Boston Library Consortium (BLC) recognizes and congratulates the exceptional cohort of Fellows who have successfully completed BLC Leads, BLC’s signature leadership development training program. Over the past six months, 21 Fellows representing 14 institutions have immersed themselves in a comprehensive curriculum that challenged them to think innovatively, collaborate effectively, and navigate the complexities of leadership.
Each week yielded different learning opportunities, which the cohort embraced with inquiry and curiosity. Through a combination of workshops with industry and thought leaders, in-depth conversations with BLC leaders, site visits to BLC member institutions, and two intensive in-person institutes, the Fellows not only honed their leadership skills but also built a strong network of peers.
“From strategic thinking to navigating complex systems, they have demonstrated a commitment to personal and professional growth that positions them to continue to grow as leaders in their communities,” said Cate Harriman, BLC’s Program Manager for Learning and Development. “The successful completion of this program marks a significant milestone in their leadership journey, and we have full confidence that they will go on to make a lasting impact in their respective libraries and the BLC community. Their accomplishments serve as a testament to the value of investing in leadership development and the potential for positive change that emerges when skilled and passionate individuals take on both formal and informal leadership roles in their communities.”
Many thanks to the BLC leaders and colleagues whose participation in the program ensured this cohort experienced a leadership development program that reflected the diversity of BLC’s member institutions and highly contextualized the experience to the consortium. Special thanks to Boston College, Boston Public Library, UMass Chan Medical School, Williams College, UMass Boston, University of New Hampshire, and the State Library of Massachusetts for hosting the program’s site visits and creating a dynamic learning opportunity for the Fellows.
We also wish to acknowledge Andrew Elder, University Archivist and Curator of Special Collections at UMass Boston’s Healey Library, who stepped into the newly-created and pivotal role of Pod Facilitator in the reimagined BLC Leads program and thoughtfully led the cohort through this program as a facilitator and mentor.
"Congratulations to each Fellow on this achievement,” said Charlie Barlow, BLC’s Executive Director. “The Fellows exemplify what it means not only to believe in collaboration but to continually focus on how to practice it. Their leadership creates the energy and collective value of BLC.”
The 21 BLC Leads 2023 Fellows join an alumni community and lifelong professional network of more than 50 colleagues since the program’s inception in 2017. Please join us in congratulating the BLC Leads 2023 Fellows:
Heather Castle, Library Branch Manager, University of New Hampshire
Melina Zavala, Digital Asset Coordinator, Wesleyan University
Ann Marie Dyer Shafer, Library Desks Service Manager, UMass Boston
Sonia Pacheco, Social Sciences Librarian, UMass Dartmouth
Marc Hoffeditz, Program Manager, Resource Sharing, Boston Library Consortium
Sara Pike, Electronic Resources Librarian, UMass Dartmouth
Paul Bridden, Head of Access Services, Boston College
Amber De Angelis, Research Services Team Leader, Boston Public Library
Karen Tatarka, Hartford Campus Library Director, University of Connecticut
Tess Grynoch, Research Data & Scholarly Communications Librarian, UMass Chan Medical School
Mary Calo, Manager of Public Services, Brandeis University
Andrew Weidner, Head of Digital Production Services, Boston College
Daisy Benson, Library Instruction Coordinator, University of Vermont
Debbie Roth, Repository Manager, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Jason Di Resta, Art History & Visual Arts Librarian, Wesleyan University
Anne Jorgensen, Manager of Access Services, Bentley University
Kathleen Berry, Head of Information Resources Management, UMass Amherst
Viral Amin, Senior Reference Librarian of Electronic Resources, Bentley University
Anna E. Kijas, Head of Lilly Music Library, Tufts University
Gabe Stetson, Coordinator of Digital Curriculum, Reserve, and Media, UMass Amherst
Rebecca Gerber, Electronic Resources Librarian, UMass Chan Medical School