Joyce Valenza Associate Teaching Professor
OPENING KEYNOTE PANEL After 25 years of joyful practice as a teacher librarian in K12 education, and several more as a public and special librarian, Joyce joined the faculty of Rutgers University School of Communication and Information. As an Associate Teaching Professor, she prepares future librarians to lead cultures of literacy and engage communities.
Joyce wrote the NeverendingSearch Blog for School Library Journal (now on hiatus) and contributes to several other library and edtech publications. She speaks globally about the thoughtful use of technology in learning and the power of librarians to lead. Joyce was honored with the American Association of School Librarians' Distinguished Service Award and has been named an AASL Social Media Leadership Luminary. She is a Milken Educator and an American Memory Fellow. Joyce earned her doctorate in information science from the University of North Texas.
Jason Griffey Director of Strategic Initiatives at NISO
OPENING KEYNOTE PANEL Jason Griffey is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at NISO, where he works to identify new areas of the information ecosystem where standards expertise is useful and needed, as well as leads several ongoing projects such as NISO’s participation in the Coalition for Seamless Access. Prior to joining NISO in 2019, Jason ran his own technology consulting company for libraries, has been both an Affiliate at metaLAB and a Fellow and Affiliate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, and was an academic librarian in roles ranging from reference and instruction to Head of IT at the University of TN at Chattanooga.
Jason has written extensively on technology and libraries, including multiple books and a series of full-periodical issues on technology topics, most recently AI & Machine Learning in Libraries and Library Spaces and Smart Buildings: Technology, Metrics, and Iterative Design from 2018. He has spoken internationally on topics such as artificial intelligence & machine learning, the future of technology and libraries, decentralization and the Blockchain, privacy, copyright, and intellectual property.
Jason has a Masters of Library and Information Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Bachelors of Arts from Morehead State University.
Kelvin Watson Executive Director, Las Vegas-Clark County Library District
OPENING KEYNOTE PANEL As executive director of the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District, Kelvin Watson oversees 25 branches run by 600+ employees, spanning 8,000 square miles, with a budget of $77 million and a collection of 3.2 million items. Kelvin has brought innovative, award-winning leadership to Nevada’s largest library system and his deep experience in fundraising, technology, program development, and demonstrated success in addressing the digital divide, has brought a new era to this library system.
Regarded as one of the most highly respected thought leaders in the library industry, Kelvin is credited with expanding his customer base in multiple library management roles, through outreach efforts to underserved and diverse populations. Two examples of these in Las Vegas are a partnership with the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, which made digital access to the library available to bus riders and won an Honorable Mention from the ULC Innovation Awards; and the Library District’s many literacy programs for adults and children, which received the Crystal Bookmark Award from the Las Vegas Book Festival.
Kelvin joined the Library District from his role as the director of the Broward County Libraries Division, where he managed through 38 locations in the Ft. Lauderdale, Florida region. During his tenure at Broward County Libraries, he brought transformative change through ambitious and groundbreaking initiatives, such as streamlining access to resources, introducing new technology, and developing new collaborative partnerships. He was named the 2021 winner of the Margaret E. Monroe Library Adult Services Award, sponsored by Novelist, for his dedication to implementing new and innovative ways to meet customers – both existing and new – “where they are,” with initiatives targeting non-traditional library users.
Dr. Peter HepburnHead Librarian, College of the Canyons
OPENING KEYNOTE PANELDr. Peter Hepburn has been Head Librarian at the College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita California since 2013. He formerly earned tenure and held a succession of positions in the library at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he started his professional career in 2000. He earned his EdD from Arizona State University, his MLIS from McGill University, and his BA (Political Science) from the University of Victoria. Peter is an active member of the American Library Association, having been appointed and elected to numerous positions within the organization. He is the ALA Treasurer for the 2022-2025 term.