Michigan Library Advocacy Day 2024 Speakers

Sen. Sarah Anthony
21st Senate District

Sen. Sarah Anthony has always fought for equity and opportunity for all Michiganders, including the most vulnerable among us. Throughout her 20 year career in public service, Sarah has made history multiple times, serving as mid-Michigan’s first African American woman to be elected to the Michigan House of Representatives and the Michigan Senate. In 2023, she became the first Black woman to chair the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee.

As Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, she earned a reputation as a pragmatic, effective legislator, where she passed multiple bills into law with substantial bipartisan, stakeholder, and community support. She fights to strengthen education, expand health care, reform Michigan’s criminal justice system, support workers and uplift small businesses. Under her leadership, she has passed bills addressing college affordability, workforce developments, support for veterans, and housing issues.

Before serving in the Capitol, Anthony was the youngest Black woman to serve on a County Commission in the United States. During her time as a commissioner, Anthony served in many leadership positions, including serving as Chair and Vice Chair of the board. She was a fearless leader for health care access, social justice, services for senior citizens and working families. In 2010, Anthony began a near decade tenure as the Deputy & Interim Executive Director with the Michigan College Access Network. There, she worked with school districts, community foundations, business leaders and nonprofit organizations to provide funding and support for students. Her experience built her unique understanding of the barriers to higher education and economic opportunity facing Michiganders today, as well as the compounding effect on the skills gap facing Michigan employers. As state Representative, Anthony has partnered with her colleagues on both sides of the aisle and the Governor’s administration to make real headway on the talent pipeline and pathway to economic success.

For her work in the Capitol, she has been recognized nationally in such publications as the New York Times, Essence, The New Yorker, and Politico. She has been named “Legislator of the Year” from business, nonprofit, education and social justice groups. Sen. Anthony was born and raised in Lansing’s south side. She has a bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University and earned a master’s degree from Western Michigan University.

John Clexton
Library Director
Gladwin County District Library

John Clexton serves as Library Director for Gladwin County District Library (GCDL) in Northern Michigan. Gladwin is home to a population of 25,500, with a mix of agricultural countryside and small towns. The GCDL is comprised of two libraries in the county. Gladwin is also home to a unique and very large Amish population. After completing his Master of Library & Information Science in 1998, John started his career as a Children's Librarian, first with Ypsilanti Public Library and then with Detroit Public Library. In 2000 he joined his (then) hometown library - Grosse Pointe Public Library - as a Branch Coordinator, serving 18 years there while raising, along with his wife, three kids, and many animals. In 2018, he left for the Caribbean island of St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands as a Territorial Librarian supervisor. His love for up north called him to Gladwin County, where he currently lives on Wiggins Lake. There he enjoys abundant fishing opportunities and outdoor recreation. In addition to the many hats and tasks of a Director, John currently is the Association of Rural and Small Libraries President-Elect, along with numerous ALA and MLA committees.

Bob DeVries
Lobbyist
Governmental Consultant Services Inc.

Before joining Governmental Consultant Services Inc., Bob served for 10 years on House and Senate staffs eventually rising to the position of Chief of Staff to the Senate Majority Leader. During his time in the legislature, Bob managed many difficult legislative issues and became one of Lansing’s leading experts on the legislative process. Bob has his bachelor’s degree in political science from Grand Valley State University and his law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. GCSI was founded in 1983 and has been repeatedly recognized as Lansing’s most effective lobbying firm. The firm employs nine lobbyists from diverse political backgrounds. GCSI has represented the Michigan Library Association since 2007.

Sonja Dunlap
Student
Carlson High School

Sonja Dunlap is a Junior at Carlson High School in Gibraltar. She is also a Juliette with the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan. Presently, she is working towards her Girl Scout Gold Award aiming to further community library access and get more books into the hands of children over the summer. The library was one of her favorite destinations growing up, and she hopes to encourage others to find a similar love for literacy and reading. Equally passionate about politics, she founded the Carlson chapter of High School Democrats of America and is interested in pursuing a degree in political science. Her favorite books include A Tale of Two Cities, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me, and Flowers for Algernon.

Rep. Graham Filler
93rd House District

Rep. Graham Filler was first elected to serve in the Michigan House of Representatives in November 2018. He represents the 93rd House District, which encompasses portions of Clinton, Gratiot, Ionia, Montcalm, and Saginaw counties.

Filler serves as the Republican vice chair on the House Criminal Justice Committee. He also serves as a member on the Health Policy Committee and Regulatory Reform Committee.

Previously, Filler chaired the House Judiciary committee and served as a member of the Agriculture, Elections and Ethics and Health Policy committees.

Since becoming a state representative, Filler has led efforts to improve Michigan’s criminal justice system. He earned national attention for spearheading reforms to expand the number of individuals eligible for expungement, opening new doors for people to access new and better employment, education and housing opportunities.Filler also led the effort to commission an independent study on nuclear energy generation in Michigan. As coal-fired power generation plants are shuttered, the study will consider the baseload Michigan is losing and examine the viability of modern nuclear energy options to ensure Michigan families have access to reliable energy they can afford.

Filler was born and raised in Ovid, graduating from Ovid-Elsie High School in 2002. He went on to Miami University in Ohio where he earned a bachelor’s degree in politics, philosophy, and law. He then earned his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy in 2009.

From 2011 to 2018, Filler served as an assistant attorney general with the Michigan Attorney General’s Office. During this time, he worked closely with crime victims and members of law enforcement, gaining a deep appreciation for police officers and the work they do to protect the communities they serve. Filler also served as an assistant attorney general for the Michigan Public Service Commission, helping ensure affordable and reliable energy service for the people of Michigan.

Kristin Fontichiaro
Professor
University of Michigan School of Information

Kristin Fontichiaro is a clinical professor at the University of Michigan School of Information, where she teaches courses in library science. She facilitates professional development and leadership training for librarians and has written dozens of books for children, educators, and librarians about inquiry learning, research skills, makerspaces, data literacy, and libraries. She is the two-time winner of the Joan Durrance Community Engagement Award.

Dillon Geshel
Director
Superiorland Library Cooperative

Dillon Geshel is the Director of the Superiorland Library Cooperative, where he works with the organization's 35-member public libraries to facilitate resource sharing, professional development opportunities and consulting. He is the President of the Michigan Library Association Board and also serves on the organization's Legislative and Advocacy Committee and their Intellectual Freedom Task Force. Dillon is passionate about the power of library advocacy and coalition building to support the freedom to read.

Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist
State of Michigan

Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist has dedicated his career to solving problems. An engineer by training, he uses thoughtful and fact-based practices to solve real problems and make government work better for Michigan families.

As part of the Whitmer Administration, Lt. Governor Gilchrist has focused on helping Michiganders in communities across our state realize their full economic and political potential. From co-chairing the Michigan Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration, to helming the Michigan COVID-19 Task Force on Racial Disparities, to leading efforts to connect over 23,000 unserved locations in Michigan to affordable high-speed internet, Lt. Governor Gilchrist is committed to building a more just, equitable, prosperous, and connected Michigan where everyone can thrive.

Lt. Governor Gilchrist and his wife, Ellen, reside in Detroit where they are raising their twins, Emily and Garlin III, and daughter, Ruby.

Rep. Carol Glanville
84th House District

State Rep. Carol Glanville serves the 84th House District, which includes Walker, Grandville, the Westside and parts of Northeast Grand Rapids. Carol’s message of fighting for west Michigan values and delivering common sense solutions for families resulted in her flipping a special election in May 2022 and returning to Lansing after another victory for the newly drawn 84th District in November 2022. Rep. Glanville has extensive professional experience as a classroom teacher, administrator, education consultant, and a local elected official that has served on many community boards. Rep. Glanville chairs the Higher Education committee and serves on four other committees: Education, Health Policy, Subcommittee Behavioral Health, and Families, Children, and Seniors. She advocates for hard-working families on the issues that matter most – including help with rising costs, investing in education and professional opportunities at all levels, further investing in our communities and infrastructure, and working with businesses to create good-paying jobs that support Michiganders. Rep. Glanville was born and raised in West Michigan, and she went on to live and raise her family in the Walker community.

Joseph Hamlin
Library Data, State Aid/Penal Fines, and Certification Coordinator
Library of Michigan

Joseph Hamlin is the Library Data, State Aid/Penal Fines, and Certification Coordinator at the Library of Michigan, with twelve years of experience collaborating with libraries and library staff statewide. Joe is responsible for administering Michigan's public library data collection and distributing state aid and penal fines, as well as overseeing the certification of public library staff. His impact extends beyond Michigan as an elected member of the IMLS Library Statistics Working Group and as library data mentor to ten states over the last five years.

Loren Khogali
Executive Director
ACLU of Michigan

Loren Khogali serves as the Executive Director of the ACLU of Michigan. Prior joining the ACLU, she was the Executive Director of the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission (MIDC), a State of Michigan commission responsible for setting minimum standards for public defense and securing funding for public defense systems statewide. Prior to joining MIDC, Loren served as an attorney for 13 years with the Federal Public Defender Office in Detroit, advocating on behalf of people charged with federal crimes and unable to afford an attorney at the trial, appellate and post-conviction stages.

Loren received her Juris Doctor from Northeastern University School of Law in 2003 and her B.S. and B.A. from Western Michigan University in 1998. She lives in Plymouth, Michigan with her partner, Yasir and their two daughters, Hala and Noorah.

Jon Martin
Program Manager, Chapter Relations Office
American Library Association

Jon Martin (he/him) serves as the Program Manager for the American Library Association’s Chapter Relations Office. With a background in nonprofits, he supports state library associations in achieving their advocacy and management goals. Additionally, Jon is the current board president of his city’s public library. He has strong ties to Michigan, having grown up attending programs at the Portage District Library and later graduating from Northern Michigan University.

Deborah E. Mikula
Executive Director
Michigan Library Association

Since June 2019, Debbie has served as the Michigan Library Association’s Executive Director. She places a high priority on any organization or project that creates a sense of place, showcases a community’s authentic heritage, and contributes to the economic prosperity of a region. Libraries are no exception. She is a passionate advocate of arts and culture in the state and on a national basis – having led the Arts Council of Greater Lansing, ArtServe Michigan, Michigan Association of Community Arts Agencies, and the League of Historic American Theatres.

Rep. Veronica Paiz
11th House District

State Rep. Veronica Paiz is serving her first term representing the 11th House District, which stretches from northeast Detroit to St. Clair Shores. As a legislator, Rep. Paiz is fighting to defend reproductive freedom, increase access to affordable food, health care and housing, safeguard pensions, lower child care costs, protect people with disabilities, reform insurance laws and improve water infrastructure.

Rep. Paiz is a second generation Mexican American, whose family moved to Michigan from Texas in the 1960s to work in the auto industry. A longtime resident of the district, a former Detroiter and a native of Macomb County, Paiz brings to the Legislature a unique insight into the community she represents and the challenges they have faced. As an activist, community volunteer and member of the Harper Woods City Council, she has seen how legislation directly impacts the power and resources a community receives. She’s advocating to reverse the wrongs her community has endured and protect the policies that have worked for residents throughout her district and the state.

Rep. Paiz has a long record of public service. She’s served on the Harper Woods Library Board, Harper Woods Recreation Advisory Board, Harper Woods Ordinance and Beautification Committees, and Michigan Municipal League’s Legislative Municipal Services Committee and Elections Sub-Committee. Rep. Paiz was a community arts coordinator for Focus: HOPE, where she oversaw a pen-pal program that facilitated interactions between third graders in Detroit and suburban schools. She also led The Mission Program, which helped high school students in the tri-county area meet for cultural diversity icebreakers and discussions exploring their lives in Detroit through photography and mentorship, which culminated in a photo exhibit. As the executive director of Casa de Unidad, a cultural center in southwest Detroit, she supervised literacy and arts programs, conducted cultural seminars, and led a teachers cultural arts workshop for the University Musical Society of the University of Michigan. She’s also served as an executive board member of the Michigan Democratic Party Hispanic Latino Caucus.

Rep. Paiz is also an accomplished artist, whose work has been exhibited at the Detroit Institute of Art.

Lynne Pierce
President
Grosse Pointe League of Women Voters

Lynne A Pierce was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She graduated from the University of Michigan in 1975 and Detroit College of Law in 1979. She has been a licensed attorney since November 1979.

Lynne was elected the Grosse Pointe Woods Municipal Judge in 1991 and held that position until she was elected to the Wayne County Circuit bench in 2008. While working as a local judge, Lynne initiated, developed, and participated in a program at GP North, called “Critical Life Choices”, an interactive program to discuss risk-taking behavior with the students. Lynne has been active with the LWV-Grosse Pointe for over 30 years. She developed and co-chaired the “Running and Winning” workshop for the LWV-GP, a program that engaged local students in how to participate in the election process.

As a circuit court judge, Lynne was assigned to the Family Division. She handled abuse and neglect cases, delinquency cases, divorces, custody cases, personal protection orders, and others. She was assigned to the specialized domestic violence docket, handling the most serious cases involving violence and power and control issues.

Judge Pierce retired from the Wayne County Circuit Court in the fall of 2022. Since then, she has taken on the role of president of the LWV-Grosse Pointe. She sits as a visiting judge in neighboring courts, works as a consultant for the family court, and spends time with her grandchildren and elderly mother. Lynne has been married for 43 years to Raymond J. Andary; they have 3 adult children and 3 grandchildren.

Andie Poole, APR
Partner
Martin Waymire

Andie Poole is a strategic marketing communications professional with more than 18 years of experience and a background in the technology sector, higher education, and government relations. Andie serves as a triple threat, bringing to the table a strong writing repertoire, strategic social media and digital marketing expertise, and the ability to lead multiple projects and deliver results.

Prior to joining Martin Waymire, Andie served as a product marketing manager at TechSmith Corporation and led projects ranging from writing customer stories to managing website content and global marketing strategy for TechSmith products.

A Spartan through and through, Andie earned her bachelor’s degree in English and master’s degree in public relations from Michigan State University. She continued to support the university early in her career, serving as alumni relations coordinator for MSU’s College of Communication Arts & Sciences, where she guided efforts of the college’s alumni association and board to engage alumni and donors.

Michael F. Rice, Ph.D.
State Superintendent
Michigan Department of Education

Dr. Michael F. Rice was appointed Michigan’s 44th Superintendent of Public Instruction by Michigan’s State Board of Education in May 2019. Since his appointment as state superintendent and chairman of the State Board of Education, Dr. Rice has led the revamping of the state’s Top 10 Strategic Education Plan, with defined goals and associated metrics, and has focused educators and policymakers on ways to improve inputs, outputs, and outcomes for children.

Dr. Rice began his career in public education in the Washington, D.C. Public Schools, where he taught high school French and founded and coached award-winning speech and debate programs. He graduated from Yale University with a bachelor's degree in psychology with honors and from New York University with a master's degree and doctoral degree in public administration, also with honors. Dr. Rice came to the Michigan Department of Education after serving 17 years as a local district superintendent – 12 years in the Kalamazoo Public Schools and five in the Clifton (NJ) Public Schools.

A long-time mentor of children, his greatest joy continues to be his interactions with children in Michigan’s schools.

Randy Riley
State Librarian
Library of Michigan

Randy Riley was named State Librarian in April 2014. He has focused on helping to increase Michigan libraries’ visibility and prominence in their local communities. Riley has served at the Library of Michigan since October 1989 and has been a key member of the team responsible for oversight of the Michigan eLibrary (MeL) and promoting its resources to school and public libraries and government agencies statewide. He has helped coordinated outreach to librarians, educators, and state employees in efforts to improve access to information. In 2010, he was awarded The Filby Award as the leading genealogical librarian in the country by the National Genealogical Society. Riley has worked as a reference librarian, Michigan Collection Selector, Michigan and Genealogy Special Collections Coordinator and as Special Collections Supervisor at the Library of Michigan.

Lance Werner
Executive Director
Kent District Library

Lance Werner has served as the Executive Director at the Kent District Library in Kent County, Michigan, for more than a decade. With a background in law and library sciences, he has held a number of roles and leadership positions including past president of the Michigan Library Association (MLA), chair of the MLA Legislative Committee and advisory board member of the Wayne State School of Information Sciences. He is the Vice Chair of the Library of Michigan Board and the President of the Lakeland Library Cooperative Board.