SLASC Executive Committee

President: Laura Dowell

Laura Dowell headshot

Laura (she/her) is from Long Beach, CA and started the MLIS program in Spring 2021. She has a BA in Child Development and Family Studies from CSULB, and is very excited about this career shift. Laura found her path to the MLIS program through her passion for creative writing. She hopes to use this degree to amplify and support underrepresented populations while persevering and archiving research. When she is not at school, you can find Laura writing with her cats, spending time in nature or watching Studio Ghibli.

Vice President: Jenny Roach

Jenny (she/her) started her MLIS education at SJSU in January 2023. She has a BA in Linguistics from the University of North Texas and an MBA from Texas Woman’s University. She has a special interest in independent research libraries, museum archives, and the preservation of endangered languages. In the past, she coordinated Access, Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (AIDE) programming at the University of North Texas in collaboration with the surrounding community. In her spare time, she studies languages both ancient and modern, practices her creative writing skills, and plays video games with her husband.

Secretary: Vacant

Interested in this position? View the job description here.

Assistant Secretary: Catherine Moore

Cathy (she/her) is a full-time student from Mountain View, CA, and started the MLIS program in January 2023. She has a BA in English and History from Williams College and a JD from Stanford Law School. Cathy spent many years as a patent litigator before pivoting to run an education non-profit, and is excited by this latest career shift and the opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming a librarian. Cathy is particularly drawn to academic libraries, but is considering special librarianship as well. In her spare time, Cathy enjoys traveling with her husband and two kids, spending time with her dog and cat, exploring local hiking trails, and reading mystery and thriller novels.

Archivist: Stephen Kelley

I am a full time MLIS student who started in January 2022. I previously attended Grand Canyon State University for my BA in history with an emphasis in public history. I have also volunteered with the digital archives center of the Smithsonian Museum online, and as a curator’s assistant at the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center in 2021. I moved back to my home state of California in 2021 after living in Arizona for the past 15 years. Whenever I have free time I enjoy exercising, playing basketball and baseball (baseball being my favorite sport), and watching movies.  

Assistant Archivist: Julie Browny

Julie (she/they) is currently pursuing her MLIS degree with a focus on archives and special collections. By day, she works with a social justice non-profit as the California division’s program manager; by night, she runs her small online bookshop. She received her BA as a double major in Psychology and Women & Gender Studies from CUNY Hunter College. She loves spending time with her two cats, Bill and Donna, building Lego sets, reading fantasy, and baking. 

Programming Director: Sydney Hamamoto

(Sydney) Aiko Hamamoto (she/they) has a background in history, English literature, and technology studies. They are currently pursuing a master’s in Library and Information Science where they are cultivating their interest in the liberatory potential of information spaces and community-centered archival practices. In between work and school, they enjoy dabbling in different art mediums, studying herbalism, and consuming pop culture. 

Assistant Programming Director: Vacant

Interested in this position? View the job description here.

Second Assistant Programming Director: Vacant

Interested in this position? View the job description here.

Communications Director: Caitlin Sheil

Caitlin Sheil headshot

Caitlin (she/her) started the MLIS program in the Spring of 2023. She was born and raised in Cool, California and currently resides in Pasadena, California. After receiving her BA in Cinema/Television Arts with an emphasis in Sound Design, Caitlin worked as a foley artist and sound editor. Her passion for audio has steered her towards audio archival. In her free time Caitlin enjoys reading, playing with her cat Leap, crafting, and listening to Depeche Mode. Caitlin is a huge dinosaur fanatic and is always looking for a fellow Di-Know It All to chat with. By joining the SLASC, Caitlin is hoping to make new friends and build a strong network foundation.

Assistant Communications Director: Jenn Hunter

Jenn Hunter (she/her) is a highly motivated and versatile individual with a passion for making a difference. She is currently pursuing her Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) at San José State University while also working as an intern at a local public library. She has a Bachelor of Arts in interdisciplinary studies with emphasis in communication, French, and marketing from the University of Arizona. This unique combination of skills gives her a strong foundation in the humanities, languages, and business. In her free time, Jenn enjoys hiking in the redwoods, attending live music events, and exploring new art installations. She is also an avid traveler and has visited 27 countries worldwide. She is excited to use her skills and experience to make a positive impact here at SLASC.

Second Assistant Communications Director: Chelsey Abbott

Chelsey began her MLIS in fall 2023 after a lifetime of wanting to be a librarian. With a BA in Ethnic Studies from CSU East Bay, she is deeply passionate about diversity and looks forward to using her knowledge to support underrepresented communities in libraries. Currently, her interests lie with academic libraries and museum archives, though she has no firm plans for future paths. When not studying, you can find her hiking, baking, or playing with her youngest sibling, usually with a book in her hand. She loves exploring nature and travels to various state and national parks as often as possible. Her tentative graduation date is spring 2026 and though pursuing a PhD is tempting, she is more than a little frightened by the prospect so no plans have been made so far.

Membership Director: Rosine Bingol

Rosine Bingol Headshot

 Rosine Bingol (she/her) started the MLIS program in the Fall of 2021 and is planning to graduate in the Spring of 2024. She earned her BA in Political Science and Political Administration at Marmara University, İstanbul, Türkiye, and her MBA at San Francisco State University. By joining the SLASC, Rosine brings many years of experience contributing to non-profit organizations. She has worked as a linguistic search editor, tester, QA analyst, and content coordinator on various multilingual data-driven projects (French, Turkish, and English). Most recently, she worked as a Metadata Specialist at Stanford University Libraries, where she found her passion for taxonomy, ontology, information organization, digital services, and information architecture. While working on her MLIS, Rosine actively volunteers at her children’s school and enjoys cooking, reading, listening to classical music, and practicing yoga, meditation, and mindfulness.

Assistant Membership Director: Vanessa Sztym

Vanessa (she/her) is a settler and lives and works in Treaty 6 Territory in Alberta, Canada, traditional home to the Cree, Denesuliné, Nakota Sioux, Saulteaux, Métis and many others. She began her MLIS program in Fall 2023 and is planning to graduate in spring 2026. She obtained her BA in History, with a minor in Japanese language and literature, from the University of Alberta. After a few years working in Japan, Vanessa returned to Canada and obtained a Library and Information Technology diploma from MacEwan University. After obtaining her LIT diploma Vanessa spent approximately six years working in public libraries before transitioning to work in a legislative library, where she works full-time as a library technician. In her free time Vanessa volunteers at a local history museum, dances with a local ensemble, and knits, tats, cross-stitches, and makes lace.

Second Assistant Membership Director: Dana Ellwood

Dana began her MLIS journey at SJSU in January 2022. She earned a BA in Sociology from St. Francis College and a Master in Public Administration degree from CUNY Baruch College. She has spent most of her career in federal government, interning at New York’s U.S. Attorney’s Office and working as a case manager at a federal circuit court. Combining her interest in research and background in the legal field, she recently transitioned to an assistant librarian role in the court’s law library. Throughout her MLIS coursework, she has also gained interest in digital asset management as well as information retrieval and organization, and is thus working towards earning SJSU’s advanced certificate in this area as well. When she is not juggling work and school, you can find her cooking new recipes, gardening (way too giant) zucchinis and other vegetables, and working on her fitness at OrangeTheory.

Social Media Director: Erin Robinson

Erin Robinson Headshot

Erin (she/her/hers) began the MLIS program in Spring 2021 and is following the Digital Curation pathway while working towards the Digital Assets Management certificate. She lives in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles with her husband, two children, and lots of pets. She currently volunteers at the Sherman Grinberg Film Library in Chatsworth, CA. She has a BA in Liberal Studies from Cal State Long Beach, and her other academic pursuits are Archival Studies, Art History, Studio Art, Museum Studies, and French. Her family stewards a Little Free Library and a Free Little Art Gallery in their front yard. 

Assistant Social Media Director: Tori Robertson

Tori (she/her) lives in the Los Angeles area of California with her husband and their dog Finn. She started the MLIS program at SJSU in Fall 2023 after receiving her BA in English Literature with a minor in Women’s Studies from CSUDH last May. Tori decided to pursue her MLIS degree because of her interest in preserving libraries across the nation, and hopes to eventually work in a special library in Southern California. Her hobbies include hand embroidery, reading, and playing video games. 

Second Assistant Social Media Director: Paula Dauguet

Paula Dauguet

Paula lives in San Jose, California and received her BA in Communication Studies with a minor in Spanish in Spring 2019 from San Jose State University. She enrolled in the MLIS program in Spring 2023 and is currently in the process of figuring out what pathway she wants to take (heavily leaning on emerging technologies!) She has been working as a part-time Page for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library at San Jose State for the last year and has recently transitioned from Access Services to the Youth department. Ideally, she would love to graduate in December 2025 and is currently on track to achieve that goal. In her spare time, she enjoys watching soccer, spending time with her cat, hiking/walks in the park, and reading.

Blog Director: Adina Vega

Adina Vega headshot

Adina (she/her) is an MLIS student residing in southern Colorado, attending the program on a full-ride scholarship. She received her BS in Marketing and Advertising from Colorado State University-Pueblo in 2007. Her professional background is in nonprofit marketing; however, she is most proud of her volunteer work with organizations like NAMI, Sierra Club, and her local library district, where she has volunteered for over three years. She had an epiphany after attending a volunteer appreciation dinner and was encouraged to apply to library school. She works with the community relations team, special collections, and the Friends of the Library used bookstore, where she gets to smell old books all day. She plans to graduate in 2025, work at her main library branch, and eventually work in special or academic librarianship. She is a passionate advocate for mental health accessibility and affordability. She enjoys reading and collecting underground adult graphic novels, CrossFit, listening to indie music, needle felting, and thrifting.

Assistant Blog Editor: Michelle Sosa

Michelle (she/her) began the MLIS program in Spring of 2023. Throughout her undergraduate years in UC Irvine, she was exposed to academic librarianship by her library supervisor and became inspired to dive into the field. Upon graduating from UC Irvine with a BA in English, she began saving money for the MLIS program and has finally achieved that goal. Michelle currently resides in Long Beach, California where she volunteers as a literacy tutor for Long Beach Public Library and serves as an intern for Long Beach City College. Juggling the MLIS program while working full time makes Michelle a busy bee but in her spare time, she enjoys exercising, reading (a huge bookworm), practicing her mandarin, listening to podcasts, socializing with friends, and/or watching films. 

Second Assistant Blog Editor: Vacant

Interested in this position? View the job description here.

Webmaster: Marisa Lee

Marisa (she/her) started the MLIS program in Fall 2021. She has an interest in reference services and research & information literacy instruction in academic libraries and special collections. She has worked in the past for the National Archives at San Francisco and the Chinese Historical Society of America, and currently does freelance work as an archival researcher while working part-time for San Mateo County Libraries as a library assistant. Marisa is active in her children’s schools and is passionate about genealogy and family history research. She has a BA in American Studies and Environmental Studies from UC Santa Cruz.

Assistant Webmaster: Kristina Gerhardt

Kristina (she/her) resides in Los Angeles. As an undergraduate, she pursued a degree in Studio Art with a focus on Graphic Design. Following the completion of her degree, she decided to further her education. Upon her discovery of the library technology program at Pasadena City College, she enrolled and was driven to obtain the certificate, along with the archives and digital collections certification. This experience motivated her to apply to the MLIS program at San Jose State University. She recently completed an internship at the Cal State Northridge University Library, where she created metadata and aided in processing digital photos. She aspires to work in an archival, museum, or academic library setting. In her spare time, she can be found immersed in a book, gaming, listening to a podcast or audiobook, watching a documentary, caring for her plants, exercising, painting, and marveling at the beauty of nature.

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Norman Mooradian

Norman Mooradian has had a multifaceted career working as an information professional and as an academic focusing on digital ethics. He received his Ph.D. and M.A. in Philosophy from the Ohio State University. He also completed graduate courses in Legal Studies at the University of Illinois and attained the CIPP/US Information Privacy Professional Certification from the IAPP. Dr. Mooradian has published articles in areas such as information ethics, business ethics, information privacy, enterprise content management (ecm), knowledge management, and virtual reality, and he is the author of Ethics for Records and Information Management (2018, ALA). His research and teaching interests connect concepts from applied ethics, epistemology and ontology to the information sciences.

For more information about Dr. Mooradian, see his SJSU iSchool Faculty Profile.

Associate Advisor: Amy Nykamp, MLIS

Amy Nykamp, MLIS, graduated from the SJSU iSchool in Spring 2019, and began working part-time for Sonoma State University’s library until COVID-19 closed the campus in May 2020. While a student, Amy served in several roles of the SLASC, including president in 2018-2019. She is now serving as an associate advisor to the chapter. Amy has been working for the Sonoma County Library since May 2021 (with 8 weeks between January and March 2020), where she is an extra-help librarian and travels around the 14-branch system. Starting a career as a librarian definitely has been a learning curve, particularly after spending 31 years in administrative support in a tech firm, but well worth the challenges! Amy’s background includes a B.A. in Modern Languages (French/Russian). She is currently studying Spanish. She is active in several organizations, including the Sonoma County NAACP and serves as president of Sonoma County NOW.