Adam Kriesberg, Candidate for Nominating Committee

As a faculty member in an MLIS program, I will seek to inspire SAA members to pursue leadership roles through the same strategies that I use in the classroom; namely, sharing my own passion for this work and belief that is is more important than ever in this current moment.

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

I am an Associate Professor at Simmons University' School of Library and Information Science, where I Co-Direct our MLIS/History Dual Degree Program and teach courses on Archives, Digital Stewardship, and related topics. As an undergraduate student taking courses in History and Classics, I first encountered archives as a user and spent days analyzing records and scrolling through microfilm reels for course assignments and an undergradute thesis project. Fast forward to graduate school following a stint in the technology industry and I was fourtunate enough to pursue a PhD at the University of Michigan School of Information with a focus on Archival Studies. Prior to joining the Simmons faculty, I was a postdoctoral fellow and Lecturer at the University of Maryland's College of Inormation. My current research areas of focus include digital preservation of social media records, government information management, and data curation. I have presented my work at professional conferences including SAA, ASIS&T, ALISE, and the iConference, and published articles in journals including The American Archivist, Archival Science, JASIS&T, Data Science Journal, and Library Trends.

QUESTIONS POSED BY NOMINATING COMMITTEE

1. When certain voices tend to dominate conversations, what steps do you take to ensure that everyone feels comfortable contributing their thoughts and ideas?

CANDIDATE'S RESPONSE

As an instructor, I have experience leading and participating in group discussions with a wide variety of people from all backgrounds and identities. When wanting to ensure that everyone in a group has the space to make their voices heard, I begin the conversation by stating the group's collective goal and asking to keep this in mind when discussing topics that may be sensitive or would benefit from ensuring that everyone's voices are heard. By making this explicit, it brings everyone together and encourages participation. Additionally, I follow up and invite those who have not spoken into the conversation as it unfolds. Within the Nominating Committee, the solication of everyone's voice is essential to developing the best slate of candidates for SAA leadership roles. Everyone on the committee brings different experiences, relationships, and networks to the table, and everyone's collective effort will be required to complete the work successfully. I will work to ensure that the space of the committee is inclusive and receptive to everyone's ideas, even if they all cannot be implemented at once.

2. Share your strategies for inspiriing members to participate in running for leadership positions and engaging in the election process. How will you ensure a slate of candidates that supports an awareness of the role of power, positionality, inclusion and belonging in the Society?

CANDIDATE'S RESPONSE

I look forward to being a part of the Nominating Committee because of the opportunities to connect with archivists from all corners of the profession in cultivating the next generation of SAA's leadership. In this critical moment for our nation, questions around records, information, and preservation lie at the heart of so many debates and controviersies. SAA needs leadership who understand the challenges and opportunities facing our profession, and who will remain focused on our core values in the midst of an intersecting series of threats. As a faculty member in an MLIS program, I will seek to inspire SAA members to pursue leadership roles through the same strategies that I use in the classroom; namely, sharing my own passion for this work and belief that is is more important than ever in this current moment. Through my own networks as well as those of SAA, I will work to seek out and encourage archivists to lead the society through these turbulent times.

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