the resources to safeguard their histories.
Nichelle M. Hayes MPA, MLS is the CEO of Hayes Consulting and the Immediate Past President of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. Hayes is an experienced Executive focused on change management as well as an Information Professional with a focus on the African Diaspora, Community Engagement, and Racial Equity. Hayes is an Executive Women of Color Leadership 2024 Cohort member.
Madeleine Ildefonso, Managing Librarian, oversees the Office of Civics and Community Services at the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL). She has worked in six LAPL locations over fifteen years as a children's librarian, a branch manager, and now as a project manager for system-wide initiatives like the New Americans Initiative. Madeleine is interested in connecting library users with engaging and meaningful services and programs to empower their decisions and support their success and resilience.
Sofia Leung (she/her) is a first-generation Chinese American librarian, facilitator, and educator settled on Lenapehoking. She is a founding editor of up//root: a we here publication and the co-editor of Knowledge Justice: Disrupting Library and Information Studies Through Critical Race Theory (MIT Press). She holds a Master’s in Library and Information Science and a Master’s in Public Administration, both from the University of Washington in Seattle, and a B.A. in English from Barnard College.
Amber Matthews is an Assistant Professor of Library & Information Studies in the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies at Old Dominion University. She holds a MLIS and PhD in Library and Information Science from Western University. Her research uses anti-oppression and critical approaches to reimagine public library services with community needs and uses in mind.
Dr. Ana Ndumu is an Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland College Park’s College of Information Studies. She primarily researches and teaches on library services to immigrants—particularly, Black diasporic immigrants—along with methods for promoting racial realism and representation in LIS. A proud Afro-Latina, Dr. Ndumu is the editor of Borders & Belonging: Critical Examinations of Library Service to Immigrants and co-editor of The Black Librarian in America: Reflections, Resistance, and Reawakening.
Shannon M. Oltmann is an Associate Professor and Program Coordinator in the School of Information Science at the University of Kentucky. She obtained her Ph.D. from Indiana University. Her research interests include intellectual freedom, censorship, information precarity, and qualitative research methods. She wrote the book Practicing Intellectual Freedom in Libraries and edited The Fight Against Book Bans: Perspectives from the Field. Oltmann’s work has been funded by the American Library Association and the Institute of Museum & Library Services. She studies the implementation of and resistance to censorship in libraries and other spaces. Another stream of work investigates information precarity, a lack of information and resources brought about by systemic marginalization. Oltmann has published widely and led many presentations on banned books and intellectual freedom.
Tracey Overbey is assistant professor and Social Sciences Librarian at The Ohio State University Libraries. She earned a master’s degree in library information science from the University of Pittsburgh. Her research interests include issues related to food desert communities and educating and exposing marginalized students to information literacy using library resources. She won an organizational award for implementing a seed library at The Ohio State University Libraries for students to come and obtain seeds from the library, to plant fresh produce within their residence halls. This initiative helped those students and faculty who live in food desert communities. She has also won state and local grants that expose students who live within economically strained communities to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) resources through programming and hands-on explorations. In addition, she serves on the Executive Board for the Black Caucus American Library Association, has published in Public Library Quarterly, and presented conference papers at the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) and the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) conferences.
Eva Raison has an extensive career that spans several fields, including community engagement, adult education, and immigration services. With experience as the Director of Outreach Services at the Brooklyn Public Library, she has been at the forefront of initiatives aimed at enhancing language access and promoting family literacy. Her work in community engagement has led to the development of strategic partnerships that support the needs of immigrant communities. Prior to her current role, Eva served as the Coordinator of Immigrant Services and Coordinator of Pre-GED & ESOL Programs at the same institution, showcasing her deep commitment to education and empowerment within diverse populations.
Naghem Swade is a passionate advocate for radical social change with a decade of experience at the Denver Public Library. Over the years, she has held a range of roles, including spearheading culturally inclusive community programs that have had a lasting impact. A leader in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), Naghem has successfully led multiple DEI initiatives within the library system. In her current role, she partners with leadership to embed equity into DPL’s internal workflows, policies, and workplace culture. She provides DEI expertise in areas such as organizational climate, strategic planning, employee life cycle, equity-centered assessment, affinity group facilitation, leadership development, and educational programming.
Pastor Sandie Thomas is a remarkable figure dedicated to community development and social justice. She serves as the founder and pastor of the Where We Are Now Community Centre. Pastor Thomas also holds significant roles on the London Police Service and Middlesex-London Health Unit panels for anti-racism, in addition to co-authoring two books. Her commitment to empowering marginalized communities is evident in her 2020 establishment of the Where We Are Now (WEAN) Community Centre, which strives to promote well-being, spiritual health, and economic prosperity, ensuring equal access for all members of the London community. One notable accomplishment under her guidance is the launch of London's first Black public library, created in partnership with the London Public Library, which features a diverse collection of books by Black and Indigenous authors, with a strong focus on Canadian contributions. Thomas was the first Black woman/person to run for Mayor in the last mayoral election and came in third place. Truly a trailblazer, and as she always says, “if the Spirit is not well then nothing is.”
Maggie Tokuda-Hall has an MFA in creative writing from University of San Francisco and BA in art from Scripps College. She’s the author of numerous award-winning, best-selling children’s and young adult books, including Love in the Library, The Mermaid, the Witch, and The Sea duology, Squad, and The Worst Ronin. She has been called “... one of the most unflinching voices in contemporary genre literature.” Maggie is a founding member and national leader of Authors Against Book Bans and co-host of the Failure to Adapt podcast. She lives in Oakland, California with her husband, children, and objectively perfect dog.
Paola Vilaxa is the new Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) and Community Engagement at Anythink Libraries. She has worked in DEI for libraries for the past seven years, developing innovating solutions to expand library services to diverse communities and build libraries that are welcoming to all. Paola holds a Masters In Library and Information Science from San Jose State University and a degree in Journalism from Universidad de Playa Ancha, in Chile, where she is originally from.
Wayne Wiegand, often referred to as the “Dean of American Library Historians,” is the author of many scholarly articles and books, including Irrepressible Reformer: A Biography of Melvil Dewey (1996), Part of Our Lives: A People's History of the American Public Library (2015), American Public School Librarianship: A History (2021), and In Silence or Indifference: Racism and Jim Crow Segregated Public School Libraries (2024).
Shared Destiny graphic by Nina Montenegro, 2018
