Virginia Library Association Hires New Staff, Nan Carmack as Interim Executive Director

The Virginia Library Association has hired a part-time interim Executive Director and a Manager of Member Engagement and Communications, following the departure of Executive Director Lisa Varga.

Interim Executive Director

Nan Carmack is the Virginia Library Association's part-time interim Executive Director. She will assume the role on April 16, 2025 while the Executive Committee seeks a qualified permanent replacement through Bradbury Miller Associates.

Nan Carmack has enjoyed a 21 year career in Virginia’s public libraries, from librarian, to director, to state library work. She currently teaches at Old Dominion University where she has taught library leadership and development for the past five years. Nan holds a Doctorate in Education in Organizational Leadership, a Masters in Library Science, and a Masters in Education.

Nan has maintained a private consultancy for 15 years, providing professional development, executive coaching and speaking engagements for organizations from libraries to manufacturing to local government.

Her commitment to librarianship has been honored by both the VLA (2016 Donna Cote Librarian of the Year) and the Southeastern Library Association (2024 Mary Rothrock Contribution to the Profession Award) and served as VLA president in 2024.

Nan lives in Richmond with her husband and dogs and enjoys reading, knitting, Pilates, and painting.

She can be reached at [email protected]

 Manager of Member Engagement and Communications

Vanessa Garbarino is the Virginia Library Association's new Manager of Member Engagement and Communications. She has been the association's administrative assistant for the past year.

Vanessa worked for the Alexandria Library for over five years where she specialized in art history and public history programming and outreach for children. She has presented at the National Council on Public History, volunteers as a judge for National History Day, and serves on committees for the Collaborative Summer Library Program. She is an active member of the Association for Library Services to Children, including attending 2024’s Bill Morris Seminar for Book Evaluation, and serves as YALSA's Administrative Assistant for the 2026 Printz Committee. Vanessa previously served the Virginia Library Association as a chair of the Cardinal Cup Committee and the Executive Board Secretary of the Professional Associates Forum. She will complete her Masters in Library and Information Science from the University of Kentucky in December.

Vanessa was a 10-year Alexandria, Virginia resident before her move to New York in 2024. She loves art history and museums, the Boston Celtics, and Ukrainian food.

She can be reached at [email protected]

Next Steps for VLA

The Executive Committee of the Virginia Library Association will launch a search for an Executive Director through Bradbury Miller Associates and will also seek a part-time, permanent administrative assistant. Additionally, the Executive Committee will utilize services from Richmond's Eisenman & Associates, a longtime partner of VLA, for the 2025 Annual VLA Conference.

Moving forward, plan to contact Vanessa regarding website management, committee and forum needs, membership management, and anything relating to marketing or communications. Billing questions should be forwarded to Vanessa until an administrative assistant is hired. Contact Nan Carmack for all other Virginia Library Association inquires.