Jennifer Gunter King, Candidate for Council

"Archivists hold a leadership role in society, and I am eager to bring my experience and voice to strengthen SAA’s contributions to advancing the archival mission in America."

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

Hello, archivists! Entering the 25th year of my archival career, my proudest professional achievements are collaborative, push boundaries, build trust, and empower communities through archival and library services. I serve now as Associate University Librarian at Boston University and am expanding core services for the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center, University Archives, digitization, and digital scholarship. At Emory's Rose Library, I improved online access to collections and organizational culture. At Hampshire College, I created a Knowledge Commons uniting academic support services and revitalized the library as a learning hub, doubling its use. At Mount Holyoke, I established a digital library, electronic records program, and robust exhibition and instruction services. I've secured nearly $2 million in grants from NHPRC, Mellon Foundation, and NEH to support these efforts.

SAA has provided critical resources throughout my career, and now it's my turn to give back. As inaugural co-chair of the Committee on Research Data and Assessment, we launched the SAA Dataverse, Facts and Figures page, and training initiatives, assumed responsibility for the SAA Research Forum, and developed the Research and Innovation Roadmap. We also secured an IMLS grant for a 2025 convening to transform this roadmap into a strategic research agenda. I am excited to to give back and will work tirelessly to do so. I am a cis white heterosexual woman and acknowledge the privilege that shaped my path. I grew up in Howard County, Maryland, worked full-time while attending Howard Community College, earned my BA in History from UMBC, and completed dual master's degrees at the University of Maryland. Weekly library visits with my first-generation college graduate parents inspired my lifelong passion for learning—a passion I share with my husband, Brian King, and our four children.

DIVERSITY STATEMENT

(Each candidate prepared a diversity statement according to SAA guidelines.)

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) mean fostering an environment where human differences—race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, and socioeconomic status—are valued and empowered. In the U.S., advancing DEI demands a lifelong commitment to dismantling systems of prejudice and inequality. Growing up in a predominantly white, middle-class suburb of Maryland in the 1970s and 1980s, I benefited from privilege as a white, college-educated, heterosexual woman while also experiencing the silencing effects of gender stereotypes. I am the child of first-generation college graduates and the grandchild of Czechoslovakian immigrants who faced cultural marginalization. A formative visit to the National Holocaust Museum opened my eyes to the consequences of socially constructed identities and systemic prejudice, inspiring a lifelong commitment to understanding and challenging injustice. Living in both a highly educated, predominantly white northeastern community and a progressive, predominantly Black southern city further expanded my perspectives on bias and privilege. These experiences have heightened my self-awareness and my commitment to continuous education.

Professionally, I actively listen to feedback and implement inclusive practices that elevate diverse perspectives. As a systems thinker and leader, I design and enact micro and macro structures to ensure knowledge systems are accessible, leaders are accountable, and inclusivity is embedded into institutional frameworks. I have prioritized embedding DEI into the mission statements of the libraries and archives I lead, empowering team members to advance equity in their work. I seek out professional development and growth opportunities for myself and my team. I have also confronted systemic barriers within human resources, marketing, and communication systems undermining DEI commitments. As a Council Member, I will advocate for transparency, remove barriers, and support member-driven initiatives. I am dedicated to navigating governance structures with clarity and purpose to advance DEI in all aspects of archival practice. American archivists must dismantle the systems that silence marginalized voices and perpetuate inequity. Our field has significant work to do to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion and I see this work as core to our profession's mission.

QUESTION POSED BY NOMINATING COMMITTEE

How would you manage competing priorities for financial stability and meeting membership needs? What specific measures do you plan to pursue to guide the Society in alignment with its mission and strategic goals? What qualities and values would you bring to this role to ensure equitable and responsive governance of the Society?

CANDIDATE'S RESPONSE

Archivists hold a leadership role in society, and I am eager to bring my experience and voice to strengthen SAA's contributions to advancing the archival mission in America. Archivists ensure that individuals, families, organizations, and communities have access to records that document the past and shape our stories. SAA, as the profession's largest membership organization, carries significant responsibility for providing leadership and effective governance to support and advance archival practice. To fulfill this mission, SAA must attract and support the diverse expertise of the archival profession to anticipate societal shifts affecting memory-keeping.

Throughout my career, SAA has clearly reflected and shaped the values, principles, and standards of our profession. Ours is a profession that knows our why. Our profession can become clearer about how we serve society. As a member of Council, I would like to see SAA, its membership and leadership more clearly establish priorities. I recently co-chaired the development of SAA's Research and Innovation Roadmap with the Committee on Research Data and Assessment. The roadmap highlights the work happening across our profession—and reveals the challenges of navigating broad goals. Trying to do everything is not strategic, and SAA can help. On Council, I will seek opportunities to improve coherence and the legibility of our professional agenda, empowering strategic action amid global change.

My priorities on Council include:

Empowering Leadership and Membership.

I am committed to uplifting the strategic contributions of section and committee leaders, SAA staff, the chief executive officer, and elected leadership. These groups drive SAA's Strategic Plan and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives, and need strong Council support. I will advocate for decisions that strengthen financial stability and promote robust membership engagement, ensuring SAA remains responsive to archivists' expertise that drives the profession.

Strategic Alignment

Archivists are confronting structural challenges – of racism and discriminatory systems, immediate challenges of the impact of climate change, continued challenges of archiving at scale with available resources, uneven technology adoption. I will champion forward-thinking initiatives that equip SAA to lead in this evolving and challenging landscape. My experience in strategic planning and stakeholder engagement will guide efforts to position SAA as a proactive force. Resilience, foresight, and cross-sector collaboration are essential to maintaining our leadership role in memory-keeping.

Advocacy and Resource Development

Advocacy is vital for sustainability. I will prioritize efforts to influence funding and policy decisions that elevate the expertise that archivists bring to societal challenges and advance our mission. I will also champion the clear progress toward realizing the SAA Strategic Plan, the Work Plan on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility, and developing an SAA Research Agenda.

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