I had the pleasure of chairing the Nominating and Leadership Development Committee this year. This was my first year as chair and my first year on the committee so I was slightly daunted at first because I was such a newbie. I had nothing to worry about. Debbie Mikula and the MLA staff helped me understand the committee's charge and timeline; and the members of the committee -- Jennifer Dean, Val Meyerson, Kristin Shelley, Eric Stanton, Kate Van Auken, and Andrea Vernola -- were an absolute joy to work with! Thank you all for shepherding me through the entire process, and for all of your efforts to bring such a tremendous slate of candidates to the membership.

Most of all, THANK YOU to everyone running for a seat on the MLA Board. I appreciate your dedication and commitment to the profession, and your willingness to take on a leadership role in MLA.

I encourage every MLA member to make your voice heard and VOTE in the upcoming election. Your vote matters and helps determine the future of your Michigan Library Association.