Sonia Alcántara-Antoine

Newport News Public Library

Director, Libraries and Information Services

Sonia Alcántara-Antoine has served as the director of libraries and information services for the library since 2017. Before becoming a director, she held leadership positions at Virginia Beach Public Library and Enoch Pratt Free Library. She is a 2004 American Library Association Spectrum Scholar and is active in a number of professional association groups including the Virginia Library Association.

Brigitte H. Blanton

Greensboro Public Library

Director

Brigitte H. Blanton has been with the Greensboro Public Library for 32 years holding positions of branch manager, senior assistant director, information operations/administration and branch management. Brigitte is very involved in the community, presently serving on several professional and educational boards. She is a member of professional organizations including the American Library Association, Public Library Association, North Carolina Public Library Association, North Carolina Public Library Directors Association and the National Forum of Black Public Administrators.

Carrie Coogan

Kansas City Public Library

Deputy Director, Public Affairs and Community Engagement

Carrie Coogan is deputy director for public affairs and community engagement at Kansas City Public Library. She works to advance the library’s vital role in the city and larger community, providing free access to information and resources, encouraging literacy, supporting lifelong learning through an array of public programs, bridging the digital divide by providing free access to the internet, using innovative solutions to enhance services and resources and serving as a gracious space for community gatherings.

Kathy Donellan

San Antonio Public Library

Assistant Library Director for Support Services

Kathy Donellan has over 25 years of local government experience. Prior to joining the City of San Antonio in 2005, she worked for the City of Austin in the Controller’s Office, City Manager’s Office and the Budget Office. Since joining the San Antonio Public Library system, she has served as the chief financial officer and is currently the assistant director for support services, responsible for capital projects, facilities, finance, technical services and information technology.

Shauna Edson

Salt Lake City Public Library

Digital Inclusion Coordinator

Shauna Edson leads the library’s digital inclusion initiative, and works with library staff and community partners to create long-term digital inclusion programming in the communities the library’s eight locations serve. She serves as the chairwoman for Utah Communities Connect: Utah's Digital Alliance, as an National Digital Inclusion Alliance Fellow and as an associate instructor at the University of Utah.

Bryan Gash

Mid-Continent Public Library

Chief Technology Officer

Bryan Gash works as the chief technology officer of Mid-Continent Public Library where he leads the technology services that the library offers.

Michael Hibben

Roanoke County Public Library

Administrative Librarian

Michael Hibben is administrative librarian for Roanoke County Public Library in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. In addition to leading public services at the central library, he helps drive innovation, including the recruitment of SoftBank Robotics’ Pepper®, the humanoid robot — a first among libraries in the U.S. Before coming to RCPL, Michael worked in public libraries all over the country, including the Los Angeles Public Library. He was named one of Library Journal’s 2020 Movers & Shakers for his work with robotics in libraries.

Clara Hudson

Virginia Beach Public Library

Support Services Administrator

Clara Hudson oversees the materials management and technology services divisions as a centralized service to libraries, and the Virginia Beach Records Management program serving all city departments, courts and schools. She has worked in both public and academic libraries for 23 years, serving in several positions over the past 13 years at Virginia Beach Public Library.

Mary Kapusta

Calgary Public Library

Director of Communications

As the director of communications for Calgary Public Library, Mary Kapusta oversees all promotions for a library system that receives nearly 7 million visits annually and serves over 730,000 members. Mary has worked in marketing and communications within the cultural sector for over 14 years. She has been able to work in a variety of industries, including publishing, performing arts and library services. She specializes in strategic communications, brand development and awareness, content marketing and major projects.

Gabriel Lundeen

Chattahoochee Valley Libraries

Deputy Director

Gabriel Lundeen has been deputy director of Chattahoochee Valley Libraries in Columbus, Ga., since 2012. In addition to overseeing public service to CVL's seven branches and two bookmobiles, Gabe is passionate about technology and libraries, and how they can create community. He has worked in public libraries for a total of 16 years, including libraries in Atlanta and Los Angeles.

Gina Millsap

Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library

Former Chief Executive Officer

As chief executive officer, Gina Millsap worked on and advocated for equitable access to broadband and digital resources since the early 1990s when she co-managed the Columbia (Mo.) Online Information Network, the first publicly funded internet service provider in Missouri. Most recently, Gina chaired the Community Broadband Planning Task Force for Topeka and Shawnee County.

Carla Moore

Prince George’s County Memorial Library System

Director of Information Technology

Carla Moore brings more than 30 years of experience in information systems, information technologies and operations to Prince George’s County Memorial Library System. Moore oversees the architecture and implementation of IT operational and business support systems that the organization uses to serve the community and customers.

Tara Neumann

Spokane Public Library

Community Technology Director

Tara has been the community technology director at Spokane Public Library since 2014. Previously she was the director of Tincan, a local non-profit organization focused on STEM education and broadband equity for over 10 years. Tara has experience in design and implementation of grants which include the National Science Foundation, Department of Education and Department of Commerce Broadband Technology Opportunity Program to continually understand digital inequality and the barriers both necessitating and inhibiting it.

Pam Ryan

Toronto Public Library

Director, Service Development & Innovation

Pam Ryan oversees the creation of transformational library programs and services for all ages and audiences with a focus on equity-based approaches, and includes partnerships, digital innovation services, literacies and learning, community outreach and engagement, community use of library spaces and special collections, digitization and preservation.

​Rebecca Ryan

Saint Paul Public Library

Public Services Manager

As the library's public services manager, Rebecca Ryan led the formation of SPPL’s community services department, focusing on workforce development and early learning, delivered by cultural liaisons in their native languages. During her tenure with SPPL, Rebecca has facilitated partnerships with agencies and organizations serving immigrants and refugees, sat on the Northstar Digital Literacy Project’s steering committee and worked with libraries and adult basic education organizations across the state of Minnesota to help them collaborate better to serve users.

Nikki Scarpitti

Columbus Metropolitan Library

Director, Strategic Initiatives & Advocacy

Nikki Scarpitti leads local, state and federal government relations for the library system, and executive communications for the CEO. Nikki is active in local efforts to expand broadband access and affordability in Columbus, Ohio.

Michelle Simon

Pima County Public Library

Deputy Director of Support Services

Michelle Simon's education and business experience focus on technology and information management. In her role at PCPL, she works with local partners to leverage resources in an effort to provide access to technology and internet for community members in need.

Shane Smith

Jersey City Free Public Library

Assistant Director for Communications & Outreach

Shane Smith oversees all public engagement efforts for the largest municipal library system in New Jersey, located in one of the most diverse communities in the United States. Raised in Jersey City, Shane is dedicated to improving lives in his hometown and elevating the role of the public library as a cornerstone institution for cities.

Kristen Sorth

St. Louis County Library

Director

Kristen Sorth became SLCL's first female director on November 19, 2013. Under Kristen's leadership, the library has embarked on a multi-million dollar capital improvement campaign called Your Library Renewed. To date, the campaign has renovated or replaced 18 library branches. During her tenure, the library has focused on building community partnerships to provide innovative programming and cultural enrichment. This effort has resulted in several successful and award-winning partnerships with local organizations including Operation Food Search, We Stories and the Little Bit Foundation.

Rebecca Stavick

Community Information Trust

Chief Executive Officer

Rebecca Stavick is the chief executive officer of Community Information Trust, which operates Do Space, the nation's first technology library. Stavick manages Do Space relationships, direction and strategy, bringing technology industry leadership and five years of public library sector experience to her role. Prior to developing the Do Space project, Stavick earned a Master's of Library and Information Science degree and served as Nebraska’s first Code for America Brigade Captain. Stavick is a Library Journal Mover & Shaker award recipient (2018), a "40 Under 40" Omaha Business Executives award recipient (2016) and a current member of the Urban Libraries Council Executive Board.

Felton Thomas, Jr.

Cleveland Public Library

Executive Director, CEO

Felton Thomas, Jr. was appointed director of CPL in January 2009. Since then, he has positioned CPL as a community deficit fighter and launched initiatives aimed at addressing community needs in the areas of technology, education and economic development. Felton earned his undergraduate degree in psychology from University of Nevada, Las Vegas and his Master of Library and Information Science from University of Hawaii. His awards and accomplishments include being named a “Mover and Shaker” by the Library Journal, and acting as a fellow in the Urban Libraries Council’s Executive Leadership Institute. Most recently, Felton was named the 2019 Community Leader of the Year by Cleveland Magazine.