2019 Election: Candidate Statements

Thank you to all of our excellent candidates for standing in the 2019 Local Government Records 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
  • 2 Steering Committee members (three-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 Candidates

The following candidates are running for the Vice Chair/Chair-Elect (or Co-chair) position:


Blake Edward Relle
Archives Specialist, Louisiana State Archives

Blake Relle received his Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science with a concentration in archive management from LSU in 2013.  Currently, he serves as an Archives Specialist at the Louisiana State Archives where he fulfills request for materials made by the public as well as state agencies. In addition, he processes archival collections and creates a DACS compliant finding aid as well as a container list for each collection. From 2013 to 2015, he served as a digitization intern at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.  Professionally, Relle has presented on “How to get new archival professionals involved in archival organizations?,” “Should archival professionals do continuing education?,” and  “Accessible Archives and Special Collections.” He co-wrote a blog post for ProjectArc regarding how the Toronto City Archive reduced its energy consumption by 59%.

The opportunity will provide a way for me to give back to my profession as well as to learn from other archivists working in the public sector. I will have a chance to learn about the issues facing the archival community as well as to help find solutions to these issues. We have to work together because we can do more as a whole than we can individually.

Amanda Fallis, MLIS, CA
Archivist/Librarian II, Louisiana Division/City Archives and Special Collections, New Orleans Public Library

Amanda Fallis has been a professional archivist and research librarian in the New Orleans Public Library’s Louisiana Division/City Archives and Special Collections since receiving her MLIS and a Special Certificate in Archives from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2015. As part of the Louisiana Division/City Archives, Amanda works to manage, process, digitize and aid research with the administrative records of the City of New Orleans, as well as with hundreds of other historic collections. Her extensive experience with the municipal records of one of the oldest cities in the United States positions her well to serve as Vice Chair of SAA’s Local Government Records Section.  

Amanda’s participation in professional organizations and archival outreach is proven. She has developed and presented numerous public programs for both the Louisiana Division and partner institutions in New Orleans, currently serves as the treasurer of the Greater New Orleans Archivists, and has served on New Orleans Public Library’s Strategic Planning Committee. Her previous archival experience includes the National World War II Museum and the Felix J. Dreyfous Library at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Amanda is a Certified Archivist and a member of the Society of American Archivists, Society of Southwestern Archivists, Louisiana Archives and Manuscripts Association, and the Louisiana Library Association. 

Steering Committee Member Candidates

The following candidates are running for the section steering committee:

Jeanie Fisher
Reference Archivist, Seattle Municipal Archives

I have worked in special collections and archives since 2007 and have been in my current position as Reference Archivist at the Seattle Municipal Archives since 2017. I'm a certified archivist with an MSI in Library and Information Services from the University of Michigan and a BA in History from Colorado College. While working in my previous position as the Special Collections Librarian and Archivist for Tacoma Public Library, I served as Secretary for SAA's Public Library Archives/Special Collections Roundtable from 2012-13.

As a relatively new member of the Local Government Records Section, I’m eager to get more involved and would be honored to serve. My goal on the steering committee would be to learn more about our membership, find additional opportunities for connection and collaboration, and actively look for ways the section can best support the work we do.

 

Christina Bryant
Head, Louisiana Division/City Archives & Special Collections at the New Orleans Public Library

I am a Certified Archivist, have worked as the Head of the Louisiana Division/City Archives & Special Collection at the New Orleans Public Library since 2015.  My previous experience was at business archives, Hurricane Katrina recovery projects and as an archivist at the Notarial Archives before joining the staff at the Louisiana Division/City Archives in 2013.  I manage a collection that dates back to 1769 and whose contents are housed across three floors of the Main Library.  I received my MLIS with a specialization in Archives from Louisiana State University and am active in professional organizations both at t local and national level.

I have been excited to serve on the Local Government Records Section in the past and looks forward to continuing this service.  I love working with government records and think they are underappreciated treasures.  I would like to work with the Local Government Records Section in figuring ways to provide support, resources and a community for those of us in these institutions.  I think that it is important that Local Government Records and Archives have a voice at SAA.