Leadership

"Kelly has helped contribute to developing me professionally in the Library world through our program partnerships which have been notably recognized even on a national level and through publication opportunities with VOYA. Her work propels the status quo and her vision to not settle for anything less than extraordinary has made her an inspiring leader and teammate to work with." -Jimmeka Anderson


YALSA President 2021-2022
YALSA Press Release

Teen Loft Manager
ImaginOn, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
Present
Kelly manages and coaches a staff of six in the Teen Loft. 

Interim Branch Leader
West Boulevard, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
Summer 2019
Kelly served as Interim Branch Leader for several weeks during the summer. She helped coach employees, developed relationships with customers and served throughout the branch. 

Branch Leader contact
ImaginOn, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
Kelly has been asked to serve as the Branch Leader contact for short periods of time while the current leader is on vacation. Kelly addresses communication with security, Children's Theatre of Charlotte, or other library staff as needed. 

Manager On Duty
ImaginOn, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
Present
Kelly serves as Manager On Duty when scheduled and needed at ImaginOn.

Public Service Manager Meeting Team Member
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
April 2017-Present
Kelly is part of the team that develops the quarterly public service manager meeting structure and agenda.

Teen Lead Librarian / Teen Services Pod Leader
Center City, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
January 2006-December 2017
Kelly serves as Teen Lead Librarian for ImaginOn, Plaza Midwood, and Main Library for the Teen Services Division.

Content Expert YALSA Programming HQ Web Site
October 2015-2017
Kelly works with the site's Member Manager to vet all incoming program submissions and determine which meet the necessary criteria for being featured on the site. 

Idea Box at Main Library co-Lead
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
August 2014-June 2016
Kelly has helped develop the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation grant-funded Makerspace at Main Library which opened in early 2015.

New Adult Planning Team
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
August 2014-August 2015
Kelly was invited to be a member of the CML New/Young Adult Planning team which focuses on how the library can better serve 18-30 year olds.

ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee-YALSA liaison
August 2013-June 2014
Kelly served as the YALSA liaison for this committee. She was also invited to post an entry for Choose Privacy Week in May.

“Your blogs helped make the ALA 2014 Choose Privacy Week a success. Your points of view were not only refreshing but very welcome.” –ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom

Evolving Leaders
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library 

2012-2013
Kelly was a member of this cohort which explored aspects of leadership in libraries and in general. Kelly regularly posted updates on the meetings on the staff Intranet.

Digital Charlotte
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
2013, 2012
Kelly acted as the point person for the Digital Charlotte staff training workshops in partnership with Queens University. Kelly also served on a focus group at Queens University to give feedback on Digital Charlotte prior to it going live.

"Kelly was a wonderful collaborator! It was a pleasure to have such a wonderful partner who I could trust and that I knew would get the work done. I would sign-up to work with Kelly again!" Jennifer L. Hull, Former Director of Community Programs, James L. Knight School of Communication, Queens University of Charlotte

EveryoneOn 3.21
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
2013
Kelly helped organize this event which demonstrated the Public Library’s commitment to free Internet access.

Re-development and implementation of Studio i Intern Program
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
2011-2016
-A structure was created to give Studio i interns the opportunity to develop skills they could apply to their career or higher education including school credit as part of the CMS Academic Internship Program. Outcomes are measured quarterly and reported annually on the impact of the program.

-Kelly gave feedback on the EZ Innovation Grant for the Satellite Studios program to be modeled after Studio i and the internship program. Kelly helped train pilot locations and shared best practices. As a result the Studio i program increased by over 40%.

-Kelly was part of a panel presentation at PLA 2014: Animation Makerspaces: Handmade Animation Meets iPod Technology that highlighted Studio i’s technology and intern program.

--Kelly and her co-worker authored, Studio i: Digital Media Creation for Teens at ImaginOn, a post about Studio i for the Arts & Science Council, 2013.  

“This article does a terrific job telling the story of the evolution of Studio i and its impact.” –David Singleton, Director of Libraries

- Kelly worked with Studio i interns to complete the promotional video for ALA’s Why I Need My Library video contest, 2011.

-Kelly authored, Mentoring over Movies and Music-Studio i Style, an article about the Studio i intern program for VOYA, 2009.

-Kelly helped secure Studio i intern Moriah, to speak in support of the library at the Board of County Commissioners meeting in 2013. She shared in a passionate and confident speech how being an intern made a difference for her as she was able to gain experience that she is going to use toward her college major that she would otherwise have had to pay for. 

Teen Read Week Program Lead 

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library 

2007 - 2011 

Kelly developed a unique list of potential program offerings that staff could make available at all locations. Effective marketing materials were created with support from Marketing and Communications. Kelly and her co-workers won the Team Award at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library for their work and were recognized at the Directors Service Excellence Luncheon.  

YALSA Networking Toolkit and Social Networking Toolkit
2010, 2011
Kelly was invited by YALSA to update the “Social Networking Toolkit and Social Networking Toolkit: Guide for Teens” documents.

Teen Advocacy Video Project
2011
Kelly was the team lead that worked with staff throughout the system, local teens, and Studio i interns to produce over 30 videos about how the library has made a difference in their lives. YALSA blog post about the project.

Teen Tech Week Program Lead, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
2008-2011

Teen Tech Week Committee Chair, YALSA
September 2009-June 2010

Technology for Young Adults Committee Chair, YALSA

July-2008-July 2009

October 2007-July 2008

IMLS funded Media MashUp project 2008
Representative for being a partner library to the grant

Library Journal Mover & Shaker Award
2007