2026 AA&A Election: Candidate Statements

Thank you to all of our excellent candidates for standing in the 2026 Accessioning, Acquisitions, & Appraisal Section election. Please take some time to review their candidate statements and get to know them so you can make an informed choice.

You will be voting for:

• One Vice Chair/Chair-Elect (three-year term); and
• Two Steering Committee members (two-year terms).

Ballots will be managed by SAA staff through Survey Monkey; keep an eye on your inbox for when the ballot opens!

Vice Chair/Chair-Elect Candidate

The following (1) candidate is running for the (1) Vice Chair/Chair-Elect position:

Alexa Goff 
Intake Coordinator and Accessioning Archivist, University of Oregon (UO)

Candidate Bio: 

I work as the Intake Coordinator and Accessioning Archivist at Special Collections and University Archives at the University of Oregon (UO). In this role, I coordinate the intake of all born-digital and analog acquisitions and manage the full lifecycle of accessioning activities, from pre-custodial consultation to access to reappraisal and deaccessioning. I have an MLIS from San José State University, an MA in History of Art and Architecture from University of Oregon, and a BA in Art from Idaho State University. My recent work at UO has centered on a review of our local accessioning practices to reassess and align these workflows with the recently adopted Archival Accessioning Best Practices. I developed an audit template to identify and prioritize areas of our program in need of improvement, which has been a useful advocacy tool in my own work and a small benefit to other practitioners seeking to implement the AABP, a landmark resource for the profession. 

My primary goals in accessioning work are to expedite access to materials, maintain accurate and timely recordkeeping, and prioritize inclusive and culturally mindful description and project management. Since 2023, we have shifted our institutional accessioning and processing philosophy to a more format-agnostic approach, which has improved my ability to dedicate sufficient focus and resources to born-digital material, which previously may not have received as much stabilization as analog material during accessioning. Given the wide impact and foundational value of accessioning work, I have also recently developed and led a series of peer trainings for my colleagues to better coordinate and perform pre-custodial and appraisal work for born-digital records. 

Given the complex and ever-changing landscape of technology, I view accessioning and technical service archivists as increasingly valuable and critical partners in appraisal and acquisition work with curators and donors.   

Candidate Statement: 

I strive to center labor advocacy, mentorship, and increasing equity and accessibility to archives within my work and scholarship. I’m regularly in awe of the versatility and strength of accessioning and processing archivists, who may start their workday performing the unglamorous, physically demanding (and often dirty) job of moving boxes, and then end the day at a private fundraising event with philanthropists writing checks larger than our paystubs. Not to mention the years of training and sensitivity required to build the technical, ethical, and cultural expertise that is embedded in all aspects of accessioning labor. Our work is vital, a bit messy, and complex. I believe that our professional communities, especially the AA&A Section, are some of our most important social networks to support and advocate for each other, as well as build knowledge and shine light on each other’s good work. I have been fortunate to have had the space in my career thus far to be candid and creative in my labor advocacy and community building work. I have coordinated research and internal presentations on wage compression for classified library staff following the pandemic, as well as facilitated several collaborative zine-making events for library workers and a regional archival conference. I am a proponent of informal and creative exchange in our work lives. Of course, traditional research is critical, but I also believe that a broader approach to professional networking can further stabilize our shared missions as cultural heritage workers (and all of its joys and challenges), help each other solve problems, and reduce isolation, fatigue, and burnout. I would be honored to serve on the steering committee as your next AA&A vice chair/chair to continue to widely advocate for the value of accessioning labor and to facilitate programs and events that serve the interests and needs of the community.

Steering Committee Member Candidates 

 The following (3) candidates are running for the (2) Member-at-Large positions: 

Jessica Green
Accessioning Archivist and Stacks Manager, Iowa State University

Candidate Bio: 

Hello! My name is Jessica Green, and I have been the Accessioning Archivist and Stacks Manager for the Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) department at Iowa State University’s Parks Library since the end of 2022.  In my position I am responsible for creating accession records for both new acquisitions and legacy materials, as well as assisting with the intake of materials, supervising a student employee, and managing the physical spaces where SCUA stores our material. I have a B.A. from the University of Colorado-Boulder in History and Humanities, and I received my MLIS from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I am a member of Midwest Archives Conference (MAC) and have served on the MAC membership and program committees. 

Candidate Statement:

I am interested in an at-large member position for the Accessioning, Acquisitions, and Appraisal Steering Committee. As a new archivist who did not know many other accessioning archivists I have greatly benefited from the activities of the AAA section—particularly the AAA talks and the Accessioning Best Practices. I would like to support these activities and others like them so that anyone who could be helped by having more resources in these subjects has them available. I would be pleased to be a part of the steering committee and to continue increasing visibility for those who do accessioning and acquisitions work. 

Ryan Leimkuehler
University Archivist, Kansas State University

Candidate Bio: 

Ryan Leimkuehler is an accomplished archivist and academic with extensive experience in accessioning, acquisitions, and appraisal. Currently serving as the University Archivist at Kansas State University, Ryan provides expert guidance on archival administration, records management, and compliance with legal standards. He has made many contributions to the field of archival science through his leadership in the SAA Records Management Section, co-editor for the Archives and Primary Source Handbook, and adjunct faculty for Emporia State University SLIM program.

Candidate Statement: 

I am seeking to serve as a member at large for the AA&A section because it closely aligns to the work I do regularly as university archivist. I am interested in leadership and providing worthwhile professional development opportunities for the membership of the section and growing opportunities to discuss and participate with colleagues. I have served as a member on other SAA steering committees and I could leverage some of those relationships to collaborate with other sections. This position will allow me to stay actively engaged in our profession, expand my knowledge, and grow my professional network. I am eager to contribute to the AA&A section and support its mission through my experience and dedication.

Leah Tams
Accessions Coordinator, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University

Candidate Bio: 

I am currently the Accessioning Archivist for Duke University’s Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, where I have worked for the past 4.5 years. I completed my Master’s degree in Library Science at UNC Chapel Hill in May 2021, focusing my work on Archives and Records Management. My academic background is in U.S. history and digital humanities, and I have created online exhibits for the Smithsonian Institution Archives and the National Museum of American History. Prior to pursuing my graduate degree, I worked for several years at the University of Mary Washington, my alma mater, as the Program Associate for COPLACDigital, a groundbreaking initiative to develop multi-campus, team-taught, distance digital liberal arts seminars.

Candidate Statement: 

I have over 4 years of experience accessioning and processing archival collections at the Rubenstein Library, and I am intimately familiar with our accessioning, acquisitions, and appraisal practices. During my tenure as the Accessioning Archivist at the Rubenstein, our accessioning practice has developed and grown into a robust program. With this time and experience under my belt, I am eager to step outside of my own institution and into a leadership position so that I can learn from and help colleagues all throughout the country. During my time as an AA&A Section member, I have greatly benefitted from the monthly discussions, publication of best practices, and sharing of other resources. Furthermore, it has been very meaningful to be a part of a community that believes as strongly as I do in the professional value of accessioning and acquisitions labor. Being an At-Large Member will allow me to be even more active in the Section and SAA more broadly, while also facilitating advocacy for archival labor that is often undervalued or overlooked. I would be honored to be a part of leading the AA&A Section and advancing accessioning and acquisitions discourse for the next 2 years.