Anne Miskewitch (MS '05), deputy director for Schaumburg Township District Library, and Elisandro Cabada (MS '17), medical and bioengineering librarian at the University of Illinois, have been selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants to participate in the American Library Association Leadership Institute. This year marks the seventh immersive leadership development program for future library leaders.
The selection committee, headed by Library Leadership and Management Association, looked for a diverse participant mix based on type of library (public, academic, school, special), organizational responsibility, geography, gender and race/ethnicity, as well as demonstrated leadership potential, readiness for increased responsibility, professional achievement and community or campus involvement.
The ALA Leadership Institute is designed to help participants develop and practice their leadership skills in areas critical to the future of the libraries they lead and allow them to form a vibrant learning community and network. With content based on real world cases and nuanced situations, participants will explore topics related to the greatest challenges and possibilities of leading in a future marked by turbulence and ambiguity.
The thirty-six participants selected for the 2019 Institute are expected to return to their institutions with greater self-awareness and self-confidence, equipped with better skills for leading, coaching, collaborating, and engaging within their organizations and communities. Participants will be prepared to identify, develop, and implement solutions which will benefit all stakeholders.