Growing up in Idaho, I had the opportunity to work in the newspaper industry, education, restaurants, sales, and retail. I appreciate how these varied experiences have informed my work in librarianship. My education has been of the non-traditional variety and the library has helped forge a trail of discovery, starting with my position as a shelver at PPLD’s newly renovated Old Colorado City Library in 2007. There, I took a leap of faith, quitting my full-time job at a newspaper to devote time to finishing my long-neglected undergraduate degree. On my first day of work, I stood in the foyer of the 1904 Carnegie, with my cart of books, took it all in, and in one big breath, exhaled, knowing I was exactly where I was meant to be. Since then, I have also worked in teen and childrens’ services, coordinated our district’s Paws to Read program, and led the implementation of PPLD’s Human Library. I received an MLIS from San Jose State University in 2016, and started managing PPLD’s Cheyenne Mountain Library in 2017.

Professional development is an essential cog to my wheelhouse of learning. One of my “library heroes” is San Jose State Professor Michael Stephens. Dr. Stephens’ philosophy, that we are all hyperlinked—connected online and in person, informs my understanding of the library’s role in the community and world—to nurture “infinite and lifelong learning.” I enjoy reading books on leadership and my newest obsession is Cy Wakeman, whose “reality-based” leadership philosophy provides practical tools for self-reflection and accountability. Having a growth-mindset and a willingness to change is something I strive for, but it takes continual practice and is never perfect. My professional philosophy is rooted in these ideas, as well as community relationship-building and information and media literacy. I am grateful to work in a profession and for an organization where I have had colleagues, mentors, supervisors, and managers who nurture and encourage this, and I hope to continue to pay that forward.