Newly elected and appointed board members will begin their terms following the 2026 ALA Annual Conference
United for Libraries is excited to welcome seven (7) new and five (5) returning board members. Newly elected and appointed board members will begin their terms following the 2026 ALA Annual Conference in June.
On the Executive Board, 2024-2026 President Deborah Doyle will pass the gavel to President-Elect Lauren Trujillo, who will begin a two-year term as President during ALA Annual in Chicago. Chris Chanyasulkit will begin a two-year term as President-Elect. Chanyasulkit previously served as United for Libraries Trustee at Large.
Read below to learn more about this year’s elected and appointed board members.
ELECTED POSITIONS
President
Chris Chanyasulkit, Trustee, Brookline Public Library, was elected President-Elect/President. Chanyasulkit will serve a two-year term as President-Elect (2026–2028) followed by a two-year term as President (2028–2030).
Chanyasulkit is a public health practitioner and Past President of the American Public Health Association (APHA). An elected Library Trustee in Massachusetts and current member of the United for Libraries Board of Directors, she has focused her work on community health, civic engagement, and equitable access to information. She has advocated nationally for stronger connections between literacy, wellness, and public policy, and brings extensive experience in grassroots advocacy and coalition building.
Trustee at Large (2026–2029)
Janet Segal, Trustee at Large, United for Libraries, was reelected to a three-year term. Segal has served as a strong advocate for libraries and intellectual freedom, emphasizing the importance of protecting libraries and the communities they serve during a time of increasing political and cultural challenges.
Andrew Smith, Associate Professor, Emporia State University School of Library and Information Management, was reelected to a three-year term. Smith has long supported library trustees, Friends groups, and library foundations through advocacy, education, and professional development work that promotes the value of libraries within their communities.
Patricia Shlonsky, Trustee, Cuyahoga County Public Library, was reelected to a three-year term. Shlonsky is a longtime supporter of libraries and reading who has emphasized the importance of libraries as safe spaces for intellectual freedom, community gathering, and civic dialogue.
Friend at Large (2026–2029)
Ari Brooks, Executive Director, Friends of the Library, Montgomery County, was reelected to a three-year term. Brooks is a grassroots advocacy leader focused on strengthening sustainable funding, strategic advocacy training, and philanthropic support for libraries and Friends organizations.
Jorie Emory, Board Member, Friends of the Nevada County Libraries, was elected to a three-year term. Emory is a nonprofit and philanthropy professional with nearly two decades of experience in community development, fundraising, and volunteer leadership across mission-driven organizations.
Nainoa Mau, Executive Director, Friends of the Library of Hawai‘i, was elected to a three-year term. Mau brings more than 15 years of experience supporting Hawai‘i’s public libraries through statewide fundraising, volunteer mobilization, and legislative advocacy efforts.
Foundation at Large (2026–2029)
Brian Lawrence, Chief Executive Officer, The Seattle Public Library Foundation, was appointed to a three-year term. Lawrence is an experienced fundraising and advocacy professional who previously served as Deputy Executive Director of The Seattle Public Library Foundation and has led major donor engagement, endowment, and strategic fundraising initiatives.
APPOINTED POSITIONS
Board Member at Large (2026–2029)
Marcellus Turner, Board Member at Large, United for Libraries, was reappointed to a three-year term. Turner is the former CEO of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and former Director of Seattle Public Library. A nationally recognized speaker and library leader, he has spent decades advancing libraries as inclusive community institutions.
Wendy Cornelisen, State Librarian, Oregon, was appointed to a three-year term. Cornelisen brings more than 20 years of experience in public and state libraries and has served in leadership roles within both the Georgia Library Association and Tennessee Library Association.
Board Member at Large (2025–2028)
Tywanda L. Cuffy, Director of External Relations, Communications and Development Initiatives, University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press, was appointed to a three-year term. An award-winning communications and development professional, she has presented for organizations including Association of Research Libraries, Association of College and Research Libraries, and United for Libraries, and currently serves on the ARL Communications Working Group for 2026–2027.
Corporate at Large (2026–2029)
Matthew Bellamy, Chief Executive Officer of Bibliotheca, was appointed to the United for Libraries Board of Directors as the corporate representative. Bellamy has spent more than 25 years in the library technology sector, with leadership roles across the Americas and Japan. Appointed CEO in June 2025, he leads Bibliotheca’s global operations, supporting more than 30,000 libraries in over 100 countries.
United for Libraries congratulates all newly elected and appointed board members and thanks all candidates for their willingness to serve and support libraries, trustees, Friends groups, and foundations nationwide.
