Candidates for Leadership Positions (2019)

Vice Chair/Chair-Elect 

Tamar Zeffren, Archival Collections Manager, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee 

Brief Bio

I am the Archival Collections Manager at the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) in New York, the world’s leading Jewish humanitarian aid organization. I received my M.A. in archival management from NYU and am a Digital Archives Specialist. I have extensive volunteer experience, including two years on the Board of the Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York, Inc. (A.R.T.); working as a peer reviewer with the Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies (JCAS); currently serving on SAA’s Membership Committee; and previously serving as a Steering Committee member with the Archival History Section, where I served on the Publication Working Group.  

Statement of Interest

Perhaps of most relevance, I’ve had the privilege of serving on the Archives Management Steering Committee for the past year. This experience has afforded me a more vivid and nuanced encounter with the needs of our constituents, a exciting range of archival professionals looking for resources to assist them in serving as innovative managers, informed advocates for their teams, and ambassadors for our profession to external and internal audiences.

I am particularly excited and fulfilled about the possibility of continuing to learn from and collaborate with Section members. I am keenly interested in working together to sustain proactive relationships with aligned groups and developing relevant and accessible tools for managers at all different stages of their professional trajectories.

Recording Secretary

 Ann E. Smith Case, University Archivist, Tulane University

 Brief Bio

 I am the University Archivist at Tulane University, in my tenth year in that position, and currently finishing my 26^th year working in the University Archives. I originally came to Tulane with a BA in Anthropology (Historic Archaeology) from the College of William and Mary to enroll in Tulane’s Ph.D. program in Anthropology. While working towards my doctorate, I began working as a paraprofessional in the library’s Special Collections departments, gaining experience with published and manuscript collections before ultimately landing in the University Archives as assistant University Archivist. Along the way, I completed a master’s degree and earned archival certification, which I have successfully recertified twice. In 2008, I was promoted to the University Archivist position. Thus, I have experience in working on ‘both sides of the fence’ in archives management. As a member of archival societies, I have served on national, local, and regional annual meeting planning committees, and am just beginning a two-year term on the Executive Board of the Society of Southwest Archivists. I am the author of Tulane University (2016), one of Arcadia Publishing’s Campus History series. I am currently the Recording Secretary for the Archives Management Section, and a member of the Steering Committee for the Section.

 Statement of Interest 

 Being a part of the Archives Management Section lets me confer with other archivists who have the same goals and face the same challenges that I face. By sharing our experiences, we can discern where common gaps in support (financial, administrative, cooperative, or educational) exist so that we can begin to build creative bridges over the gaps. As part of the leadership team, I hope to be able to contribute to the dialog, to find solutions to help fill those shortfalls, and perhaps to better situate ourselves to handle whatever pops up in the future. For the past eight years, it has been my privilege to record and post the minutes of the Archives Management Section annual meeting, and to participate in discussions concerning the content and direction of the Archives Management Section website and meetings. I’d be pleased to continue contributing to our profession as Recording Secretary for the Archives Management Section in this capacity for another year.

Steering Committee 

 Lisa E. Duncan, Collections Management Archivist, University of Arizona Libraries 

 Brief Bio

I am the Collections Management Archivist at the University of Arizona Libraries, Special Collections.  Prior to that, I was the Archivist and Special Collections Librarian at the University of South Dakota, managing a department of three.  I have been a member of SAA since 2008.  I am also a member of the Academy of Certified Archivists.  I am active in two regional archival organizations, Council of Inter-Mountain Archivists and Society of Southwest Archivists, serving on multiple committees including the Awards Committee (CIMA), Professional Development Committee (SSA) and Local Arrangements Committee (SSA/CIMA).  I have an MA in Information Resources and Library Science and BA in History and Anthropology from the University of Arizona.

 Statement of Interest

Joining the Archives Management Section Steering Committee allows me to discuss important challenges and opportunities related to managing archives with other archivists in similar situations.  Through my personal experiences working in archives, I have seen how important management and leadership is to the success and growth of an archive.  As a new manager within the last five years, I hope to help contribute to meaningful conversation with other new managers.  Equally as important, the network of archivists available in this section to support each other, share ideas and give advice can be a resource for all archivists working in management positions.  I hope to contribute to this conversation by serving on this committee.

Cara Howe, Assistant Director for Archives and Special Collections, Upstate Medical University 

 Brief Bio

 Cara Howe is the Assistant Director for Archives and Special Collections at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY. She holds an MSLIS (with a CAS in Cultural Heritage Preservation) from the iSchool at Syracuse University (SU), where she is currently an adjunct professor. She also completed an MA in Museum Studies from SU. She has previously been the Archivist for the Pan Am Flight 103 Archives at Syracuse University and is currently Vice President of the Board of the Erie Canal Museum.

 Statement of Interest

Cara brings extensive knowledge of archival practice and first-hand experience with establishing an archival program in a University setting, as well as integration of archives and special collections departments within larger library systems. She is very interested in the affects that leadership has on archival departments and is interested in collaborating with others who are facing administrative challenges in archives.

Mott R. Linn, Jr., Chief Librarian and Archivist, Los Alamos National Labs 

 Brief Bio

Professional Experience: Chief Librarian and Archivist; Los Alamos National Labs: 2019 – Present. Head of Collections Management; Clark University: 2008-Present. Coordinator of Archives and Special Collections; Clark University: 1998-2008. Manager of Video Archives; National Hockey League: 1993-1997. Archivist; Philadelphia Flyers: 1986-1993.

Education: Doctor of Arts in Library Leadership, Simmons College: 2008. Master of Public Administration, Clark University: 2003. Master of Science in Library and Information Science, Drexel University: 1992. Master of Arts in History, University of Wisconsin, Madison: 1985. Bachelor of Arts in History, University of Delaware: 1983.

Professional Activities: Society of American Archivists: Chair of Archives Management Roundtable, 2011-2014; Archives Management Roundtable Steering Committee: 2014 – 2016. College and University Section Steering Committee: 2002-2005. Serve as a mentor in SAA’s Mentor / Mentee Program: 1994 – Present. Academy of Certified Archivists: Member, 1991-present; Treasurer, 2008-2012; President: 2014 – 2017.

 Statement of Interest

A few years ago I was a leader of the section (when it was a roundtable) and I would like to use my institutional knowledge of it to help it continue to grow.  This section is important to the profession because every archives needs to be managed.  As a result, if the section can enhance the quality of how archives are run, it will have made an important contribution to improving the profession.  Since I have considerable experience managing archives (having done so in the academic, business, and government sectors), I have a lot of managerial know-how to share with others.