Meet the Candidates for the MLA 2025 Election

The MLA Board election will open on Monday, March 31 and close on Monday, April 21 at midnight. This year, MLA members will vote for an MLA President-elect and four Member-at-Large Board positions for terms beginning in July 2025 and ending in June 2028. Election results will be announced in MLA’s Primary Source newsletter on Thursday, April 24. Meet the candidates! 

Eligible members will receive an email on March 31 with instructions and a link to vote.

President-elect

Lisa Waskin 
District Director 
Superior District Library

Being involved with MLA for the last ten years has been some of the most meaningful work I have done outside of my library in terms of making a difference for Michigan libraries. Having a background in a variety of library types, in various states, and doing almost every position from the bottom up, gives me perspective to be able to relate to other members throughout Michigan, no matter what size and type of library they work in. My passion for work is with small and rural libraries, but for the organization, I feel one of MLA's greatest strengths is combining the knowledge, energy, experience and collaboration of all our libraries. As our mission states, "The Michigan Library Association leads the advancement of all Michigan libraries through advocacy, education and engagement." It is because of this we are Stronger Together, and I fully embrace that philosophy. 

To that end, I have worked on committees and workgroups that address the needs to enhance our DEI commitment by putting more funding towards scholarships and programs to make the organization more inclusive and welcoming to members of all types and coming from all places on their journeys. I fully support Intellectual Freedom rights and as a current board member, I have personally worked on creating programs, trainings and policies to help member libraries who are dealing with these issues. As President-Elect, I will continue to do so. And as a Director of a rural library district in the Upper Peninsula, I am keenly aware of making sure that our libraries are looking at new technologies and providing training for staff at our various conferences and workshops on things like AI, while helping staff deal with the professional burnout and stress that have been a constant for the past four years for some of us. We owe it to our communities to help keep not only our librarians up to date with the newest thing, but also to make sure that our patrons of all ages are able to compete for jobs, gain entrance into universities and trades, and attract new businesses to the state by being future ready. The Michigan Library Association’s commitment to those goals is one of the main reasons why I love being part of helping make those things happen across the state for all sizes of libraries.

I love being a librarian in Michigan, and I would be honored to be your next MLA President-Elect.

Member-at-Large

DJ Bond 
Member Engagement Coordinator 
The Library Network

Hello MLA Members, my name is DJ Bond and I am running for a seat on the MLA Board. It is my honor to be considered for this opportunity. If chosen for the board, I will use my unique perspective to guide MLA in their endeavors and advocacy over the next 3 years. 

I am the right person to be on the MLA board because of my unique perspective. My past experience includes working at Rochester Hills Public Library and MacDonald Public Library along with working for corporate organizations in marketing roles, but my current role as the Member Engagement Coordinator at The Library Network, I have the opportunity to provide extra support to all of the people in our cooperative. From coordinating webinars to help inspire, to designing annual reports and infographics to educate, to leading the committees that provide recommendations on projects, my role involves truly engaging with the library staff throughout TLN and beyond.

My focus if elected to the MLA Board would be to utilize some of my work around equity, diversity, accessibility and belonging. One of the committees I help lead is TLN’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, which has completed successful work such as TLN’s first EDI Statement. Additionally, I helped lead the committee for the Workplace Perceptions Survey Committee which successfully completed a cooperative-wide survey to hear the voices of those who might be experiencing harassment or discrimination.

It is my belief that we can’t be more excited about stopping book bans than we are about properly caring for the people who’s stories these books represent. Our books that are being challenged are deliberately targeting stories representing BIPOC, LGBT+, and Disabled characters, authors, and viewpoints. We have a responsibility to stand up for these books, but also to protect those who have these identities and others that are underrepresented. Finding ways to not only hear these voices but giving their voices life at the decision-making table also can help us to make libraries even more inclusive of workplaces.

Much of my current role involves interacting with the library staff from all throughout the cooperative and I hope that if elected to this role that those working in libraries from all over Michigan would feel that they have more access to have their voices heard. Our biggest job as board members for MLA is to really help guide them in better advocating for you and if I can keep a pulse on what’s affecting you, I can better help MLA in doing that.

All in all, we are here to best represent you! If you like what I bring to the table or relate to the message I have, don’t hesitate to vote for me. Thank you all for being considered for this opportunity.

James Kole 
Trustee and Treasurer 
Bridgman Public Library

It has been a joy and great education to serve on the Board of Trustees of the Bridgman Public Library for several years, and I believe that BPL (with Director Sarah Skinner leading the way!) has made excellent progress improving the management, collection, policies and programs of the Bridgman Library. Unfortunately, libraries can be hit with extraordinary attorneys' fees and costs from book-banning efforts, FOIA actions and, this year, unnecessary ESTA legislative/court ping pong.  Having retired in Bridgman after over thirty years of attorney work for two AmLaw 100 law firms (Nixon Peabody and Sidley Austin), as Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's Chicago Consumer Fraud Bureau Chief, and as R1 RCM's in-house litigation counsel, I joined the Michigan Bar to do pro bono litigation/legal projects just like those facing MLA member libraries.  Having been Treasurer of BPL for the last few years, I know too well how tight library budgets are, and I want to help MLA further help member libraries respond to overzealous book banning efforts and other legal challenges as efficiently as possible. 

I have been very impressed with the whole Michigan library system, its librarians and MLA's management, particularly with respect to its strong efforts to get the Right to Read legislation passed.  I would be delighted and proud to work with that impressive team that put together the tool kit and example documents, so that libraries can easily incorporate some of the excellent ideas in the legislation into their own policies.  Let’s not be timid about addition sensible provisions into our policies (as BPL has), like that a book challenger needs to have read the materials challenged, must live in the library’s service area, and must not be challenging materials to discriminate against any group in Michigan, as that is still unlawful under Michigan law.  

I would be happy to contribute in a number of other functions and projects that MLA leadership pursues, and yes, I hope my UMichigan (economics), UChicago (law) and URochester (MBA) over-education will be put to some good use.  More specifically, much of my past legal practice focused on intellectual property and copyright issues, and later in my career I focused more on human resource management policies and employee litigation. I hope that my legal background and experience in law firms and diverse organizations could help MLA more efficiently assist member libraries dealing with copyright, HR and intellectual freedom issues, perhaps creating a richer forms and policy clearinghouse than I have found as yet.  I also think one of the great opportunities for MLA and BPL on the frontier of the AI world, is to educate and better serve young people and the elderly, particularly with so many on-line and audio resources that can improve lives through literature and learning. I hope you will consider my candidacy in the spirit it is intended: an effort to use my law license and BPL experience to do more public service for more Michigan libraries.  Thanks!

Claire Meeker 
Library Director
Romeo District Library

I have been a librarian in public libraries for over 20 years, and have been a member of MLA for nearly as long. I started as a children's librarian, after working circulation while I was in grad school, and am now a director of a class V library. During that time I have benefited greatly by being an MLA member, through conferences and trainings, networking, and mentoring. 

The latest MLA Annual Conference in Traverse City was a great reminder to me about how important libraries and librarians are, and it reminded me how crucial MLA is in the support and advocacy it offers.

I want to contribute to this organization in a meaningful way that will benefit all members of the association. The professional team at MLA is constantly impressing me, and the recent MLA boards have the association on the right path. I want to be part of the efforts to support librarians and libraries who are faced with book challenges, and the effort to educate the public about the 1st Amendment and its effect on library services. It's also important that MLA invests in new graduates and those just entering the field so that we can continue to serve the communities in Michigan. I would like to help continue the successes that MLA has seen.

Christine Peele
Assistant Director of Public Services
Detroit Public Library

Dear MLA Members,

I am excited to announce my candidacy for a seat on the MLA Board. With a deep commitment to the transformative power of libraries, I am eager to contribute to MLA’s mission of fostering learning, advancing intellectual freedom, and ensuring equitable access to information for all.

I am running for a second term on the MLA board because I believe that libraries play a unique and essential role in creating vibrant, informed, and inclusive communities. As we navigate unprecedented changes in technology and social dynamics, I see opportunities to advocate for libraries and their place in our rapidly evolving world. I aim to help shape MLA policies and initiatives that empower libraries to be future-ready, diverse, and accessible.

My goals for serving on the MLA Board focus on enhancing our support for libraries in ways that ensure equity, diversity, accessibility, and belonging (EDAB). Libraries should reflect and serve all members of their communities, which means actively working to dismantle barriers that may prevent people from accessing our resources. I intend to advocate for resources, training, and partnerships that strengthen library staff’s ability to engage inclusively, both in outreach and internal practices. I am also committed to upholding intellectual freedom as a foundational value, ensuring that libraries remain safe spaces for exploring diverse perspectives and ideas.

If reelected, I plan to continue to bring a forward-looking approach that considers not only the challenges libraries face today but also the opportunities to innovate and adapt. I believe we must support libraries in expanding digital literacy programs, enhancing physical and virtual accessibility, and exploring new ways to deliver information. By focusing on these areas, I hope to help MLA continue its tradition of leadership in the library profession and inspire future generations of library advocates and patrons.

I have over 20 years of experience working at the Detroit Public Library and have worked with a variety of community groups in the city and in Southeastern Michigan along with my passion for Adult Literacy and the Freedom to Read movement and fighting for library funding among other issues has equipped me with the insight and drive needed to serve effectively on the board. I look forward to working alongside MLA members to make our libraries spaces that genuinely belong to all who enter them, and resources that empower every individual they touch.

Thank you for considering my candidacy. Together, let’s ensure a future where every library is a welcoming hub of knowledge, connection, and empowerment.

James Pugh 
Director 
Cedar Springs Public Library

As a passionate advocate for libraries and all they offer their communities, I am honored to run for a seat on the MLA Board. Libraries are no longer simply places to find information‚ they have evolved into inclusive community centers where people of all ages, backgrounds, and interests come to learn, connect, and create. Today’s libraries are safe spaces for collaboration, discovery, and personal growth, and it’s essential that we continue to adapt to meet the diverse needs of those we serve.

Throughout my career, I’ve witnessed firsthand how libraries empower people by providing equitable access to knowledge and resources. My goal as an MLA Board member is to help safeguard this legacy by fostering libraries that are both vibrant and sustainable for the future. To achieve this, I am committed to supporting initiatives in diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA), which I believe are at the heart of a thriving library environment. By championing DEIA, we cultivate spaces that treat every person with dignity and respect, fueling creativity and innovation across our communities. This will be a priority for me as I work with the MLA Board and its members.

Libraries are also on the front lines in the fight for intellectual freedom. As a dedicated LIS professional, I strongly support our core values, which defend access to information and uphold First Amendment rights. We face ongoing challenges, including attempts to ban or censor materials, which directly impact our communities' right to information. I am committed to standing with MLA and library staff to ensure that every voice is protected and that our collections remain diverse, inclusive, and reflective of the needs of all patrons. As an MLA Board member, I would be honored to continue the work and efforts MLA, the MI Right to Read Coalition, and Intellectual Freedom Taskforce have started to ensure every Michigan citizen’s intellectual freedom is protected. 

Finally, strong, adaptive leadership is essential for libraries as they navigate political and cultural shifts. I believe that forward-thinking leadership will enable us to protect the core values of librarianship while preparing for what lies ahead. As a member of the MLA Board, I will work to establish tools and resources empowering library leaders at every level to ensure libraries across Michigan are prepared for the future.

I am inspired by MLA’s mission to advance Michigan libraries through advocacy, education, and engagement. If elected, I will work diligently to uphold this mission, collaborating with members across the state to expand our impact and create positive change in Michigan libraries. I am excited to work with all of you to build a sustainable future for libraries, where each of us can continue to make a difference.

Vanessa Verdun-Morris 
Library Director  
Madison Heights Public Library

Over the past twenty years, I’ve been an active participant in the changing societal role of public libraries. By running for MLA’s Board of Directors, I hope to ensure libraries continue serving as outstanding examples of positive community change. My goals are to help MLA support libraries in becoming even more future-ready, and to emphasize accessibility and belonging.

For future-ready libraries, embracing technology and innovation is crucial. I aim to support initiatives and training focusing on helpful, and easy-to-troubleshoot, technology in libraries. My goal is to ensure our libraries are equipped to meet the evolving needs of patrons, while minimizing the hassles that come with technology not performing as expected.

Regarding accessibility and belonging, I am committed to making our libraries more accessible and welcoming to all. I will advocate for policies that improve services and facilities for individuals with disabilities, language barriers, and diverse cultural backgrounds. Every library should have the knowledge and means to create an environment where everyone is able to be recognized and supported. 

Skills I Bring to the MLA Board:

• Big Picture Outlook: I explore innovative ideas and best practices to enhance public library services and address local community needs in Michigan. Having worked in libraries established by a County, by PA 164 Section 1 Library, and by Home Rule, I have a broad understanding of how various types of library governance come with differing restraints and opportunities.
• Strategic Planning: I will help ensure the strategic plan is a document that guides the actions and decisions of MLA. At both my current and previous library, I have developed and implemented strategic plans. Currently, I serve on the Strategic Planning Committee for MLA and am looking forward to implementing MLA’s new strategic plan.
• Change Agent: I lead initiatives that drive creativity and modernization within public libraries, fostering new programs and services. At the last two libraries I’ve worked at, I’ve successfully overseen major renovations which improved services and community engagement. The most recent renovation included the creation of a Creative Techspace, which is my library’s technology-focused makerspace.

MLA’s mission is to lead the advancement of all Michigan libraries through advocacy, education and engagement. If elected, I will do my best to promote the essential role of libraries in our communities, support professional development for library staff, and encourage policies that enhance library services.