CV

PROFILE:

Energetic, creative, and experienced Librarian compelled to connect patrons of all ages with relevant knowledge resources and services. Trained in problem solving, deescalation, crisis intervention, community resiliency, Mental Health First Aid, and conflict resolution. Expertise in project organization & management. Experience & training in providing managerial support & directing the work of staff. Experienced provider of professional reference and reader’s advisory services in fast-paced environment. Experience and training in cataloging, developing, & managing collections. Experience with creating, developing, implementing, and evaluating services and programs for children, teens and adults. Advanced knowledge, training, and experience with providing literacy instruction and resource support to students. Knowledge of numerous databases and programs including HTML, XML, Access, & Horizon. Training and experience with LC, MARC, MODS, and Dewey. Mastery of MS Office Suite and Adobe Creative Suite programs. Engaged collaborator and change navigator.

EDUCATION:

SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY, SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA

Master of Science in Information, December 2012

MILLS COLLEGE, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

Master of Fine Arts in English and Creative Writing, May 2007

BROOKLYN COLLEGE, CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK

Bachelor of Arts Degree in Film Production, June 2000

WORK EXPERIENCE:

BRANCH LIBRARIAN, MENDOCINO COUNTY LIBRARY, UKIAH CA 3/18-PRESENT

Oversee, direct and supervise the operations and activities of the Ukiah branch of the Mendocino County library system. Carry out supervisory responsibility in accordance with policies, procedures and applicable laws including: training in job skills; planning, assigning and directing work; appraising performance; addressing complaints and resolving problems. Assist in the development of the budget; authorize and monitor budget expenditures for the Ukiah branch library. Determine books to be withdrawn from the branch collection, including replacements and additions to the book collection based upon book condition and research in professional library publications. Ascertain value of and need for donated books and enter books into library collection or donate them to the Friends of the Library as appropriate. Supervise maintenance of the book collection at the branch. Respond to reference questions from library patrons; instruct patrons in the use of library materials, catalogs, and equipment; perform regular circulation activities. Receive and answer library correspondence for the branch. Coordinate and participate in promoting and marketing the Public Library system through community awareness, fundraising and other activities. Create, develop, and coordinate programs & special events. Provide support to staff members at outreach & special events. Reprised Adult Literacy program for the community with help from volunteers. Perform other related duties as assigned.

TEEN & ADULT SERVICES LIBRARIAN, MENDOCINO COUNTY LIBRARY, UKIAH BRANCH UKIAH CA 6/14-8/19

Created, developed, and implemented programming and services for teen and adult patrons. Provided professional reference and reader’s advisory services to all library patrons. Managed all aspects of teen services. Created & presented budget proposals at Friends meetings to seek funding for programming. Created & managed all public relations, marketing & outreach for teen events, including outreach to schools and local organizations. Collection development and maintenance of YA and poetry collections. Wrote grant proposals to secure funding for augmenting teen programming and collections. Served on poetry and haiku committees as library representative. Active member of Leadership committee.

FOUNDER/CREATIVE DIRECTOR, POETRY CENTER CHAPBOOK EXCHANGE, SF STATE UNIVERSITY, SAN FRANCISCO CA SEPT. 2012-SEPT. 2023

Created, developed, and managed an open-access chapbook exchange and digital repository to house emerging print poetry chapbook collections as an extension of the Poetry Center’s archives. Facilitated resource access and assisted contributors with creative and IT-based queries. Performed outreach to diverse poetry communities of practice to both solicit work from contributors and promote collections. Presented two talks on this project and discussed ways to use crowdsourcing and community curation to promote collections at the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) 2013 & 2014 conferences in Boston and Seattle. A paper chronicling the project was published in the fall issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship (JERL).

GUEST INSTRUCTOR, REDWOOD ACADEMY, UKIAH CA MAY 2016-MAY 2019

Created lesson plans & built a week-long creative writing curriculum using various techniques and exercises. Teaches 7th-12th grade students for one week each year.

BOOKKEEPER/DATA MANAGER, THE KENWOOD GROUP, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 6/06-2/07, 5/08 – 6/14

Provided resource access to vendors, freelancers, and production teams in fast-paced environment. Queried and designed tables in Access database. Coded, tracked and managed flow of company credit card information in Access. Created and implemented invoice file-naming system to maximize findability and efficiency. Accountable for weekly processing of A/P check run averaging $350,000. Strategic planning for change. Evaluated outcomes and created team goals.

LIBRARY ASSISTANT, MILL VALLEY PUBLIC LIBRARY, MILL VALLEY, CA 5/12 – 9/12

Provided professional reference and reader’s advisory services to children, teens, parents, educators and other patrons in busy children’s library. Oriented new library users and photographed them for library cards. Facilitated summer reading program. Collaborated with colleagues and management to create personalized reading lists for school age and tween patrons. Performed story-times for toddler, preschool, and school-aged children. Processed holds and circulation requests using Millennium.

DIGITAL ARCHIVIST INTERN,POETRY CENTER AND AMERICAN POETRY ARCHIVE, SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 1/12 – 7/12

Created original cataloging for live and recorded Poetry Center events. Converted cataloging records to XML and uploaded to website backend. Obtained permissions from performing artists for archived works to be digitized.

LIBRARY AIDE VOLUNTEER, CONTRA COSTA PUBLIC LIBRARY, KENSINGTON, CA 2/11 – 2/12

Team-oriented customer service. Saved library patrons time and energy by finding requested items quickly and efficiently. Expert shelf reader and efficient shelver. Experience with Dewey Decimal and Library of Congress cataloging systems. Processed circulation requests using CARL.

POETRY WORKSHOP INSTRUCTOR, POETRY FOR THE PEOPLE, CCSF SAN FRANCISCO, CA 1/05 – 6/05

Co-created and co-taught poetry workshops at Balboa High School. Developed pedagogical strategies and lesson plans. Organized student poetry readings and selected student work for publication.

TEACHING ASSISTANT, BALBOA HIGH SCHOOL, CCSF SAN FRANCISCO, CA 1/05 – 6/05

Provided information and media literacy support to teens by aiding and assisting students in accessing and navigating the Internet. Worked with diversified groups of students in both honors English classes and ROOTS program. Graded papers and assisted students privately with class assignments.

RELATED EXPERIENCE:

POET LAUREATE OF UKIAH, CA 2021-2024.

Currently serving as Poet Laureate of Ukiah, CA 2021-2024

POET LAUREATE COMMITTEE OF UKIAH, UKIAH, CA 6/14-PRESENT

Represented Mendocino County Library as a planning & organizational committee member among current & former Poets Laureate of Mendocino County. Participated in judging annual ukiahaiku festival. Guest curator for The Uplift on KZYX radio.

MENDOCINO COLLEGE, UKIAH, CA OCTOBER 2023

Created curriculum for visit with Jody Gehrman’s undergraduate creative writing class in poetry instruction. Led a one-time poetry workshop and responded to student inquiries about poetry & poetics.

MENDOCINO COAST WRITER’S CONFERENCE, MENDOCINO CA 2020.

Judge, MCWC 2020 Writing Contest in Poetry.

THE UPLIFT, KZYX RADIO, UKIAH CA MARCH 2020 – MAY 2020

Co-created & curated a poetry radio show during the first 2 months of the shelter-in-place order due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

SANCTUARY READING SERIES AND WORKSHOPS, ARCATA, CA JUNE 2017

Created curriculum & led a one-time poetry workshop for students.

STORY-TIME AND CLASSROOM ASSISTANT, ALBANY PRESCHOOL ALBANY, CA 9/11-6/12

Monthly story-time readings with 2-5 year olds. Increased children’s awareness of school and public library resources. Engaged children by compiling a book list of their favorites and selecting a new one to be read each month.

STORY-TIME AND OUTREACH ASSISTANT, RAISING A READER OAKLAND, CA 10/10

Performed readings of popular children’s titles to children and families at Brookfield Family Literacy Night. Assisted Program Associate and Executive Director in setting up and breaking down event.

TEACHING ASSISTANT, CESAR CHAVEZ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SAN FRANCISCO, CA 9/04 – 6/05

Worked with Mr. Wong to actively engage his kindergarten class in group activities including painting, drawing, and story time. Provided safe space for students to address classmate concerns.

HONORS AND AWARDS:

Book-to-Action grant, California Center for the Book 2018

Teen Tech Week grant, YALSA 2015

Dierks-Morgan Scholarship, San Jose State University 2011

Graduate Equity Fellowship, San Jose State University 2010

Full Graduate Assistantship, the Place for Writers, Mills College 2006-2007

Alumnae Scholarship, Mills College 2005-2006

Graduate Research Opportunity Program Award, Mills College 2005

Winner of Citywide Spelling Bee (1984)