2025 Election: Candidate Statements

Thank you to all of our excellent candidates for standing in the 2025 Issues & Advocacy 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 (or Co-chair), for a two-year term; and

• [3] 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 candidate is running for the Vice Chair/Chair-Elect (or Co-chair) position:

Jennie Rankin
Engagement and Outreach Archivist, Michigan State University

Biographical information:

I am the current Engagement and Outreach Archivist for the Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections (UAHC). For the past seven years, I was the Acting Records Manager for the university but finally transitioned back to an archivist role. I attended Central Michigan University (BS) and Wayne State University (MLIS) before joining UAHC in 2011. I have served in a variety of professional capacities with service to ARMA International, the Mid-Michigan ARMA chapter, the National Association of Government Archives and Records Administration, and SAA. I currently serve on the board of the Issues and Advocacy Section as a steering committee member.

Statement of Interest:

As an archivist, I see the issues and gaps in the archival field, whether it’s lack of funding, inadequate storage, underrepresented/misrepresented people in the collection, harmful language, or an overall misunderstanding about what an archive is. Despite these gaps, I’m passionate about sharing my archival knowledge with others and advocating for the profession which is more important than ever right now. Being a member of the Issues and Advocacy Section allows me to be involved and see the good work this section is doing to spread the importance of archives. I want to continue that good work by serving as I&A’s vice chair and later chair. 

Steering Committee Member Candidates

The following candidates are running for the section steering committee:

Itza Carbajal
Teaching Faculty; University of Washington

Biographical Information:

Itza A. Carbajal is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Washington Information School focusing her research on children, memories, trauma, disaster education, and youth records. She has worked as a Latin American metadata librarian, cultural arts programmer, and youth education coordinator. Itza has a Master of Science in Information Studies with a focus on archival management and digital records from the University of Texas at Austin School of Information. She also obtained a dual-degree Bachelor of Arts in History and English with a concentration on creative writing and legal studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Statement of Interest:

After some time away from serving on SAA section leadership, I am looking for an opportunity to rejoin the community in a more holistic role that encompasses my various interests and skills. The I&A section was always a great ally to other sections and tends to deal with emerging issues and questions quickly yet still very carefully. I'd like to help continue that tradition.

Alexis Bohlander

Archival Fellow, Gonzaga University

Biographical Information:

I am a recent graduate of Syracuse University's MSLIS program. In school, I found a home in the archives with two museum archive internships, and this summer, I have a fellowship in an academic library archive. I am passionate about instruction and interested in how emerging technology will change the way we preserve and understand human history and records.

Prior to going to graduate school, I worked in finance, which was rewarding in its own right, but I am definitely happy I made the change to libraries and archives. I currently live in Denver, CO, with my two dogs and enjoy reading, yoga, and hiking in the mountains.

Statement of Interest:

I am interested in being on the Issues and Advocacy Steering Committee because it is such important work right now. I would love the opportunity to speak up for the major issues archivists and archives face, and be a champion for what we do. As someone just starting out in the field, I am aware of the concerns and questions that students and the public have about archives, and because of that, I bring a fresh perspective to issues and advocacy.

Katelyn Gibson
Centennial Archivist, Edward G. Miner Library (University of Rochester Medical Center)

Biographical Statement:

I am a new professional, currently employed at the University of Rochester Medical Center's Miner Library as an archivist in the History of Medicine Section. My interest in archives began as an undergraduate processing assistant for special collections, and I have since graduated with a Master in Library and Information Studies and a Master in Archival Studies from the University of British Columbia. I have worked closely with personal and institutional records in a variety of settings, including Xwi7xwa - Canada's only Indigenous academic library branch. I have a passion for anti-oppressive work in my personal and professional commitments, and am excited to find opportunities to get involved in communities of practice as a relatively new member of the profession.

Statement of Interest:

As a new professional, I have social justice and equity at the forefront of my mind when imagining the future of information and memory work. As someone entering the field in a moment of political instability and professional precarity, I have seen firsthand the importance of professional advocacy and conviction. I have found opportunities to volunteer with remote projects that support information equity, but would like to be able to join a community and contribute more directly to projects and initiatives to support the profession.