Elections
We are pleased to announce the 2025 ALA Core election results.
Core President-Elect
Steve Kelley 
Head of Continuing Resources and Database Management
Z. Smith Reynolds Library
Wake Forest University
Winston Salem, NC
When Core was formed by the merger of three separate Divisions in 2020, there was understandably a great deal of worry that the new Division would develop a cohesive identity. Over the past 4 years, I have been very pleased to see the degree to which the membership of Core has blended together, while still allowing the Sections to maintain their own identities and practices. I would like to continue this process of creating a cohesive identity for Core as its own Division.
I also would like to see Core adapt to the evolving needs and interests of our membership, through programming and membership opportunities. Many of our Section level committees and interest groups pre-date the formation of Core, and some may have outlived their usefulness, while others may need to be created to meet the changing needs of our members. I believe that the changing needs of Core’s membership as well as the need to guarantee the financial stability of the organization should be central to our next strategic planning process, which will begin in 2025 as the current strategic plan expires. I have extensive experience with strategic planning. As Past President of NASIG, I was involved in the creation of a new strategic plan for the organization in 2016, and then served on a implementation task force that turned the plan into concrete action items. I also served as the chair of the strategic planning committee at my library in 2023-2024, which developed a very thorough plan that drew on and synthesized input from numerous stakeholders across my university.
Core is an incredibly valuable source of education, networking, and mentorship, and if elected Vice President/President-Elect I would work diligently to make it the best it can be. I love Core and want to see it succeed.
Core Director-at-Large
Melissa Brooks 
Head of Technical Services
University of Southern Mississippi
Hattiesburg, MS
When Core was established almost five years ago, I took a chance and joined the new organization. I was excited to see what Core could accomplish with a new vision. What I have seen has been extraordinary. Core is the Phoenix from the ashes.
Having personally experienced Core come into existence, I am excited to be part of Core’s future. As a Director-at-Large, I want to make sure all Core members are represented in our community. We each have unique perspectives on librarianship, which needs to be celebrated. In my role as the Core Forum Planning Committee Co-Chair, I was able to work with a diverse group of professionals to create programming to meet the varied needs of our members. I plan to continue pushing for innovative and needed programming. I would also like to build further relationships in Core. Core is only as strong as its membership. We will never succeed if we don’t keep our members as our focus. By understanding the needs of our members, we can build a better organization. Lastly, as a person who enjoys my work organizing and planning, I want to plan for Core’s growth. I want to make sure the divisions and committees support our Core members. We need these groups to bring together our diverse viewpoints.
I would be honored to represent the Core membership as a Core Board of Directors member.
Gina Costello
Associate Dean, Technology & Special Collections
Louisiana State University Libraries
Baton Rouge, LA
I have been an ALA member most of my career, but I found community when I joined Core. Over the past two years, I have had the privilege of being a member of the Forum planning committee. It’s been great to see how the group coalesces and works together as a team to accomplish so much in a relatively short amount of time. Of course, we would be lost without the amazing Core staff! What I love about Core is the diversity of ideas and backgrounds and how welcoming the division is to new members. There is so much potential for the future, and I would be honored to continue working with Core as a member of the Board of Directors. Thank you for the nomination!
ALA Division Councilor
Rachel Fleming 
Scholarly Communications Librarian
University of Tennessee Chattanooga
Chattanooga, TN
It has been my pleasure to serve as Core Division Councilor for the 2022-2025 term and to stand for re-election. As a member of the Core Board of Directors, I have enjoyed learning more about the structure and work of Core sections and committees. As ALA Councilor, it has been rewarding to connect with other Division Councilors and learn more about the many intricacies of
ALA's functioning. During my term, ALA Council adopted a general revision of the ALA Bylaws and set the direction of ALA policy. If re-elected, it will remain my goal to share the important work of ALA Council with the Core Board and Membership, and to represent the best interests of core to the best of my abilities.
Core Metadata and Collections Section Chair-Elect
Stephanie Rodriguez 
Assistant Director
Tennessee State University
Nashville, TN
My leadership roles in technical services and collection management/development go back nearly 25 years. As someone who has worked in academic, special, and public libraries, in addition to library vendors, I have a holistic view of the work libraries do. Now, more than ever, I see the need for trained, professional librarians to lead in cataloging, collection development, and collection maintenance. I am currently a member of the Metadata & Collections Leadership Team. I think this team is at the forefront of important discussions and plays a vital role in shaping CORE and I'd like the opportunity to be even more invested in this committee.
Core Amendment Election Results
The first proposed amendment to Core Bylaws was to add the Diversity & Inclusion Committee as a committee of the Board and remove the Advocacy Committee as a committee of the Board. This passed with 818 yes votes to 133 no votes.
The second proposed amendment was a vote to clarify and emphasize that the election for Division Councilor will follow ALA’s bylaws. This passed with 941 yes votes to 15 no votes.
The third proposed amendment was a vote to standardize term limits for Directors-at-Large to match those for Division Councilor. This passed with 931 yes votes to 34 no votes.
The fourth proposed amendment was a vote to increase the term lengths for Nominating Committee members and incorporate details of the Committee’s role in the nominations process. This also passed with 930 yes votes to 36 no votes.
