KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

SPEAKERS

Author and national speaker, Tom Bober is a school librarian and district library coordinator in Clayton, MO. He serves as current president of the Missouri Association of School Librarians. Tom has been a Library Journal Mover and Shaker, Teacher in Residence at the Library of Congress, and has authored three books including his upcoming co-authored work, Literature and Primary Sources: The Perfect Pairing for Student Learning. He also hosts The Primary Source Podcast. 

K.C. Boyd is currently a school librarian with the District of Columbia Public Schools System.  She has previously worked as the Lead Librarian for the East St. Louis School District #189 in East St. Louis, IL., a Area Library Coordinator for Chicago Public Schools and a District  Coordinator for the Mayor Daley Book Club for Middle School Students. She is a second generation educator and holds Master’s degrees in Library Information Science, Media Communications, and Education Leadership. Boyd is a National Ambassador representing the Washington D.C. area for Checkology Virtual Classroom and The News Literacy Project.   

Becky Calzada is the District Library Coordinator in Leander, Texas. She is a co-founding member of #FReadom Fighters, recipient of the ALA’s Robert B. Downs Intellectual Freedom Award, the American Association of School Librarians’ Intellectual Freedom Award, and the Texas Library Association’s Libraries Change Communities Award. Becky is a cadre member of the ALA Policy Corp Proactive Advocacy on Book Banning, a member of the ALA Intellectual Freedom committee, on the Legislative Committee for the Texas Library Association, and Past Chair for the Texas Association of School Librarians. She is the 24/25 AASL President-Elect and was honored by People Magazine in their 2023 Women Changing the World portfolio.

John Chrastka is co-founder and executive director of EveryLibrary, the national political action committee for libraries, and the EveryLibrary Institute, a public policy and tax policy think tan for libraries. Since 2012, EveryLibrary has supported public libraries in numerous funding negotiations, politicized challenges, and over 120 election days, winning over $1.8 billion dollars in stable tax money for libraries. Its SaveSchoolLibraians.org campaigns help ensure the future of school library work. The EveryLibrary Institute supports funding-focused research and training for library leaders and outreach to the public about librarians. 

R. Gregory Christie is a recipient of the Caldecott Honor, a winner of the NAACP Image award, and a six-time Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award honoree. Some of his recent books include Coretta's Journey; Answering the Cry for Freedom, which won the Carter G. Woodson Book Award; and Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop, which received six starred reviews. He also designed the art on the US Postal Service’s 2013 Kwanzaa stamp. Visit rgregorychristie.com.  

Melissa Corey is a middle school Library Media Specialist with 15 years of experience. She is the Immediate Past President of the Missouri Association of School Librarians, with 8 years of experience on the MASL Board of Directors. She is passionate about intellectual freedom, equity, and access for students in poverty. 

Erin Downey is an experienced teacher, librarian, educational trainer, and presenter with almost 20 years of experience in public education. They are currently the consulting librarian for the Boise School District, where they support school librarians, library assistants, teachers, and school staff in getting the most out of their library, literacy, and technology programs.  

Candace Fleming is the versatile and acclaimed author of more than twenty books for children and young adults, including Crash from Outer Space: Unraveling the Mystery of Flying Saucers, Alien Beings, and Roswell; The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun’s Tomb; The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh, winner of the YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award; the Sibert Award winner Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera; the Los Angeles Times Book Prize winner and Sibert Honor Book The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of the Russian Empire; and the critically acclaimed Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart. 

Donna Gray is a Library Coordinator for the New York City School Library System. She has over 20 years of experience in K-12 education, library services, and higher education. Donna has previously worked at the New York Public Library as a Senior Young Adult Librarian, Teacher’s College, and the New York City Department of Education. She received her Master’s in Library Science with a School Library Media concentration at Queens College, CUNY, and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Bankstreet College. Donna has worked in K-12, public, and reference library settings. She is interested in developing strategies and programs that help students become engaged life-long learners who are informed, active citizens in their communities and beyond.

Dr. Christopher Harris is the Director of the School Library System for Genesee Valley BOCES, an educational services agency in Western New York that supports 22 small, rural school districts. He has been speaking around the country about generative AI, computational thinking, and other library technology ideas for 20 years. Dr. Harris also serves as a Senior Policy Fellow with the American Library Association and is on the board of trustees for his local public library.  

Joanna Ho is the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of many children's books including Eyes that Kiss in the Corners; Eyes that Speak to the Stars; Eyes that Weave the World's Wonders; Say My Name; and Playing at the Border: A Story of Yo-Yo Ma, recipient of an Ezra Jack Keats Honor. Her debut young adult novel, The Silence that Binds Us, received the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, Young Adult Honor. She earned her Masters in Educational Leadership at the Principal's Leadership Institute at the University of California, Berkeley and has been a classroom teacher, program designer and high school administrator. Her passion for equity in books and education is matched only by her love of homemade chocolate chip cookies, outdoors adventures, and dance parties with her kids. Visit her at www.joannahowrites.com 

LaTresha Jackson is a Sourcing Manager but for this crowd, and  is also a mother of 2 amazing children in Forsyth County Georgia. She is a proponent of education. She grew up in New Jersey and was raised by a single parent. LaTresha holds an accounting degree and an MBA from Rider University. Education changed her life, which is why it is so important to her. She is a member of the Forsyth Coalition for Education, a non-partisan, grassroots organization dedicated to safeguarding the integrity of education in Forsyth County. 

Melissa Jacobs is the Director of Library Services for NYC Public Schools and the New York City School Library System. Melissa started her career as an elementary school librarian and then spent 14 years as the Coordinator for Library Services. Melissa has been named a 2022 EdWeek Leader to Learn From, Library Journal Mover and Shaker, and has contributed to School Library Journal, Knowledge Quest, Teacher Librarian, and School Library Connection. In her spare time, she enjoys relaxing with her husband, two daughters, stepson, two orange cats, and Chiweenie.  

Michelle Jarrett is a Library Supervisor in Florida. She is the current president of the Florida Association for Supervisors of Media and a two-time Past President of the Florida Association for Media in Education. Michelle has served on legislative committees and lobbied extensively for school libraries in the state of Florida, including serving on the state of Florida workgroup for school library trainings. Michelle has enthusiastically led the charge for increasing digital offerings and services and has assisted with the planning of ongoing school library construction projects. Additionally, Michelle is successfully navigating the district role of maintaining student access to high quality literature while ensuring Florida's statutes and laws are followed. Michelle has been married for over 25 years and is the parent of 2 college age children, 2 Australian Shepherd puppies and one very old poodle. 

Amanda Jones is a 23 year educator and grassroots organizer in Louisiana on the frontlines fighting against censorship in libraries. She is the 2021 School Library Journal Co-Librarian of the Year, a 2021 Library Journal Mover and Shaker, and the 2020 Louisiana School Librarian of the Year.  Amanda is the 2023 AASL Intellectual Freedom Award winner and recipient of both the 2023 ALA Paul Howard Award for Courage and 2023 IFRT John Phillip Immroth Award. She is an international speaker and author of the upcoming book “That Librarian: Book Banning in Today’s America.” Follow her journey against censorship at librarianjones.com. 

Cicely Lewis, 2020 SLJ School Librarian of the Year, is an author and the media specialist at Meadowcreek High School in Norcross, GA. She launched Read Woke in 2017 in response to the shootings of young unarmed black people, the repeal of DACA, and the lack of diversity in YA lit. When she is not reading, you can find Cicely writing for her bi-monthly column in the School Library Journal where she shares her book recommendations. Follow her on Twitter @cicelythegreat or check out her blog CicelytheGreat.

Kasey Meehan is the Program Director for Freedom to Read at PEN America, leading PEN’s initiatives to protect the rights of students, individuals, and communities to freely access literature in public preK-12 schools and public libraries. Kasey oversees and supports our research on school book bans, communicates widely on the state of book banning in the US, drives advocacy and mobilization actions, and supports parents, students, and authors in defending the freedom to read. 

Elissa Malespina serves as the Teacher Librarian at Union High School in Union, NJ. Beyond her educational role, she authors "The AI School Librarian Substack Newsletter," delving into AI applications in schools and libraries. Throughout her illustrious career, Elissa has garnered significant accolades, including the ISTE Making Happen Award and the 2022 LJ Mover and Shakers Award. (written with the help of AI) 

Tara Peace joined La Jolla Country Day School as the Program and Outreach Librarian in 2021, coming from a background in customer service related roles. She holds a Bachelor and a Master's in History from James Madison University and Cal State University, East Bay, respectively and completed her MLIS at the University of Alabama. Since joining La Jolla Country Day, Tara has actively worked to support teachers and students in the library and in the classroom, whether that be helping students learn to love reading independently or with the many research projects she assists them with! 

Steve Sheinkin is the acclaimed author of fast-paced, cinematic nonfiction histories, including Impossible Escape, Fallout, Undefeated, Born to Fly, The Port Chicago 50, and Bomb. His accolades include a Newbery Honor, three Boston Globe–Horn Book Awards, a Sibert Medal and Honor, and three National Book Award finalist honors. He lives in Saratoga Springs, New York, with his wife and two children. 

Jennifer Sturge, Specialist for School Libraries Calvert County (MD) Public Schools, has been a proponent of school and public libraries since she won the bookmark contest at her local library at the age of seven. She has been in school libraries since 2006 and has served as an elementary librarian, district coordinator, and college professor. She has published and presented widely and enjoys connecting with others in her field. 

Kerry Townsend is the Library Media Coordinator for Columbia Public Schools in Columbia, MO and a former middle school librarian. She is also a PhD Candidate at the University of Missouri with a focus on effective school libraries, media and digital literacy and mediated communication. She holds graduate degrees in Education Technologies (MEd) and Educational Leadership (EdS) from the University of Missouri. She loves learning and hopes you do too. 

Dr. Judith Uchidiuno  

School of Interactive Computing, Georgia Institute of Technology, jiou3@gatech.edu  
Judith Uchidiuno is an Assistant Professor at Georgia Tech’s School of Interactive Computing. She designs culturally-informed education technologies and increases access to computer science education for students from low-income and underserved communities. 

Dr. Kevin M. Washburn has 22 years of experience working as a School Librarian and District Leader. He also currently serves as an adjunct faculty member for the University of Maryland, master’s in library and information science program and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville for the School of Information Science. In addition, he is the current president of the District of Columbia Library Association.

Lee Wind is the founding blogger and publisher of I'm Here. I'm Queer. What The Hell Do I Read?, an award-winning website about books, culture, and empowerment for Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Questioning and Queer youth, and their Allies. He is the author of No Way, They Were Gay?: Hidden Lives and Secret Loves, which won the ILA Children's and Young Adult's Book Award and was named a 2021 Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book. Lee also works for IBPA and SCBWI. Visit him online at www.leewind.org to see and share how #QueerHistoryIsEverywhere. 

MODERATORS

Jamine Amiri, Editor, Graphic Novels, School Library Journal 

Formerly at BookOps, technical services for New York Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library, Shelley Diaz is the reviews editor at School Library Journal. She has worked in several areas of publishing, including stints at Penguin Young Readers and Scholastic, and was formerly a children’s and YA selector at BookOps, technical services for New York Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library. She currently adjuncts at Queens College, where she teaches young adult literature to future librarians. 

Kathy Ishizuka is Editor in Chief of School Library Journal and directs partnerships and innovation for both SLJ and sister publication Library Journal. She has served on the board of trustees of the Freedom to Read Foundation (two terms) and the board of directors of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). In her partnership work, Ishizuka has spearheaded co-productions with NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English), the Children’s Book Council, Facing History & Ourselves, and We Need Diverse Books. She was named among FOLIO's Top Women in Media in 2019, A member of the Asian American Journalists Association and the Society of Professional Journalists, Ishizuka is a graduate of AAJA’s Executive Leadership Program. She has also served on the board of the National Forum on Libraries & Teens. 

Kara Yorio, Senior Editor, News, School Library Journal