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UCLA Library will host 18 of the nation’s most promising top managers of academic libraries for the 2026 UCLA Library Senior Fellows program(opens in a new tab).
The biennial summer program brings together emerging leaders for an immersive experience that emphasizes peer learning, collaboration and leadership development focused on the evolving role of academic libraries. The longest-running leadership development program in the academic library profession, the three-week hybrid program includes two weeks onsite at UCLA.
“The UCLA Library Senior Fellows program is one of the most transformative leadership experiences in our field," said Athena Jackson, the Norman and Armena Powell University Librarian and a member of the 2018 cohort. "The program fosters the kind of thoughtful, resilient and strategic leadership needed to manage the complex challenges facing research libraries today and to anticipate those opportunities we have yet to imagine.”
The 2026 program is co-directed by lorraine j. haricombe, vice provost and director emerita of the University of Texas Libraries at Austin, and Mark A. Puente, associate dean for organizational development at Purdue University Libraries and School of Information Studies and principal, Mark A. Puente & Associates LLC.
“Stepping into co-directorship of this program is a wonderful opportunity for us to draw on our diverse professional experiences to co-design a curriculum that prepares fellows to pursue advanced leadership roles in the field,” said haricombe and Puente. “We are eager to welcome the 2026 cohort for an immersive experience that we know will also forge connections and relationships that will help shape their careers for years to come.”
Since its founding in 1982, more than 300 fellows have participated in the program, with nearly 100 going on to become library directors, including about 60 at Association of Research Libraries institutions.
2026 Senior Fellows cohort
- Laurie Alexander, associate university librarian for research and learning, University of Michigan
Jake Carlson, associate university librarian for research, collections and outreach, University at Buffalo
Amanda Focke, CA, DAS, head of special collections, Fondren Library, Rice University
Forrest Foster, assistant dean of library services, North Carolina A&T State University
Laura W. Gariepy, Ph.D., associate dean for research and learning, Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries
Joshua Gomez, associate university librarian for digital strategies and collections services, UCLA
David A. Hurley, interim associate dean for administration and organizational strategy, College of University Libraries and Learning Sciences, University of New Mexico
Courtney Kearney, director of scholarly engagement, Tulane University Libraries, Tulane University
Jason Kovari, associate university librarian for collections, Cornell University Library
Ryan Litsey, Ph.D., associate dean of libraries for user-centered services, Texas Tech University Libraries
Terrence J. Martin, assistant director of content and collection management, Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library
Melanie McGurr, Ph.D., associate dean for collections and technical services, Michigan State University Libraries
Amanda T. Moreno-Schroeder, MSLIS/MA, Esperanza Bravo de Varona chair and director, Cuban Heritage Collection, University of Miami Libraries
Christina Mune, associate dean of innovation and resource management, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library, San Jose State University
Jonathan Shank, associate university librarian for budget, operations and technical services, University of Richmond
Christina Sheley, associate university librarian for research, teaching and engagement, Cornell University Library
Elizabeth Smart, associate university librarian for research and learning, BYU Library, Brigham Young University
Sara Wright, associate university librarian for learning services and academic engagement, University of Georgia
Header: 2024 UCLA Library Senior Fellows cohort