SPEAKERS

Kwame Alexander is an Emmy® Award-winning producer, and #1 New York Times bestselling author of 45 books, including Why Fathers Cry at Night, Black Star, a 2025 Coretta Scott King Author Honor book, J vs. K, an illustrated novel he penned with Jerry Craft, the motivational primer for graduates, creatives and professionals entitled Say Yes, and The Crossover, his Newbery Medal-winning novel turned Disney+ TV series. He is also the executive producer Acoustic Rooster and His Barnyard Band and Acoustic Rooster: Jazzy Jams, a PBS KIDS special and series of shorts produced by GBH Kids based on his beloved children's book of the same name. He regularly shares his passion for literacy, books and the craft of writing around the world, including Ghana, West Africa, where he opened the Barbara E. Alexander Memorial Library and Health Clinic. A recipient of the 2025 NAACP Image Award, Kwame is also the Artistic Director of Literary Arts for the Chautauqua (pronounced Shuh-Tah-Kwuh) Institution, and the founder of the literacy non-profit, One Word at a Time. 

Jeffrey Brown is an Eisner Award winner and New York Times bestselling author-illustrator. Jeffrey has created dozens of graphic memoirs, humorous parodies, and cat books. He lives in Chicago with his wife, Jennifer, and his two sons. 

Theresa Bruce is a champion of student voice, educational equity and teacher wholeness. A native Baltimorean hailing from West Baltimore, she is a graduate of Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (2005) as well as the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (2009). After earning a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the University of Chicago (2011), she knew there would be no better place to advocate for youth than her hometown of Baltimore. Her City Schools education career began teaching 8th Social Studies. In this role for over a decade, she demonstrated her passion about student voice & student choice through the infusion of cultural relevance and advocacy into her lessons. Currently, she is the inaugural Library Media Specialist within her school community. 

Carolyn Foote is a rewired school librarian who is a strong advocate for students' right to read, a tech geek and a longtime SLJ reader.  Co-founder of the Texas grassroots group the FReadom Fighters, she has been recognized as a White House Champion of Change, been honored with the American Library Association's Robert Downs Intellectual Freedom award, and was highlighted by People Magazine in 2023 as a Woman Changing the World.  She is also a participant in the documentary film The Librarians directed by the award winning Kim A Snyder and featured in a chapter of the Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians by James Patterson. 

Christy James, MLIS, is the district library and media services coordinator for Charleston County School District. Prior to that she was a middle school librarian and classroom teacher for 20 years. She is an active member of SCASL and currently the chair of the SC Library Supervisors section.  Christy was selected as a member of ALA’s Policy Corps, recognized as a Library Journal Mover and Shaker Innovator, and received the F. William Summers Outstanding Alumni Award from the School of Library and Information Science at the University of South Carolina. Christy is passionate about equity and access and advocating for and promoting the value of school librarians.

Amanda Jones is a 25 year educator, a school librarian, and a grassroots organizer in Louisiana on the frontlines fighting against censorship in libraries. She is the 2021 Librarian of the Year as presented by School Library Journal , a 2021 Library Journal Mover and Shaker, and the 2020 Louisiana School Librarian of the Year.  She is the Louisiana Chapter Councilor to ALA, on both the ALA and LLA Intellectual Freedom Committees, and is the Legislative Chair for LLA to help combat anti-library legislation in Louisiana. Amanda has won numerous intellectual freedom awards and is a founding member of Louisiana Citizens Against Censorship. She is the author of  That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America, which was recently optioned for a film, and is featured in the award-winning documentary The Librarians by Academy Award Nominated director Kim A Snyder. Amanda was recently recognized as one of the world’s most influential rising stars on the Time100 Next list. 

Tim Jones is the 2025 School Library Journal School Librarian of the Year, a 2024 Library Journal Mover & Shaker, and the 2023 NAMLE K-12 Media Literacy Teacher of the Year. He currently serves as the librarian at John F. Kennedy Elementary in Louisville, Kentucky, drawing on nearly two decades of school library experience. 

Tim is the upcoming author of Teaching Media Literacy Using Graphic Novels, a resource that helps educators navigate today’s post-truth, AI-driven world with research-based strategies and creative approaches. His work has appeared in Booklist and in numerous podcasts, webinars, and journals. Tim has presented widely on media literacy, graphic novels, boys’ reading engagement, library design, and makerspaces at conferences such as ALA, AASL, ISTE, and NAMLE. 

Amanda Lanza serves as a Coordinator within the Office of Library Media & Instructional Technology for Baltimore County Public Schools. In this capacity, she plays a pivotal role in supporting and collaborating with educators, library media specialists, and district leaders to design and implement professional learning experiences that enhance instructional practices and student engagement through the strategic use of technology and media. Through her leadership, she contributes to the development of inclusive, high-quality resources and fosters the transformation of school libraries into vibrant centers for learning, creativity, and collaboration. 

Tatanisha "Tiki" Love is a fervent advocate for education, libraries, and literacy. As a veteran teacher and librarian within the Baltimore County Public School System, she is deeply committed to providing resources for students, teachers, and school communities to help expand the mental horizons of those she serves. Tatanisha "Tiki" Love is a passionate advocate for education, libraries, and literacy. As a veteran teacher and librarian within the Baltimore County Public School System, she is dedicated to providing resources for students, teachers, and school communities to help expand their mental horizons. 

Alee Quick creates and shares resources with families, libraries and community groups that want to teach kids and teens about news literacy outside of traditional classrooms. She also supports teachers and school administrators as they engage families and school communities around news literacy. She previously worked as a newspaper editor and nonprofit marketer, and she advises the independent student newspaper at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Alee has a bachelor’s degree from the Missouri School of Journalism. 

Dan Santat is the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, which won the prestigious Randolph Caldecott Medal in 2015. He is also the creator of the acclaimed graphic novel The Aquanaut, and his graphic memoir, A First Time for Everything, was the 2023 National Book Award Winner for Young People's Literature. His art is featured in numerous children's books, including Dav Pilkey's Ricky Ricotta series as well as picture books by Henry Winkler and Jake Gyllenhaal. Dan lives in Southern California with his wife, two kids, and pets. Visit him online at dansantatbooks.com. 

John Scott is an elementary school librarian at Powhatan Elementary School in Baltimore County Public Schools. He served on the 2010 Caldecott and the 2015 Newbery committees.  He served on the 2025 School Library Journal Best Picture Books Committee and he regularly reviews fiction and non-fiction picture books for SLJ. John is also involved in the Mock Ezra Jack Keats Award Project with the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation. 

Currently the Youth & Family Engagement Manager for Baltimore County Public Library, Conni Strittmatter has been working in libraries in a variety of roles since 2010. Throughout her time in libraries, Conni has helped reinvent story times in two systems, established media mentor programming, implemented new summer reading software, and helped lead multiple teen and children’s space renovations. Conni is active in both state and national professional library associations, having been awarded the Emerging Leader and Outstanding Member awards for the Maryland Library Association, beginning the Future of Libraries Interest Group, and currently serving as the association Vice President/President Elect. Prior to being a librarian, Conni taught high school English and Creative Writing in Baltimore City through Teach for America. In her current role, Conni leads her system’s work partnering with Baltimore County Public Schools and other agencies on services, programs, and outreach that break down barriers to access for students of all backgrounds.   

Myiesha Speight holds a bachelor's degree in English with a minor in history from Winston-Salem State University. She received her master's degree in Library and Information Science with a specialization in Diversity and Inclusion from the University of Maryland College Park. She was the Resident Librarian at Towson University where she was able to gain experience in multiple areas of librarianship. She is currently a reviewer for School Library Journal where she reviews primarily picture books. 

COLLEEN AF VENABLE is the author of many kids books, including the Katie the Catsitter series. Colleen discovered Junie B. as a young babysitter and says, "I instantly fell in love. I don't think any character in literature connects with me as much!" 

With 24 years in middle school English classrooms and nine years in the school library, Dorathy Winkler has dedicated her career to the transformative power of growing readers. Holding a B.A. in English Literature from Mary Washington College and an M.Ed. from Longwood University, Dorathy's passion for literacy was recognized with the Teacher of the Year award in 2022–2023. As a lifelong reader—the fourth of six book-loving siblings—Dorathy is driven by a profound belief that books can bridge gaps, heal souls, and fundamentally improve the world. 

MODERATORS

Jasmine Amiri is the graphic novel and nonfiction reviews editor for School Library Journal. She has worked in comics publishing for over 15 years, editing a wide range of titles, including Eisner and GLAAD Award-winning books.