Reaching Forward North Committee

 



News

Member Spotlight - Jennifer Hovanec
April 29, 2024
This week's member spotlight is on Jennifer Hovanec. Jennifer is the Executive Director of the La Grange Public Library. Jennifer is a member of the Reaching Forward North Committee and has served on the ILA Best Practices, Conference Progr…
Member Spotlight - Matthew Matkowski
August 11, 2023
This week's member spotlight is on Matthew Matkowski. Matthew is the Head of Public Services at the Palos Heights Public Library. He previously served as chair of ILA's Intellectual Freedom Committee and is a member of the Reaching Forward Commi…
Member Spotlight - William Pleas
April 24, 2023
This week's member spotlight is on William Pleas. William is the page and volunteer coordinator at the Highland Park Public Library. He is a member of the Reaching Forward Forum and served on the ILA Conference Program Committee in 2020 and…

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Reaching Forward North Committee Charge

  • Coordinates program planning for the Reaching Forward North Conference with a focus on providing opportunities for library support staff * to grow, learn, and connect with new ideas and colleagues. 

  • Various subcommittees take on the work of recruiting and liaising with vendors, putting together a performers’ showcase, and managing social media as well as other functions necessary to run the conference. 

  • Solicits awards nominees and selecting winners for the Oberman and Rich Reaching Forward Conference Grant which recognizes the contributions of a support staff member to the library community and the role of support staff in libraries and the Robert Doyle ILA Conference Grant for Support Staff to encourage ILA membership and support staff attendance at the Illinois Library Association Annual Conference. 

*Library support staff, or library paraprofessionals, are involved in all library operations at all levels. The range and complexity of their duties varies with each position, the size and type of the library in which they work, and each library's specific needs, goals, or mission.

The one distinction usually drawn between "support staff" and "librarians" is that those in the latter group typically have a Master of Library and Information Science degree (MLIS).

 

2024 Reaching Forward North Award Winners

Robert P. Doyle
ILA Annual Conference Grant
Alejandra Nieto

Alejandra Nieto
South Holland Public Library

Oberman and Rich

Reaching Forward Conference Grant

Kathleen Schaefer

Kathleen Schaefer

Dixon Public Library

 

Oberman and Rich Reaching Forward Conference Grant

Selection Process: The deadline to submit a 2025 nomination is March 31, 2025. Nominations will open in January for 2025 nominations. You may submit nominations for yourself or for a colleague. A panel of judges from the Reaching Forward Committee will be responsible for choosing the recipients. 


Committee Composition 

The committee is composed of up to sixteen members serving three-year staggered terms. Fewer than 25% of the committee members are in a managerial/director position. Chairs (chair, incoming chair, and past chair) will serve a three-year term.

The Reaching Forward North Committee identifies its own appointees, the incoming chair finalizes the appointments with the approval of the ILA Vice President/President-Elect. The committee composition should include library staff at all levels with a minority of managerial/director positions.

 


  1. Wendy Roe-Chapman Wendy Roe-Chapman, Chair Alsip-Merrionette Park Public Library District

    Chair Term ends 06/30/2025

  2. Jennyfer Cordova Jennyfer Cordova, Member Waukegan Public Library

    Member Term ends 06/30/2027

  3. Shawn R Erens Shawn R Erens, Member Palatine Public Library District

    Member Term ends 06/30/2027

  4. Thomas E Hill Thomas E Hill, Member Warrenville Public Library District

    Member Term ends 06/30/2027

  5. Elizabeth Lugo Elizabeth Lugo, Member Youth Services Librarian at South Holland Public Library

    Member Term ends 06/30/2025

  6. Daniela Martinez Daniela Martinez, Member Interim Director/Head of Youth Services at Maywood Public Library District

    Member Term ends 06/30/2027

  7. Matthew Matkowski Matthew Matkowski, Member Head of Public Services at Palos Heights Public Library

    Member Term ends 06/30/2025

  8. Bill Ohms Bill Ohms, Member Library Services Coordinator at Evanston Public Library

    Member Term ends 06/30/2025

  9. Georgia Pichinos-Anderson Georgia Pichinos-Anderson, Member Patron Services Assistant Supervisor at Niles-Maine District Library

    Member Term ends 06/30/2026

  10. Liz Poppenhouse Liz Poppenhouse, Member Indian Trails Public Library District

    Member Term ends 06/30/2025

  11. Liz Reyes Liz Reyes, Member

    Member Term ends 06/30/2025

  12. Hayley Rightnowar Hayley Rightnowar, Member Inclusive Services Librarian at Elmhurst Public Library

    Member Term ends 06/30/2025

  13. Jessica Rodrigues Jessica Rodrigues, Member Director at Steger-South Chicago Heights Public Library District

    Member Term ends 06/30/2025

  14. Jen Ryjewski Jen Ryjewski, Member Assistant Director at Downers Grove Public Library

    Member Term ends 06/30/2025

  15. Kendall Santucci Kendall Santucci, Member Library Director at Schiller Park Public Library

    Member Term ends 06/30/2026

  16. Kaitlyn Smentek Kaitlyn Smentek, Member Circulation Department manager at Blue Island Public Library

    Member Term ends 06/30/2026

  17. Martha Sullivan Martha Sullivan, Member Young Adult Services Manager at Forest Park Public Library

    Member Term ends 06/30/2025

  18. Alexander Towers Alexander Towers, Member Library Assisstant at The Joseph Sears School

    Member Term ends 06/30/2027

  19. Diana Wence Diana Wence, Member Children Services Coordinator at Highwood Public Library

    Member Term ends 06/30/2026

  20. Esther Curry Esther Curry, Board liaison C.E. Brehm Memorial Public Library District

    Board liaison Term ends 06/30/2025

  21. William Pleas William Pleas, Chair Elect Page and Volunteer Coordinator at Highland Park Public Library

    Chair Elect Term ends 06/30/2025

  22. Rosie M Camargo Rosie M Camargo, Past Chair Cultural Literacy Specialist at South Holland Public Library

    Past Chair Term ends 06/30/2025

  23. Kristin Pekoll Kristin Pekoll, Staff liaison Conference and Continuing Education Manager at Illinois Library Association

    Staff liaison Term ends 06/30/2027


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