Heidi Daniel is the executive director for King County Library System (KCLS). Her journey began with children and teen programming in Oklahoma City and Houston before transitioning to library administration. Her first Executive Director job was overseeing the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County. Before joining KCLS, she was the CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore for over six years. She has a strong commitment to breaking down barriers of access, and made the Pratt one of the first public library systems on the East Coast to eliminate fines. Under her leadership, the Pratt was named one of the “Nicest Places in America” by Good Morning America and Reader’s Digest. She also received the Daily Record’s Maryland Most Admired CEOs award in 2023. Daniel is the daughter of a factory worker — her parents, who did not go to college, used the library in her Michigan hometown to impress upon her the importance of education. Daniel earned her bachelor’s degree in women’s studies at DePaul University and her master’s degree in library sciences at Texas Woman’s University.

Brian Bannon is The New York Public Library’s (NYPL) first-ever Merryl and James Tisch Director. He is the chief librarian responsible for directing the NYPL’s 88 neighborhood branches and the Library’s educational strategy. Prior to joining NYPL in 2019, Bannon had over 20 years of experience developing and implementing educational programs, as well as leading large-scale operations that maximize benefit for all citizens and contribute to a culture of learning, reading, and community education. Before his current role at NYPL, Bannon served as commissioner and CEO of the Chicago Public Library, where he was responsible for one of the largest urban public library systems in the world. He was also the chief information officer at the San Francisco Public Library and worked at the Seattle Public Library and for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. A frequent guest speaker, Bannon was named to Fast Company’s “100 Most Creative People in Business” in 2016. Bannon received his master of library and information science from the University of Washington Information School and is a Henry Crown Fellow as part of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.

Joey Crawford is a Senior Media Consultant with Cox Media Group and CMG Health Marketing in Miami. For the past nineteen years he’s worked with Cox Media Group in their Atlanta and Miami offices overseeing broadcast and digital marketing strategies for brands such as Walt Disney World, Nissan Motor Company, McDonalds, and AT&T. He currently serves as Chair for the Board of Directors of the Broward Public Library Foundation which supports the Broward County Library Division's 38 locations. In his role with the board, he provides advice on fundraising initiatives, grantmaking, endowment investment, membership expansion, and program funding. While he works in advertising and marketing, Joey’s mission is to help his clients solve their ongoing business challenges. Joey has a degree in International Relations/French from The Johns Hopkins University.

Catherine Strauss is the Columbus office managing partner of Ice Miller. She is an adviser and advocate for employers with workforces in Ohio and nationally. Preferring practical outcomes based on a keen knowledge of the law and common-sense judgment, Catherine is an effective adviser in managing risks and conflict avoidance. When disputes are unavoidable, Catherine is a tenacious trial attorney, having successfully represented employers and businesses in all types of legal proceedings, both in Ohio and nationally. Prior to Ice Miller, she served as associate corporate Counsel for Regency Centers, a real estate investment trust based in Jacksonville, Florida. While there, Catherine managed Regency's nationwide litigation and disputes. She also counseled on risk avoidance and matters involving bankruptcy, use restrictions, public takings, lease covenants, development and tenant issues. Catherine earned her law degree from the George Washington University Law School, where she was a member of the Public Contracts Law Journal, Trial Court Board and Moot Court. She is also a proud graduate of The Ohio State University Honors Program with a Bachelor of Arts in sociology and a minor in political science.

Edward Melton is the Library Director of Harris County Public Library (HCPL) in Houston, Texas. He has served at the San Francisco Public Library, the Houston Public Library, and for the Bill & Melinda Gates US Library Program. A nationally respected public library leader, Melton is known for advancing innovative, community-centered service models while preserving public libraries' core mission as trusted institutions for knowledge, access, and opportunity. He received the Public Technology Institute’s Technology Solutions Award for deploying HPL Mobile Express and was recognized by the Urban Libraries Council as an Operations Service Innovator for developing the HPL Express service model. In 2014, he was awarded the Urban Libraries Council’s Joey Rogers Leadership Award, honoring outstanding leadership and impact in the public library field.

Under Melton’s leadership, Harris County Public Library has received national recognition for its community impact and innovation. Harris County was designated a Visionary Digital Inclusion Trailblazer by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, recognizing significant progress in expanding access to technology and digital resources. In 2024, HCPL was awarded the Institute of Museum and Library Services National Medal for Museum and Library Service. Most recently, HCPL received the 2025–2026 Library Journal Kline Community Impact Award.

Andrew Trueblood is a housing, economic development, and land use professional. He is a senior advisor at America Achieves, a nonresident fellow at the Urban Institute, and a visiting faculty member at Georgetown University. Between 2018 and 2021, Andrew served as the Director of the DC Office of Planning (DCOP). Prior to joining OP, Andrew was the Chief of Staff at DC’s Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development where he supported economic development policy and projects, including redevelopment efforts at the West End and Martin Luther King, Jr. libraries. Andrew is an avid patron of his nearby Southwest and Southeast Libraries as well as the world-class spaces in the new MLK, Jr. library and has been a heavy user of DCPL’s e-book and audiobook resources, especially during COVID-19. Before joining the District Government, Andrew helped start up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and worked at Treasury's Community Development Financial Institution Fund. Andrew holds a Masters in City Planning from MIT and a B.A. from Princeton's School of Public and International Affairs.

Tess Shih is a strategic leader with 20 years of experience working with institutions in corporate and non-profit sectors to expand brand presence and tangible market share. Spending almost a decade at JPMorgan Chase, Shih was a member of the Corporate Strategy team and provided recommendations to senior J.P. Morgan business executives. She is also passionate about applying her strategic and financial acumen to non-profit organizations providing access to education and building strong inclusive communities. Ms. Shih was appointed by the Fifth District Supervisor to the Los Angeles County Library Commission where she currently serves as Chair of the Benchmarking Committee. Ms. Shih received her MBA from Harvard Business School as a Eugene Sit Fellow. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and International Relations from the University of Southern California where she was Vice President of the USC Student Body and Commencement speaker for USC’s Marshall School of Business.

Heidi Daniel is the executive director for King County Library System (KCLS). Her journey began with children and teen programming in Oklahoma City and Houston before transitioning to library administration. Her first Executive Director job was overseeing the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County. Before joining KCLS, she was the CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore for over six years. She has a strong commitment to breaking down barriers of access, and made the Pratt one of the first public library systems on the East Coast to eliminate fines. Under her leadership, the Pratt was named one of the “Nicest Places in America” by Good Morning America and Reader’s Digest. She also received the Daily Record’s Maryland Most Admired CEOs award in 2023. Daniel is the daughter of a factory worker — her parents, who did not go to college, used the library in her Michigan hometown to impress upon her the importance of education. Daniel earned her bachelor’s degree in women’s studies at DePaul University and her master’s degree in library sciences at Texas Woman’s University.

Grace Nordhoff grew up in the Seattle area and then went to college and lived in Durham, N.C. for 25 years. During her time in N.C., Grace worked on the publishing staff of an alternative newspaper, earned her MSW and owned and started a bakery café. From 2000-2002, she served as a founding board member of the Durham Library Foundation. Since moving to Seattle in 2002, she has served on the board of Hedgebrook, a retreat for women writers on Whidbey Island, continuing the Nordhoff family support of this program started by her mother Nancy. Grace also has been a Seattle Public Library volunteer, serving at the Central Library’s Welcome Desk, and a regular library patron. She joined The Seattle Public Library Foundation in 2010 and served as board president from 2018-2019.