Class Notes
 
    Find out what's happening in the lives of your friends from days gone by. Publications, awards, marriages, retirements, moves, promotions, birth announcements—you're sure to come across news from someone you remember.
While you're here, don't forget to submit a class note and let old friends know what you've been up to. Don't be a stranger—we'd love to hear from you!
Alumni Class Notes will remain posted online for at least six months, and will be published in the next possible issue of the iSchool magazine, Intersections.
We're proud of the accomplishments of our alumni and their contributions to the field and their communities!
2020
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    Anderson, Lauren (Class of 2022) 4 months 20 days agoLauren (Huff) Anderson (MSLIS '22) began a new position as a metadata management librarian at the University of Oregon. 
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    Godha, Manas (Class of 2024) 3 months 14 days agoManas Godha (BSIS '24), growth and strategy consultant for Advaiya, writes, "My time at the iSchool was amazing, especially being part of the first batch of BSIS. I was part of the Academic Support Center as the head tutor and had so many opportunities to learn and grow!" 
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    Higley, Katie (Class of 2025) 24 days 7 hours agoKatie Higley (MSLIS '25) began a new position as an instruction and reference sharing librarian at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota at the Winona Campus. 
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    Keiser, Colton (Class of 2024) 1 month 15 days agoColton Keiser (BSIS '24) is an IT Auditor and Python developer at a consulting firm, working with clients on IT compliance while developing tools using Python, Azure, and LangChain. 
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    Miller, Chloe (Class of 2025) 8 days 4 hours agoChloe Miller (MSLIS '25) accepted the role of research and instruction librarian at McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois. She began her new position in October 2025. 
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    Riffe-Albright, Rachel (Class of 2023) 4 months 28 days agoRachel Riffe-Albright (MSLIS '23) was a 2025 fellow with the Society for Scholarly Communication. She served on the President's Early Career Panel and presented a poster discussing the professional needs of early career library and publishing professionals. 
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    Sewall, Abigail (Class of 2020) 1 month 15 days agoAbigail Sewall (MSLIS '20) has worked in public libraries in the Denver metro area, since graduating. She has specialized in library outreach, primarily working on bookmobiles, and is grateful for her iSchool education and the valuable experience she received in her graduate assistantship roles. 
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    Smith, Jessica (Class of 2024) 6 months 7 hours agoJessica Smith (MSLIS '24) has authored a new Choose Your Own Adventure book, Curse of Great Winter Academy, under her pen name Jessika Fleck. It will be coming out on June 17, 2025. 
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    Thacker, Peeya (Class of 2025) 1 month 1 day agoPeeya Thacker (MSIM ’25) has joined COUNTRY Financial as a product owner, where she works on an internal insurance issuing tool, enhancing efficiency and equipping insurance representatives with the resources they need to better serve clients and streamline operations across the organization. 
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    Willson-St. Clair, Kimberly (Class of 2021) 3 months 23 days agoAfter 28 years of service at Portland State University Library, Kimberly Willson-St. Clair (MSLIS '21) was awarded the rank of professor emerita. 
2010
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    Bradshaw, Emily (Class of 2017) 16 days 7 hours agoEmily Bradshaw (MSLIS '17) was featured in the Illinois Library Association (ILA) Member Spotlight on August 25, 2025. 
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    Emerson, Maria (Class of 2014) 5 months 1 day agoMaria Emerson (MSLIS '14) received the 2024-2025 Outstanding Faculty Award from the University Library at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 
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    Helmick, Sam (Class of 2012) 3 months 19 days agoSam Helmick (MSLIS '12), community and access services coordinator at Iowa City (IA) Public Library, was inaugurated ALA President for 2025-2026. 
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    Kurpiel, Sarah (Class of 2011) 4 months 21 days agoA Little Like Magic, an author-illustrated picture book by Sarah Kurpiel (MSLIS '11), was awarded the 2025 Schneider Family Book Award by the American Library Association. 
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    Lindenbaum, Sarah (Class of 2013) 17 days 7 hours agoSarah Lindenbaum (MSLIS '13) recently started her new job as associate director of donor research at Dickinson College. 
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    Ross, Ryan (Class of 2010) 16 days 4 hours agoRyan A. Ross (MSLIS '10) won a 2025 Folio: Eddie Award for "Best Profile," for his Illinois Alumni magazine story about the U. of I.'s wheelchair racing coach, Adam Bleakney. The Folio: Eddie Award is one of the most prestigious honors in the magazine publishing industry, recognizing excellence in editorial content. 
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    Sheets, Laura (Class of 2012) 5 months 24 days agoLaura Sheets (MSLIS '12) was promoted to associate professor with tenure in the University Libraries at Bowling Green State University. 
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    Spencer, Joel (Class of 2010) 2 months 25 days agoJoel Spencer (MSLIS '10) has served as an adult services librarian at The Urbana Free Library since 2011. 
 
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    Svoboda, Liz (Class of 2012) 27 days 7 hours agoLiz Svoboda (MSLIS '12) was named the Michigan Academic Librarian of the Year in 2025 by the Michigan Academic Library Association and will be honored at the Michigan Library Awards ceremony in October. 
 
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    Trei, Kelli (Class of 2012) 3 months 23 days agoKelli Trei (MSLIS '12), Biosciences Librarian at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has been appointed as the Transition Director through July 2026 for the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL), the world’s largest open access digital library dedicated to biodiversity literature. 
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    Wittenberg, Jamie (Class of 2015) 3 days 4 hours agoJamie Wittenberg (MSLIS '15) has been appointed dean of libraries at Loyola University Chicago, effective January 1, 2026. 
2000
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    Barber, Mitch (Class of 2008) 1 month 13 days agoMitch Barber (MSLIS '08) recently accepted a position as librarian for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Mitch wrote, "My journey back to librarianship was a 14-year one and I am pleased to be back in the library saddle." 
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    DeLand, Rob (Class of 2008) 2 months 26 days agoRob DeLand (MSLIS '08) retired from his position as head librarian and archivist at Ruppel Library at the VanderCook College of Music in July 2025. In his message to the iSchool, Deland noted having many fond memories of Linda Smith, Leigh Estabrook, Scott Schwartz, John Wagstaff (Music Library), and many others in the School who helped prepare him for his career. 
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    Erickson, Tiffany (Class of 2006) 5 months 24 days agoTiffany (Torbeck) Erickson (MSLIS '06) is publishing her first picture book, The Snack Thief, with Lawley Publishing on July 22, 2025. The book is described as "a delicious whodunit for ages 3-5." 
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    Jones, Jimi (Class of 2007) 4 months 18 days agoJimi Jones (MSLIS '07, PhD '19) has accepted a position at the University of Illinois Foundation as manager of gifts documentation. 
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    Kirkpatrick, Nancy (Class of 2007) 5 months 3 days agoNancy Kirkpatrick (MS '07) has been named the dean of libraries for Smith College, effective August 1, 2025. 
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    Kohn, Karen (Class of 2002) 4 months 14 days agoKaren Kohn (MSLIS '02) has published a book titled, "Assessing Academic Library Collections for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion." It was released through Bloomsbury in July 2025. 
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    Mills, Jennie (Class of 2000) 16 days 7 hours agoJennie Mills (MSLIS '00) was featured in the Illinois Library Association (ILA) Member Spotlight on September 15, 2025. 
1990
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    Bolthouse, Jon Mark (Class of 1999) 2 months 3 days agoJon Mark Bolthouse (MSLIS '99) recently started his new job as director of the North Suburban Library District near Rockford, Illinois. 
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    Gengler, Jill (Class of 1999) 4 months 25 days agoJill Gengler (MSLIS '99) started work as a seventh grade science teacher at Edison Middle School in Champaign in October 2024. 
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    Janicke Hinchliffe, Lisa (Class of 1995) 5 months 25 days agoLisa Janicke Hinchliffe (MSLIS '95) was elected to the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Governing Board. 
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    Kmetz, Tom (Class of 1997) 1 month 26 days agoTom Kmetz (MSLIS '97) retired in September 2025 as coordinator of instructional and research services at Camden-Carroll Library at Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky. 
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    Lilly, Donna (Class of 1992) 4 months 19 days agoDonna J. Lilly (MSLIS '92) passed away on December 28, 2024. 
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    Novotny, Eric (Class of 1994) 5 months 1 day agoThe Library History Round Table of the American Library Association selected Eric C. Novotny (MSLIS '94) as the recipient of the 2025 Innovation and Advocacy in Library History Award. 
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    Wong, Melissa (Class of 1994) 17 days 4 hours agoMelissa Wong (MSLIS '94) was featured as the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Member of the Week for the week of September 29, 2025. 
1980
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    Finet, Scott (Class of 1984) 4 months 19 days agoScott Finet (MSLIS '84) retired from his position as legal information manager at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, District of Columbia. 
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    Haricombe, Lorraine (Class of 1988) 5 months 28 days agoLorraine J. Haricombe (MSLIS '88, PhD '92) will retire from her position as vice provost and director of the University of Texas Libraries at the end of August after leading the libraries for almost 11 years. 
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    Leibiger, Carol (Class of 1987) 4 months 20 days agoCarol Leibiger (MSLIS '87) has been named professor emerita in the University Libraries at the University of South Dakota. She will retire from her position as information literacy coordinator on June 20, 2025, after 36 years at the university. 
1970
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    Tutor, Peggy (Class of 1977) 4 months 19 days agoPeggy Tutor (MSLIS '77) passed away on December 22, 2024. 
1950
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    Poinsett, Norma (Class of 1953) 4 months 20 days agoNorma Poinsett (MSLIS '53) passed away on January 26, 2025.