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Featured Speakers
| Tara Douglas-Williams, MSLS, AHIP, Associate Director Emory University General Session 1: Creating Inclusive Environments: Learning from the Experiences of Others Tara is the Associate Director of the Emory University, Woodruff Health Sciences Center Library in Atlanta, GA. She previously served as Library Manager, Information Services at Morehouse School of Medicine and Library Manager at Atlanta Medical Center.Tara holds a Master’s in Library Science from Clark-Atlanta University and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology/Natural Sciences from Spelman College. Tara is a 2013/2014 graduate of the AAHSL/NLM Leadership Fellowship Program and a 2005 Fellow of the NLM/ Biomedical Informatics program. In 2014, she served on the MLA Futures Task Force. Over the span of her career, Tara has held various positions in academic, hospital and health sciences libraries. She has been instrumental in the development and implementation of innovative library services and provides effective leadership in transforming service models.Tara is active in professional associations and is a former Chair of SCMLA. She currently serves on the MLA Board of Directors and is the Board liaison to the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee and the MLA Vision 2048 Task Force. She also serves on the Biomedical Informatics, Library and Data Science (BILDS) Review Committee for the National Library of Medicine (NLM). |
| Lin Wu, AHIP, Assistant Director/Associate Professor, Research and Learning Services General Session 1: Creating Inclusive Environments: Learning from the Experiences of Others Lin Wu, MLIS, AHIP, is Associate Professor and Assistant Director for Research & Learning Services at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center Health Sciences Library in Memphis, TN. Ms. Wu received her master’s degree in Library and Information Studies (MLIS) from McGill University and is a distinguished member of the Medical Library Association’s Academy of Health Information Professionals (AHIP). She is interested in scholarly communications, embedded librarianship, library instruction, information literacy, information retrieval, information management, and leadership and management. |
| Erica Rosalle, Public Services Coordinator General Session 1: Creating Inclusive Environments: Learning from the Experiences of Others Erica Rosalle is the Public Services Coordinator at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine – Georgia Campus. After starting her library career as an ILL work-study assistant, Erica gained experience working in reference, access services, and cataloging as a library assistant at PCOM. A 20-year veteran of the field, she currently leads a team of library paraprofessionals and student assistants in the provision of services to the PCOM community. Erica also manages the PCOM Library’s social media presence on Facebook and handles various other marketing initiatives on behalf of the Library. Erica was recently elected as the Treasurer and Community Outreach Coordinator for the LGBTQIA+ Council of PCOM; in this role, she organizes events and drives to benefit various organizations in the Gwinnett County community and the metro Atlanta area. Erica is currently working towards her Bachelor of Science in Psychology, after which she hopes to be accepted into a Master of Library and Information Science degree program. |
| EJ Justice, Patient and Former Librarian General Session 1: Creating Inclusive Environments: Learning from the Experiences of Others EJ Justice (they/them) struggled for a decade after college, quitting every job within 9 months because of lethal boredom -- until they sat behind the desk at Gwinnett County Public Library. The fit was so natural they decided to go all the way and get an MSLIS, from Florida State University (2009). EJ then took a position as medical librarian and manager at Northeast Georgia Health System in Gainesville, Georgia, before being forced into early retirement by multiple sclerosis, which they have been diagnosed with since 2007. |
| Michael S. Fitts, Assistant Dean for User Access & Diversity General Session 1: Creating Inclusive Environments: Learning from the Experiences of Others Michael S. Fitts serves as Assistant Dean for User Access & Diversity of UAB Libraries. During his 25 year tenure, he has served in various capacities including but limited to African American Faculty Association, President and African American Scholarship, Chairperson. In 2011 at the age of 38 he was diagnosed with Early Onset Parkinson’s Disease. Since his diagnosis Michael has become active within the PD Community including the Executive Board of the Parkinson Association of Alabama and the Michael J. Fox Patient Council. Mr. Fitts is passionate concerning patient advocacy and trying to be an example to underrepresented communities of not only how one can just live but to live well with any chronic condition and the importance of participating in clinical trials. Recently he served on a steering committee for a study entitled ”Engaging Underrepresented Groups in Parkinson’s Research” sponsored by the Community Access , Recruitment and Engagement Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Fitts also serves on the Department of Defense sponsored Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program. |
| Anne Fadiman, Novelist & Essayist Anne Fadiman is an author, essayist, editor, and teacher. Her first book, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, tells the story of an epileptic Hmong child and her family living in Merced, California. Fadiman’s sensitive, incisive treatment of the unbreachable gulf between the Hmong and American medical systems won her a National Book Critics’ Circle Award. The Washington Post called the book “an intriguing, spirit-lifting, extraordinary exploration.” In 2009 it was chosen by the Young Adult Library Association as one of its recommended titles for all students (the list, which includes a number of adult titles, is revised every 5 years and used by educators and librarians across the country). Spirit is frequently chosen by colleges, libraries, and communities for First Year Experience and All Read programs. The book continues to be taught at universities both as literary journalism and as a casebook for cross-cultural sensitivity in general; it is also widely read by medical practitioners who wish to offer more effective care to patients from other cultures. In 2019 it was named as one of Slate’s 50 Best Nonfiction Books of the Past 25 Years. |
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| Amazing Grace General Session 2: “Representing the Rainbow: The Impact of Diversity in Children's Literature for a Brighter Future” and Drag Queen Story Hour Travis Lewis or better known as Amazing Grace resides in Raleigh, North Carolina. As hospitality professional by trade and after one ameture drag competiton later, Travis discovered their Diva, quirky, alter ego, Amazing Grace. Amazing Grace has been a shining star in the triangle's LGBTQIA community for many years. With a bubbly personality and stylish showgirl aesthetic, Amazing has been "gracing" the stage all throughout North Carolina and has represented NC on in many national pageant competitions. She has captured many titles including Miss Gay NC Pride 2016, Miss Holiday 2018 and is the regining Miss Hideaway 2021. You can catch Amazing Grace on WRAL's Mix Mornings 101.5 Queen on the Scene and the Host of Raleigh's new traveling drag show, Driveway Drag Show Raleigh. |
| Jonathan Hamilt (he/him/his) General Session 2: “Representing the Rainbow: The Impact of Diversity in Children's Literature for a Brighter Future” and Drag Queen Story Hour Jonathan was the co-founder of the NYC Chapter of Drag Queen Story Hour and the first Drag Queen to read in NYC. He is the current Executive Director of DQSH. He onboards over 50 chapters of the international non-profits and speaks at Library Associations around the country on queer programing geared to early childhood education. |
| Mary Elise (She/Her/Hers) General Session 2: “Representing the Rainbow: The Impact of Diversity in Children's Literature for a Brighter Future” and Drag Queen Story Hour Born and Raised in North Carolina |
Funding for the speakers is provided by NNLM Region 2 Honorarium Sponsorship.
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