About Our PRESENTERS

Shauntee Burns-Simpson Currently serves as the 2020-2022 president of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA). She is the Associate Director of the Center for Educators and Schools at the New York Public Library. An ambassador for libraries and youth librarian, Mrs. Simpson enjoys connecting people to the public library and its resources. She works closely with at-risk teens and fosters a love of reading & learning with her innovative programs. In addition to leading BCALA, she chairs ALA’s Committee on Diversity of the American Library Association. shaunteeburnssimpson@nypl.org

Cathy Chen graduated from the School of Library and Information Studies, McGill University Canada, Cathy Chen joined Queens Public Library in 2004. She is the Assistant Director for the New Americans Program. Cathy is an active member of NYLA, PLA, ALA and CALA. She presented at ALA Annual Conferences, JCLC and REFORMA Mini joint Conference. Cathy currently serves on the IFLA Section on Library Services to Multicultural Populations Standing Committee. xchen@queenslibrary.org

Lisa Meléndez is a Professor of Library Services at Suffolk County Community College, is an instructional librarian who serves as liaison to the ESL, ELL, and World Languages departments. Co-advisor to the Latino student club, she is a member of the Undocumented Students Task Force. Lisa served as the REFORMA NE Chapter Secretary from 2008-2012, and in 2021, she received the Judith Rivas mini-grant which helped support the collaboration between the SCCC libraries and LACLI. Lisa is also a yoga teacher and her other professional interests include investigating how contemplative edagogies support student learning and growth melenl@sunnysufolk.edu

Carlos Morales,Carlos Morales, Director of the Latino Arts Council of Long Island, is the founder and primary teacher of “The Class.” A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Photography and Related Media and is currently completing his MFA in Integrated Media Arts at Hunter College. Carlos contributed photographs and testimony to Climate of Fear: Latinos Immigrants in Suffolk County, as well as photographs and prose in Hybrido, a Spanish arts and literature journal for which he also co-authored “On Hate Crimes.” Carlos was honored as a recipient of the Equality Award given annually by the Suffolk Chapter of the NY Civil Liberties Union in 2010. His full bio and creative work can be seen here: https://www.carlosmoralesphoto.com/about.

Louis Muñoz, Jr. Born in the U.S. but also raised in his parents’ native Puerto Rico, Luis Carlos “Louis” Muñoz, Jr. has experienced first-hand many of the issues faced by immigrants and persons of color. A first-generation college graduate, Louis earned an Associate of Arts in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Essex County College in NJ and a Bachelor of Science in History from Excelsior College in NY, graduating summa cum laude. After working in a variety of careers, including serving in the U. S. Army and as a kindergarten teacher, Louis decided to pursue librarianship. While working on his Master of Library Science at Pratt Institute in New York and as a Librarian Trainee at Brooklyn (NY) Public Library, Louis was introduced by his mentor in the IMLS-grant funded Public Urban Library Service Education (PULSE) diversity initiative to several members of REFORMA Northeast (RNE), who encouraged him to join REFORMA and in his interests of working with multicultural and diverse populations and EDI. Louis worked at BPL’s Central Library helping other immigrants and traditionally underserved/underrepresented populations in the Multilingual Center and himself became a Mentor (and Presenter) in the Multicultural Internship Program, another IMLS-grant program designed to introduce NYC minority high school students to the library profession.

Since 2015 Louis has been working as a Reference/Adult Services Librarian in Morristown, New Jersey. His work there includes outreach to the Latino community as well as being a member of the Latino Oral History Project and recently helping to launch a Spanish-language edition of the online and physical newsletters to extend the library’s reach and accessibility. Outside of his library, Louis has been a presenter at various conferences, including ALA and JCLC; a member of various local and national task forces on diversity and diversity initiatives; and has been an enthusiastic participant in RNE, REFORMA National, and ALA, where he is finishing a second three-year term on ALA Council ending this year. louismunoz@yahoo.com

Tess Tobin, is a retired Associate Professor from New York City College of Technology, the City University of New York. For fourteen years, she was the Personnel and Administrative Services Librarian overseeing Human Resources, Facility Planning and Technology. She ended her career at NYCCT as a Reference and Instruction Librarian. Tess has dedicated much of her professional career to REFORMA: The National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking. She served as President of REFORMA National from 2017-2018 and was President of the REFORMA Northeast Chapter from 2009-2010. She has also worked internationally with the Library Services to Multicultural Populations Section for the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) from 2007-2015, serving as Chair from 2011-2015. She continues to work with REFORMA advocating for free access to information and equitable library and information services for all members of the community. tobin.teresamarie@gmail.com

Hong Yao has worked in the public library systems in New York City for over 25 years. Most recently, she holds the position of Director of Technical Services, Queens Public Library. She leads a team of over 100 staff to ensure that materials are properly selected, ordered, cataloged & prepared and delivered to all 65 locations to satisfy the demand of residents in Queens. Hong works closely with QPL other departments as well as front line staff to ensure that material budget, in excess of 8 million dollars are spent out efficiently and effectively. As part of the management team of the library, Hong plans, executes and oversees projects that confer with the library’s long term strategic plans & goals. Hong.Yao@queenslibrary.org