SLA began as a membership-driven, professional association in 1909, and for our first 18 years that was literally the case; member-driven. We had no paid staff and no physical "home." Our business address was usually that of our current Secretary-Treasurer or perhaps the President. However, over the years as our membership grew and the business of running an association became more complex and time-consuming, Mary Wallace Brigham was hired on a part-time basis in 1927 as Secretary (later changed to Executive Secretary) and the Association recognized Providence, Rhode Island, as its headquarters' location.
SLA has grown in size and professional staff in the past 83 years from this initial staff of one part-time position in 1927 to our current staffing of 28 association professionals in 2009. These individuals have played an important role in conducting the business of SLA. While SLA members contribute thousands of hours each year to make our Association "work," the legal, financial, educational, technological, and conference-related activities in which SLA participates requires day-to-day attention by headquarters staff to ensure the benefits of SLA membership continue to appeal to all of us.
Though there have been numerous employees over the years since SLA was founded in 1909, below is just a sampling of many of the staff who started as early as 1973 up to the present. This listing includes many of staff members who have labored on our behalf for three years or more and of the 28 current staff members, more than half have been with SLA for over three years now. All current staff are included on this list. Also noted are the 13 individuals who have held the position of the Association's chief staff officer as the title has grown and transitioned from Executive Secretary to Executive Director to the current Chief Executive Officer.
SLA Executive Secretary/ Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer
| Mary Wallace Brigham, 1927-1931 |
| Rebecca B. Rankin, 1931-1940 |
| Kathleen B. Stebbins, 1940-1953 |
| Marian E. Lucius, 1953-1959 |
| William M. Woods, 1959-1967 |
| *Eleanor W. Gibson, 1967 |
| George H. Ginader, 1967-1970 |
| Frank E. McKenna, 1970-1978 |
| *Richard E. Griffen, 1978-1979 |
| David R. Bender, 1979-2001 |
| Roberta Schaffer, 2001-2002 |
| *Lynn Smith, 2002-2003 |
| Janice R. Lachance, 2003-present |
*held the position on an interim basis
SLA HQ Staff
| Ruth Rodriguez, Supervisor - Membership Records, 1973-1996 |
| Tobi Brimsek, Asst. Exec. Director - Information Services, 1985-1996 |
| Sandy Morton-Schwalb, Director - Government Relations, 1986-1996 |
| Joy Lerner, Manager - Professional Development, 1988-1996 |
| James Mears, Director - Conferences & Meetings, 1989-2001 |
| Helen Ortega, Project Coordinator, 1989-2002 |
| Lynn Smith, Deputy Executive Director, 1990-2004 |
| Mark Serepca, Director - Public Relations. 1991-1997 |
| David Whitmire, Database Administrator, 1991-2005 |
| Joan McMannama, IRC Clerk, 1991-1998 |
| Misrak Made, Accounting Clerk, 1992-1997 |
| Stephanie Russell, Director - Executive Office Relations, 1993-2005 |
| Maurice Harris, Managing Director - Computer Services, 1993-2001 |
| Michael Wright, Facilities Manager, 1994-present |
| Sharise Esh, Manager - Serial Publications, 1994-1998 |
| Lorna Walls, Director - Conferences & Exhibits, 1994-2000 |
| Kevin Heffner, Sr. Director - Fund Development Program, 1994-1998 |
| Stacey Malmgren, Manager - Conferences & Meetings, 1995-1999 |
| John Latham, Director - Information Center, 1995-2009 |
| Melissa Shriver, Desktop Publisher, 1995-2003 |
| Sandra Won, Publications Specialist, 1995-2003 |
| Susan Broughton, Director - Publications, 1995-2001 |
| Rhonda Elmore, Manager - Internet Services, 1996-1999 |
| Michelle Shands, Director - Administration, 1996-2006 |
| Doug Newcomb, Chief Policy Officer, 1996-present |
| Fred Casey, Assistant Executive Director, 1996-1999 |
| Christine Kennedy-Child, Director - Membership, 1996-2000 |
| Valerie Taylor , Director - Professional Development, 1996-1999 |
| Scott Smiley, Director - Finance, 1996-2005 |
| Jessica Watson, Leadership Associate, 1996-2000 |
| Anthony Blue, Director - Public Relations, 1997-2004 |
| Tamara Coombs, Executive Assistant, 1998-2005 |
| Natasha Kenner, Director - Executive Office Relations, 1998-present |
| Linda Broussard, Chief Community Officer, 1998-present |
| Alicia Cronin, Director - Events, 1999-2004 |
| Corvie Carrington, Director - Strategic Learning, 1999-2002 |
| Lolita Smith, Accounting Coordinator, 1999-2003 |
| Brian Weisman, Director - Technology Services, 2000-2004 |
| Jeff Leach, Director - Marketing, 2000-present |
| DeVonne Parks, Director - Exhibits, 2001-present |
| Kristin Foldvik, Director - Events, 2002-present |
| Shelva Suggs, Manager - ClickU & Career Services, 2002-2009 |
| Carolyn Sosnowski, Information Center and E-Learning Manager, 2003-present |
| Lashawn Sagers, Director Fund Development, 2003-2006 |
| John Lowery, Director - Professional Development, 2003-2009 |
| John Crosby, Chief Marketing Officer, 2003-2006 |
| Akisha Edogun, Event Coordinator, 2004-present |
| Nancy Sansalone, Chief Financial/Operating Officer, 2005-present |
| Natalie Gozzard, Policy Associate, 2006-present |
| Quan Logan, Chief Technology Officer, 2006-present |
| Cara Schatz, Director, Public Relations, 2006-present |
| Stacey Bowers , Director, Business Development, 2006-present |
| Barbara Vick, E-learning Manager, ClickU, 2006-present |
| Linda Jackson, Membership Database Associate, 2006-2009 |
| Constance Denning, Graphic Designer, 2007-present |
| Vernon Hemphill, Membership Manager, 2008-2009 |
| Karen Joseph, Controller, 2008-present |
| Maura Kennedy, Strategic Communications Director, 2008-present |
| Kim Richter, Leadership Services Associate, 2008-present |
| Roderick Giles, Accounting Assistant, 2008-2009 |
| Stuart Hales, Publications Editor, February 2009-present |
| Paula Diaz, Membership Director, March 2009-present |
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