2026 Virginia Library Association Executive Committee Election
ALA Councilor Statements

About the ALA Councilor
The ALA Councilor is the liaison between the chapter association (VLA) and the American Library Association (ALA).. The Councilor’s term is three years, and they assume office immediately.

What's at Stake
VLA's ALA Councilor is our representative in the American Library Association. They attend special meetings, such as for the ALA Chapter Relations Committee, and participate in the deliberations of the American Library Association Council and vote on issues which come before the Council.

There are three candidates for ALA Councilor. Learn more about them below.

Bonnie Shaw began work as a library assistant in spring 2011 in the Youth and Family Services department with Suffolk Public Libraries in Suffolk, Virginia. Shaw says, "Having no library experience when I started, with great mentoring and guidance, I was reading for storytime to toddlers and preschoolers within a couple of months, just in time for the Summer Reading Program season." In 2013, she began working with Portsmouth Public Libraries, where she experienced working in all library departments and discovered her love of cataloging. In 2015, she began working at the Slover Library with Norfolk Public Libraries in the events department, while doing a little cataloging in her downtime.

In March 2018, Shaw accepted a Cataloging Assistant position at William & Mary Libraries in

Williamsburg. While working these positions, she also attended Tidewater Community

College, transferring to Norfolk State University to receive her Bachelors of Interdisciplinary

Studies. When Shaw began at William & Mary, she started her MLIS degree at the University of Alabama in the 14th cohort that summer. She graduated, virtually, in the summer of 2020. After 5 years as a cataloging assistant, she transitioned to her current position as Senior Fiscal & Data Administrator for William & Mary Libraries.

Shaw has been a member of the Virginia Library Association since 2015 and served as the Chair of the VLA Professional Associates Forum from 2017-2018. She also served on the VLA conference planning committee.

Crystal Boyce is a Biological Sciences Librarian at George Mason University, but her journey in libraries began as a page at a public library in Newport News. From there, she worked in Circulation at the College of William & Mary, where she contributed to the Virginia Library Association (VLA) in multiple roles. Her career then took her to Illinois Wesleyan University as a Science Librarian, where she served in leadership positions within the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL), contributed to national discussions on academic librarianship, and was recognized as an Emerging Leader by the ACRL Science & Technology Section.

Now back in Virginia, Boyce is eager to serve the VLA as ALA Councilor. Her experiences across public, academic, and special libraries in multiple states have given her a broad perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing the profession. She is passionate about advocating for library workers and ensuring that Virginia’s voice is heard at the national level.

Beyond her commitment to professional service, Boyce brings project management and assessment skills, both crucial for a role requiring regular meetings, policy discussions, and strategic planning. Her background in usability testing, instructional assessment, and information policy research allows her to approach advocacy with an evidence-based mindset. Additionally, her work in diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives aligns with ALA’s ongoing efforts to create more equitable and accessible library services.

Says Boyce, "I thrive on collaboration and believe my experience in leadership, policy, and assessment will serve the VLA well. I would be honored to represent Virginia librarians as ALA Councilor and advocate for the needs of our profession at the national level."

Gladys Bell shares, "VLA has had the benefit of exceptional leadership over several decades, and has consistently brought the central concerns of librarians to the membership.  It would be an honor to serve as the VLA ALA Councilor-at-large in a new and impactful way. Having served as an elected ALA Councilor-at-Large for over ten years and as an academic librarian for decades with extensive experience in the governance of librarianship at the state and ALA level. I am deeply committed to the growth, advocacy and support of our profession and this role provides an exciting and a continued opportunity for me to further contribute to the development of the library community in Virginia, while also representing our interests on a national scale. I believe my experience, my passion for libraries, and my dedication to serving the profession make me a strong candidate for this role as Virginia’s ALA Councilor-at-Large. If elected, I am eager to continue to support VLA and the library community in Virginia in this way."

2026 Virginia Library Association Executive Committee Election
Second Vice President Candidate Statements

About the Second Vice President
The Second Vice President is a member of the Executive Committee and Council. The Second Vice President’s term is two year,s and they assume office immediately after the annual conference. The winner between these two candidates will serve from October 2026 - October 2028.

What's at Stake
Are you on a VLA committee or interested in joining one? The Second Vice President assists with committee placement and will work with VLA staff in the fall to meet with committee leadership and make recommendations on changes to procedures. Additionally, they are responsible for reviewing the VLA Manual and By-laws and making recommendations for changes as needed.

There are two candidates for Virginia Library Association Second Vice President. Learn more about them below.

Margaret Howard is the branch manager at Chesterfield Public Library, where she has worked for 14 years. Her favorite part of being a manager is working with and mentoring staff members. She tries to walk in the footsteps of the leaders who have supported and inspired her throughout the years. She hopes to make a small difference in the lives of the people she works with and the community she serves.

In 2013, she was named an ALA Emerging Leader and has served on several ALA committees over the past decade. She chaired the VLA New Members Round Table (NMRT) from 2014–2015 and enjoyed being part of the VLA Conference Committee in 2020 and 2021. After serving on the VLA Continuing Education Committee in 2021, she was named the 2022 VALLA coordinator. She then worked with a team led by Dr. Jennifer Brown and Clint Rudy to reimagine VALLA into the launchpad for library leadership it is today.

Howard says, "Being a VLA member is one of my favorite parts of working in libraries. The connections I’ve made have been invaluable, and I’m constantly inspired by the brilliance of its members and leaders. Although I’ve served on and led several committees over the years, I’ve long hoped to take a more active role in VLA leadership. Now feels like the perfect time to throw my hat in the ring. I’ve gained so much from my membership and would love the opportunity to give back and fully immerse myself in VLA leadership."

Kayla Payne holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from James Madison University and a Master’s of Library and Information Science from the University of South Carolina. A longtime resident of Staunton, she worked at the Staunton Public Library from 2012 to 2021 in a variety of roles, including circulation, reference, youth services, and technical services. She currently serves as the Collections and Technology Manager at the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library in Charlottesville.
 
Kayla has been actively involved in professional library service throughout her career. She served on the Jefferson Cup Committee (now the Cardinal Cup) from 2015 to 2016 and was Secretary of the Virginia Library Association from 2019 to 2020. At JMRL, she contributes to strategic planning and innovation as a member of the Board-Level 5-Year Plan Committee, the Technology Committee, and the internal Staff Technology Advisory and Training Committees.

In addition to her professional work, Kayla is deeply engaged in her community. She currently serves as President of both the Skyline Connections Rotary Club and LEARN English and Reading Now, Inc., a local literacy organization.

2026 Virginia Library Association Executive Committee Election
Treasurer Candidate Statements

About the Treasurer
The Treasurer is the Chief Fiscal Officer of the Association and supervises preparation of annual operating budget. The Treasurer’s term is two years, and they assume office immediately after the annual conference. The winner between these candidates will serve from October 2025 - October 2027.

What's at Stake
The VLA treasurer's responsibilities relate to the association's budget and financial administration, and they work closely with the Executive Director to oversee investment of funds, general accounting, financial and statistical reporting. They present financial reports regarding these matters to the Executive Committee, Council, and the Association.

There are seven candidates for Virginia Library Association treasurer. Learn more about them below.

Zach Roberts is a Senior Library Manager with Prince William Public Libraries, where he oversees operations at Chinn Park Regional Library in Woodbridge, Virginia. He has held this leadership role since 2020, guiding strategic initiatives, supervising a diverse team, and advancing community-focused library services. Zach holds a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) from San José State University and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Arkansas State University, combining a passion for librarianship with strong foundations in public service and organizational leadership.

Throughout his career, Zach has actively contributed to the broader library profession by serving on a variety of committees and boards. Most recently, he served as a Board Member at Large for the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services (ABOS), where he supported national advocacy and programming efforts for mobile and outreach librarianship.

Zach is also active in his community, volunteering his time with the local free clinic, his church, and working as a volunteer for the Friends of the Fauquier County Library in the Friends bookstore in downtown Warrenton, Virginia.

David “Tray” Reynolds is currently a Young Adult Library Assistant for Roanoke City Public Libraries. He has been working in libraries for 3 years and came to librarianship looking for a path to community engagement and encouraging the love of public libraries. Reynolds shares, "A big reason I wanted to become a librarian is because as an African American male I noticed the lack of representation of professionals that looked like me in the Library field. I am looking to inspire my community to see themselves in librarian roles by actively pursuing my MLIS and becoming involved in library organizations such as VLA, ALA, PLA and the Black Caucus Library Foundation. Attending VLA last year was a life changing experience for me as I was able to connect with so many dedicated librarians, attend thought provoking seminars, and join fantastic forums such as Librarians of Color, and the New Members Roundtable forum. I came away really wanting to get involved with VLA by any means necessary and literally jumped at the opportunity to become treasurer for VLA. The most rewarding part of my job is that librarianship has managed to make me a local celebrity thanks to the great work we do and I truly know I am better person for pursuing librarianship. Thank you for the opportunity to express gratitude in this position and my hope is that I am your selection."

Kristin Evans is the Head of Adult Services at Massanutten Regional Library in Harrisonburg. She grew up in Charlottesville, where she was a regular patron of Jefferson-Madison Regional Library, and moved to metro Atlanta before high school where she got her first job at the local public library over 25 years ago. Kristin graduated from Georgia Tech with a BS in History, Technology, and Society and earned her MLS from Indiana University-Bloomington. She has spent her entire professional career working in Virginia libraries and has been with MRL since 2014. Kristin’s professional interests lie in library management and leadership, and her passions include supporting librarians and library staff in achieving their goals, ensuring that the library remains a place for all, streamlining workflows, and drafting clear policies and procedures. She is proud to be a member of the 2024 Virginia Library Leadership Academy cohort. Kristin’s VLA claim to fame is winning the Jeopardy!-style trivia during the 2015 conference social. When she isn’t at the library or doing library things, you can find Kristin reading, cross stitching, geocaching, visiting Virginia wineries, or hanging out at home with the boys (two dogs, one cat, and one husband).

Jeremy Hanes (he/his, they/theirs pronouns) is the Administrative Service Supervisor at Suffolk Public Library. He is a recovering academic  with a Ph.D. from University of California, Santa Barbara who worked in university libraries to help pay their way through graduate school at Christopher Newport University's Paul and Rosemary Trible Library and Andover-Harvard Theological Library before transitioning to public libraries. He spent 2017-2020 working at Norfolk Public Library as a circulation floater, before joining the Lafayette Branch as a Library Associate I until the pandemic. More recently, they've been working with Suffolk Public Library as a Library Services Coordinator offering classes and events in the Community Learning department from 2022-2024. Hanes helped implement author and local history talks, Baby Storytimes, Dinner and a Story to help families with kids get a free meal during the evenings, helped grow 2SLGBTQA+ events like Parking Lot Pride and Rainbow Families, and got into mischief by turning libraries into LARPing zones. In 2024, they shifted into a team lead as Administrative Services Supervisor where he help analyze trends in statistics, apply for awards and grants, and manage a team of 3-5 that handles the system's facilities, finances, and fleet. Hanes is going back for his MLIS degree in the fall at Old Dominion University to continue to grow their library skills and find ways to show our communities how much libraries are already doing for them, and how much more we can with stakeholder buy-in and funding.

Dawn Julie Rentchler Neher, is a Librarian, mother, wife, daughter, pet mother, avid reader, world traveler, martial artist, teacher, chemist, tree hugger, tennis player, beach lover, and active community member. She currently lives on the beach in Norfolk, Virginia with her son, currently in his 3rd year at ODU studying to be an astrophysicist, her husband of 27 years, her 2 dogs, 1 cat and 2 turtles. Her hobbies include reading (everything but loves fantasy and sci-fi the most), karate, travelling, scrapbooking, racquet sports, and anything that involves being outdoors.

Neher was born in Los Angeles, California and graduated from the University of California at San Diego with her bachelor’s in chemistry in 1996. After school, she landed a dream chemistry position at Pfizer as a pharmaceutical chemist and met her husband while he was stationed in Coronado. To be closer to family, she moved to Spokane, Washington, where her daughter, now in Chiropractic school in Atlanta, GA, was born. She moved across the country and settled down and raised her children in Mechanicsville, Virginia. She was a stay-at-home mom for their formative years, then an environmental director for a small statewide non-profit, and finally a high school chemistry teacher. In May of 2024, she earned her master’s in library and information science from Old Dominion University. Neher says, "Giving up teaching and embarking on an entirely new career path was likely the scariest and proudest moment of my life. Now I work as the Manager of the RMP Maker Studio inside the Mary D. Pretlow Anchor Branch Library (Norfolk Public Library system). I love my job, I still love helping people and I feel like I have finally found the perfect space for me to be my best self."

Cindy Scheu, the Library Director of the J. Robert Jamerson Memorial Library in Appomattox, Virginia, directs a staff of seven individuals and several volunteers. Under Cindy’s leadership the library has rapidly expanded to include new collaboration tables for the young adult section and reorganization of the children’s area, including adding browsing bins for the picture books.

Cindy has worked in libraries for over 16 years, beginning as the Business Associate in the Business Library within the Boatwright Library at the University of Richmond. She transitioned from public services to technical services as the Serials and Binding Associate at the Boatwright Library. After receiving her Master of Liberal Arts in Cultural Anthropology at the University of Richmond, Cindy and her husband moved to California and then to the Florida Keys.

While in the Florida Keys, Cindy worked at the Islamorada Public Library in Islamorada, Florida for a couple of years before moving to the Bortz Library at Hampden Sydney College, finally working with the J. Robert Jamerson Memorial Library. Cindy is currently working on her Master of Library and Information Science at the Catholic University of America with a projected finish date in the Spring of 2026.

Ann White is the Deputy Director of Handley Regional Library System in Winchester, VA. She has 30 years of experience working in libraries with 20 years in finance, human resources, and library administration. She plays a leadership role in managing the library system’s operations, overseeing budgeting, staffing, and strategic initiatives. Ann is dedicated to fostering a strong organizational culture, ensuring fiscal responsibility, and enhancing public services to meet the evolving needs of the community.

Ann’s coworkers describe her as proactive, supportive, empathetic and collaborative. “She is trusted and well-respected because she understands the mission and consistently acts in the best interest of the organization and its members with positive outcomes.” “Her voice is valued and respected across staff and [the library] board because she is a reliable force who empowers others to succeed.” “Her ability to successfully plan and manage budgetary issues keeps our library system on track and fiscally sound.”

While not at work, Ann enjoys reading and following her son’s writing career, traveling with her husband, spending time with her pets, and making the world a more beautiful place through gardening.

2026 Virginia Library Association Executive Committee Election
Presidential Candidate Statements

About the President
The President is the chair of the Executive Committee and the chair of Council. The President’s term is one year, and they assume office immediately after the annual conference. The winner between these two candidates will serve from October 2026 - October 2027.

What's at Stake
The VLA president's responsibilities include representing the Association in all official capacities and acting as a spokesperson for the Association on all established policies. They appoint all ad hoc committees not outlined in the By-laws and make appointments to fill unexpired terms of VLA representatives to other organizations. The president is the person who coordinates the work of all officers, committees, and program units and coordinate the Association's budget preparation with the Treasurer and Executive Director. They also act as a liaison between the VLA and other organizations and evaluate the Executive Director at the end of the year. 

There are two candidates for Virginia Library Association president. Learn more about them below.

Zach Elder hopes to use his wide range of experience across academic and public libraries to advance library values and guide our organization through uncertain times. 
 
His love for libraries dates back to his childhood in Ohio. He shares, "It is thanks to my local librarians not strictly enforcing the unattended child policy that has helped make me the person I am today."

His first work in libraries came as a student assistant within The Ohio State University Libraries. After graduation and two years in the software profession, he started my career at Duke University’s Rare Book and Manuscripts while attending North Carolina Central University’s School of Library and Information Science. 

Following graduation, Elder served in multiple positions for George Washington University Libraries. There, he advocated for Open Educational Resources and textbooks, and volunteered for the DC Library Association helping to fundraise for scholarships.

After years in academic libraries, he felt called to public service in Virginia in 2017. After several years serving with colleagues at Newport News Public Library and Chesapeake Public Library, he is now in his third year serving as the Director of Massanutten Regional Library (MRL) in Harrisonburg. He loves working together with the MRL team as well as being ardent about their libraries being welcoming to everyone in our community, eliminating barriers wherever possible. 

Throughout his time in Virginia, Elder has enjoyed his involvement in VLA, where he has served on the Conference Committee in the past as a volunteer chair, and as 2nd Vice President from 2022-2024. He also serves as current treasurer of the Virginia Public Library Directors’ Association; coincidentally, he also love incorporating Financial Literacy concepts into library programming.

Jennifer Brown, PhD, is an accomplished library leader, educator, and advocate for equitable access to library services. She currently serves as Director of the Augusta County Library system, where she leads strategic initiatives across seven locations. With over a decade of public library experience and a strong foundation in instructional design, Dr. Brown brings a unique lens to leadership development, community engagement, and inclusive service design.

In 2025, she was named a Library Journal Mover & Shaker for her transformative work with the Virginia Library Leadership Academy (VALLA), where she led the redesign of the year-long leadership program and worked with the task force to secure funding to make it free to participants, dramatically expanding access and awareness across the Commonwealth.

Dr. Brown holds a PhD in Instructional Design & Technology from Old Dominion University and teaches graduate courses in library and information science, with a focus on user services and culturally responsive librarianship. Her research and professional service have centered on reflective practice, outreach to underserved communities, and staff development.

She was the 2024–2025 President of the Virginia Public Library Directors Association and has received numerous awards, including the VLA Donna G. Cote Librarian of the Year (2019), entered the No Kid Hungry Hall of Fame (2019),  Better Together Award (2024), and was honored with a 2024 Old Dominion University Darden Fellow Award. Whether in the classroom, at the reference desk, or in the boardroom, Dr. Brown is committed to empowering others and building responsive, community-driven libraries, because libraries are more than just books; they are about people.