Elections

Biography

Hello! My name is Erin Grady, and I am the Senior Archivist and Company Historian for the Gap Inc. Heritage Lab. I work out of the San Francisco HQ and manage the marketing and business records for all brands as well as the Old Navy clothing collection. (We also have a 17-foot giraffe named Ziggy!)

Over the past 4.5 years I’ve had the opportunity to work on some great projects including Stranger Things, a pop-up museum for Gap’s 50th anniversary, and various Gap and Banana Republic product re-issues.

Since moving to the Bay Area in 2015, I have picked up cycling. I love to ride the trails near my unit solo. My other hobbies include quilting, visiting museums, and tango dancing, which is how I met my husband!

Candidate Statement

I am running for Vice Chair as I’d like to be more involved on the BAS committee. As this is a multi-year position, I am ready to make the 3-year commitment. I know my work experience in the GLAM field will help me carryout the duties to the best of my extent, whether planning the Colloquium or scheduling the monthly meetings.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to me personally should you have any questions about my qualifications or interest. Thank you for your vote!

Biography

Jennifer serves as Senior Archivist for Hershey Community Archives, where she oversees management of archival collections for the Hershey corporate entities (The Hershey Co., Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Co., Hershey Trust Co., and The M.S. Hershey Foundation) as well as the community of Hershey, PA. Additionally, she coordinates both public and corporate outreach activities for the Archives. Jennifer is passionate about making the archival collections accessible to both internal and external users through the implementation of digital tools. Additionally, she works closely with a variety of corporate and public users on requests for information, assets, and interpretation. She also represents HCA at various corporate and community events, especially as a public speaker on the topic of Hershey history.

Prior to joining HCA, Jennifer worked for The History Factory (supporting a number of corporate and non-profit clients) and Steelcase Inc. She received her Master of Science in Information with an Archives and Records Management specialization from the University of Michigan (2009) and her B.A. from Kalamazoo College (2006) where she first fell in love with archives. Jennifer earned the Certified Archivist credential in 2013 and is an active member in the Society of American Archivists and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference. She has served on Local Arrangements and Nominations and Elections committees of the latter. In addition, she currently serves as a peer-reviewer for the Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies.

Candidate Statement

I am excited to run for the position of Vice Chair of the Business Archives Section. I have been passionate about business archives since graduate school and have been a continuous member of BAS since starting my first corporate position in 2009. As Vice Chair/Chair I will strive to assist fellow business archivists and related professionals by providing a colloquium that is relevant to our current needs. I also look forward to representing business archivists within the broader archival community and serving the section that has provided guidance throughout my career. I intend to advocate for the unique issues and needs of business archivists and records managers while also incorporating SAA’s objectives into those of BAS.

I have brought attention and awareness to business archives through presentations at archives conferences, illustrating to a wider audience that, while business archivists face unique issues, other archivists can (and do) apply what we’ve learned in other settings as well. In my current role, I work with archivists at various types of organizations to achieve common goals. I look forward to applying this cooperative approach for the betterment of BAS members.

Archivist, Henry Crown and Company

Biography

Emily is the Archivist at Henry Crown and Company, a private family office. She has spent the last five years there doing everything from processing to fighting for a record retention schedule. She found her way to archives while studying history at the University of Chicago, when a fortuitous summer internship helped her realize you can do more than go to law school with a history degree. During graduate school at the University of Illinois Emily had the privilege of processing the Gwendolyn Brooks papers, a project that remains the highlight of her career. The tight job market led her to business archives after finishing her MLIS in 2016, and since that time she has worked to educate colleagues on the importance of heritage and history through the archives, and is committed to diversifying HCC’s archival holdings and celebrating the stories of underrepresented employees.

Candidate Statement

I am interested in the BAS secretary position this year because I value everything BAS brings, form BAS Quarterly to the online resources and the section meeting. Being a business archivist can feel like working alone on an island, and having BAS resources and professionals available when I have felt like I’m swimming in circles at work has been crucial. I’ve used information I learned from presentations and BAS Quarterly to fight for a DAMS and suggest ideas for more readily incorporating our company history into the day-to-day here at HCC. I always feel more confident when I can bring examples of the creative work others in the field have done to my proposals, and I’m very grateful for everything BAS members have shared. I’d love to give back to the section by serving on the steering committee.

I’m no longer considered a new professional, but I’m not quite mid-career either. As I navigate the transition from fresh-out-of-grad-school to seasoned professional, I’ve been looking for opportunities to be more involved in the field. Serving as the BAS secretary seems like the perfect way to learn more about SAA’s operations and to give back to the BAS members who have unknowingly given me so much. I believe business archivists have a duty to evangelize and educate, and that we, as much as any other archivists, are required to constantly examine our work for biases and to practice radical empathy. Our work is the same yet quite different from our colleagues in other types of institutions, which is what makes this community so valuable.

Samantha Citarella
Assistant Archivist, Tiffany & Co

Biography

Sam is the Assistant Archivist at Tiffany & Co., where she works to preserve the most important records documenting the company’s manufacturing and design history. In consultation with the Associate Archivist, she makes available archival collections that have the potential to be of the greatest value to the company’s business needs and inspire creativity among key company stakeholders. Prior to her role at Tiffany & Co., she worked at the Assistant Archivist at the New York Stock Exchange.

Sam received a MA in American Studies from George Washington University, a MS in Archives Management from Simmons University, and a BA in History from Monmouth University. She is passionate about preserving and managing archives and sharing history with others.

Candidate Statement

I am running for Member-at-Large because I wish to enrich my involvement with the Business Archives Section (BAS). For the past 2 years, I have served in the Early Career Member role. While this position has been a wonderful opportunity to establish relationships and meet other Business-minded Archivists, I am ready to take on additional responsibilities and further develop my involvement in the BAS. I am passionate about professional development, mentoring, and volunteering and would love to enhance my experience with the section by serving in an elected role. If elected, I would bring fresh new perspectives and ideas to the section and continue to support the fantastic work being done by the BAS.  Thank you for your consideration!