2026-2027 MARS Election Candidate Statements

Thank you to all who considered participating as a candidate for standing in the 2026 Military Archives Section election. Please take some time to review the candidate statements and get to know them so you can make an informed choice.

You will be voting for:

• Vice Chair/Chair-Elect, for a two-year term
• Communications Liaison, for a two-year term
• Chair, for a one-year term [special election]

The Chair position for the MARS Section for 2026-2027 is currently vacant. Tarienne Mitchell will continue to serve as the MARS Secretary for the 2026-2027 year. Jeff Kozak will be ending his term as Chair and Amy Mondt will be ending her term as Communications Liaison.

Ballots will be managed by SAA staff through the SAA election platform. Voting will take place June 1st- June 15th, so keep an eye on your inbox when the ballot opens!

This year's candidate(s) are:

Vice Chair/Chair-Elect Candidate (unopposed)

• Laura Jowdy, Senior Director of Legacy Program at the Congressional Medal of Honor Society

Bio: Laura received her Masters in Library Science with an emphasis in archival work from the University of South Carolina. She’s worked for the Congressional Medal of Honor Society since 2006 under various job titles, but maintains responsibility of their archives and historical collections, their museum at Patriots Point in South Carolina, and all reference and historical outreach work.

Candidate Statement: This is a crucial juncture in the status of Sections for SAA. I have been a part of the Military Archives Section since its inception in Chicago all those years ago (one of those people who met outside and signed the petition to start the group --- hello, fellow plank-owners!). Change can be good, but I believe in the purpose of this group and want to ensure that the purpose will not be lost as we move forward. I would like to explore a few different points: 1) How can the section better meet your needs?, and 2) “Military archives” seems to repel other archivists. I’d like to explore why… if we need to reframe our work to make it more “friendly,” let’s do it. We have so much to offer as a group to the greater archival community! I have served as Vice Chair/Chair of this section before and would be honored to do so again.

Communications Liaison (unopposed)

• Lindsay Robbins, Archivist at the Pritzker Military Museum & Library

Bio: I am currently the archivist at the Pritzker Military Museum & Library in Kenosha, Wisconsin and have been in that position for just under two years. I attended the University of North Texas for my MLIS as well as an MA in Art History.

Candidate Statement: As someone who was not (and certainly still is not) an expert in military history, I'm interested in combining resources, knowledge and expertise among professionals working in this area of interest. Our materials pose interesting questions and challenges that are unique to us, and promoting coordination between professionals helps everyone in beginning to answer those questions. Being able to contribute my time to helping facilitate this would be a pleasure. Thank you!

Chair, special election (unopposed)

• Jeff Kozak, Head of Archives and Records Management at the Virginia Military Institute

Bio: Jeff Kozak is the Head of Archives and Records Management at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI). He is responsible for preserving the records from VMI's 187-year history and making these records accessible both physically and through the VMI Archives' digital collections. He has an M.L.I.S. from the University of California, Los Angeles with a specialization in archives management.

Candidate Statement: It has been a privilege to serve as the Chair of the Military Archives Section for the last year, and I would be pleased to continue in this role. The Military Archives Section is a great resource for discussing issues specific to military archives as well as engaging the archives professionals that work in archives with military records. During the next year I would like to continue to emphasize section engagement through current activities such as coffee chats, as well as newer initiatives that encourage section members to highlight their institutions and collections. I would also like to expand the focus of programs and initiatives that promote opportunities for members to showcase their expertise and interests that relate to the archives profession more broadly. The programs of general interest to the archives profession would also make it possible for the section to extend its impact though the possibility of collaborating with other sections.