Presenters

Lisa Meléndez is an instructional and public services librarian at Suffolk Community College whose work includes serving as liaison to the ESL, ELL, and World Languages department, co-advising the Latino student club, and membership on the Undocumented Students Task Force. Lisa served as secretary for the REFORMA NE Chapter from 2008-2012, and in 2021 she was awarded the Judith Rivas mini-grant to support the library’s collaboration with the Latino Arts Council of Long Island. She holds a BA in sociology from SUNY Cortland and an MLS from the University of Arizona. A certified yoga teacher, her professional interests include exploring how contemplative practices support student learning and offers regular workshops with the campus’ Office of Mental Health and Wellness Services.

Carlos Morales is a photographer and mixed media artist whose work was published in Climate of Fear: Latinos in Suffolk County and Hybrido: Arte y Literatura. In addition to exhibiting at the Pingyao International Festival, he has had two solo shows - Entre Sombras/Between Shadows and Rosie which won 1^st place in the Mills Pond juried competition. Carlos has spoken about his work at the Universidad Autónoma de Queretaro during “Raza, Migración, y Arte,” and “Creativa: Encuentro Latinoamericano de Arte y Diseño.” Carlos holds a BFA in Photography and Related Media from the Fashion Institute of Technology and is currently completing his MFA in Integrated Media at Hunter College in NY. His full bio and creative work can be seen at https://www.carlosmoralesphoto.com.

Amanda M. Leftwich works as the Student Success Librarian at Montgomery County Community College. She holds a Master of Science in Library Science from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. Her expertise and research interests include mindful practice in librarianship, reflective practice, and communities of practice. She is the founder of mindfulinlis, a virtual space dedicated to mindful practice in librarianship.

Dr. Stephanie Nnadi is an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department of the STEM Division at Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) in Blue Bell, PA. At MCCC, she currently co-leads Prof Talks, an interview series focused connecting students with diverse individuals in various fields. Stephanie holds a B.A. in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from Rutgers University and a Ph.D. in Genetics from Thomas Jefferson University, where she also completed a postdoctoral fellowship. Stephanie currently serves on the Board of Trustees at Holy Child Academy, a small independent school. Additionally, Stephanie has been a mentor for Philadelphia Futures.

Elizabeth Jean Brumfield received her B.A in Communications and Legal Studies, a MLIS and CAS in Library and Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. She is a doctoral candidate in the College of Education, at Prairie View A&M University. She has over 20 years of library service working in various departments and types of libraries.

Meral Agish is the community coordinator of the Queens Memory Project at Queens Public Library. She has worked on oral history-related projects for more than 15 years, and, in her role with Queens Memory, now works with library colleagues to launch local history projects, leads oral history workshops for the public, and collaborates closely with academic and community partners.

Natalie Milbrodt leads Queens Public Library’s Metadata Services division, responsible for cataloging and digitizing the library’s collections. In 2010, Milbrodt developed the Queens Memory Project to collect images and stories from residents for the library’s digital archives. Milbrodt serves on the Oral History Association’s Metadata Task Force and as an advisory board member for New York State Archives.

Terra Emerson is a Teen Services Librarian for the Sebastopol Branch of the Sonoma County Library. She runs teen programs including a Poetry Slam, Pride Club, Zine Club, and Knitting Club. She is currently the Chair of the library’s Queer Advocacy Team. She also collaborates with a local teacher to bring guest speakers to present to her high school Ethnic Studies students. Among her notable projects are Santa Rosa Zine Fest and Here + Queer, Sonoma County.

Zayda Delgado is the supervising librarian at the Sonoma County History & Genealogy Library. Delgado is passionate about the amplification and preservation of community histories, with particular care and interest toward Latinx and LGBTQ+ communities. In 2021, she was awarded the Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship for Diversity, Inclusion & Cultural Heritage from the Rare Book School at the University of Virginia. Her notable projects include Santa Rosa Zine Fest, Here + Queer, Sonoma County, and the award-winning project Sonoma Responds: A Community Memory Archive.