Section election candidates, 2021

Vice-chair/chair-elect

 Rebecca Hankins

Wendler Endowed Professor and certified archivist/librarian, Texas A&M University in College Station, TX

Biographical statement: Rebecca Hankins is the Wendler Endowed Professor and certified archivist/librarian at Texas A&M University in College Station, TX. She is a member of the Society of American Archivists' Distinguished Fellows, elected in 2016, it is the highest honor in this professional society. United States President Barack Obama (2008-2016) appointed Hankins to the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), where she served from 2016-2020. NHPRC is responsible for evaluating and dispensing between $5-10 million dollars in funds annually for the National Archives.  She has presented and published widely on the African Diaspora, Women's & Gender Studies, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), cultural competence, social justice, and critical pedagogy in academia. In 2016 Hankins and Dr. Miguel Juarez co-authored the book "Where are All the Librarians of Color: The Experiences of People of Color in Academia" published by Library Juice Press. Hankins is an affiliated faculty in the Interdisciplinary Critical Studies Program that includes Africana Studies, Women's & Gender Studies, and Religious Studies. Her most recent publication is a 2020 essay titled "Joseph Cinque: Reframing and Reclaiming the Muslim Presence in the Amistad Revolt" published in The Muslim Journal edited by Temple University's Professor Zain Abdullah.

Candidate statement: I have been a member of multiple SAA Sections including the Archival History Section, since 1999 to the present, regularly attending meetings at SAA's Annual Conferences. I was elected to SAA's Council in 2006, serving until 2009; I was co-chair/chair elect of the Archivists and Archives of Color Section (AACS) (formerly Roundtable) in 2002; I have chaired taskforces on AACS's history, and served as the newsletter editor for a number of archival organizations, both local and regional.

Steering committee

Trevor Alvord

Curator of 21st-century Mormonism and Western Americana, Brigham Young University

Biographical statement: Trevor Alvord has been the curator of 21st-century Mormonism and Western Americana at the L. Tom Perry Special Collections since 2012. He is responsible for building the BYU web archive and collecting modern imprints, art, and media, to document Mormonism's historical and cultural expression. Before BYU, he served as a Processing Archivist at Utah State University and as Head of Special Collections at James Madison University. Trevor received undergraduate degrees from USU in History and Religious Studies in 2007 and his MLIS from San Jose State University in 2009. Research interests are in the culture, expression, identity, and portrayal of Mormonism.

Candidate Statement: I love being an archivist and contributing to the profession through SAA and have previously served in the Web Archiving Section and the Spotlight Award Committee. Understanding our past is vital to ensuring our future, and I am excited for the opportunity to play a role in documenting and communicating archival history.

Dane Flansburgh

Assistant Archivist, Syracuse University

Biographical statement: I am nominating myself for membership of the Steering Committee for the Archival History Section (AHS). Please allow me to quickly introduce myself. I am graduate of Onondaga Community College (A.A. in Humanities and Social Sciences), LeMoyne College (B.A. in History), and University of Pittsburgh (MLIS with concentration in Archives, Preservation, and Records Management). My work experience includes The Strong Museum of Play in Rochester, NY and Syracuse University. I have been at the Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) at Syracuse University since 2016, and my current position as Assistant Archivist since 2018.

Candidate statement: I am nominating myself for steering committee member because I want to become more involved with SAA, and since I have a passion for history, I believe the Archival History Section would be a perfect fit for my interests.

Catie Sampson

Collections Processor of Photography, The Historic New Orleans Collection

Biographical statement: Catie Sampson is currently a Collections Processor of Photography at The Historic New Orleans Collection, a history museum located in the French Quarter. Sampson works closely with cataloging, reference, and curatorial staff at THNOC to process, catalog, preserve and expand access to the Collection’s extensive still & moving image holdings. Most recently she was selected as a photo data specialist in the institution’s research & selection process for a new Content Management System in anticipation of the museum’s library, archives, and museum database migration and implementation. In May 2019 Sampson completed her MLIS degree and graduate certificate in Archival Studies at Louisiana State University. In August 2020, she passed her ACA exam to become a Certified Archivist. Sampson is a member of Visual Resources Association and the American Photography Archives Group. She regularly attends workshops & annual conferences with the Image Permanence Institute (RIT), Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA), and the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH). Sampson attends regular meetings with Catalogers Unite! and No Museums, a network of archival professionals dedicated to promoting equity, accessibility, diversity, and inclusion in libraries, archives, and museums.

 Candidate statement: I first became acquainted with the Society of American Archivists in my graduate school program at Louisiana State University and it’s been an invaluable resource both as a student and emerging professional. As the sole processor and cataloger of photographic and film materials at The Historic New Orleans Collection, a history museum dedicated to collecting and preserving materials related to New Orleans and the Gulf South, I feel I’d thoroughly enjoy participating in and connecting with other archival colleagues on the Archival History Section’s Steering Committee.