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Bio
Gene Luzala is an emerging archivist and researcher specializing in digital archives, cultural heritage, and community-centered preservation. He is currently pursuing an MLIS in Digital Curation, Archives, and Preservation at San José State University and recently received his PhD in Cultural Studies with a Museum Studies specialization at Claremont Graduate University. Currently, Gene serves as Assistant Director of Membership with the SJSU SAA Student Chapter and as Vice Chair for the SJSU ASIS&T Student Chapter.
Gene’s professional experience spans academic, nonprofit, corporate, and community-based archives, including roles with The HistoryMakers, YW Boston, Farmers Insurance, and the Queen Anne Historical Society. His work focuses on organizing and preserving digital and oral history collections, developing metadata practices, and improving access to historically underrepresented narratives. He has extensive experience working with long-form oral histories, emphasizing ethical stewardship and meaningful access to culturally significant materials.
His research and professional interests include web archiving, digital preservation, and expanding equitable access to born-digital and community-generated content. He is particularly interested in how web archiving can document contemporary social movements and amplify voices that are often excluded from traditional archival records.
Candidate Statement
I’m excited to be considered for Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect of the Society of American Archivists Web Archiving Section. As web-based content continues to shape how history is created, shared, and preserved, the work of this section is increasingly vital to the archival profession.
My interest in web archiving is grounded in a broader commitment to equity and access. Much of today’s cultural, social, and political expression exists online, yet these materials remain vulnerable to loss and underrepresentation. I am particularly interested in how web archiving can be used to document marginalized communities, social movements, and rapidly changing digital environments in ways that are ethical, inclusive, and sustainable.
If elected, I would prioritize fostering greater engagement within the section by creating opportunities for knowledge sharing, skill-building, and collaboration across experience levels. This includes supporting early-career archivists, promoting accessible discussions around tools and workflows, and encouraging conversations about ethical considerations in web archiving. I am also interested in strengthening connections between web archiving and adjacent areas such as digital preservation, community archives, and public access.
I bring experience working with digital and oral history collections, along with a strong commitment to collaboration, organization, and clear communication. I am excited about the opportunity to support the continued growth of the Web Archiving Section and contribute to a more inclusive and forward-thinking archival community.
As someone who has served in an educator role and loves to connect people, I am excited to run for the position of Education Coordinator with the Web Archiving Steering Committee. Keeping up with what's happening with web archiving topics, technology, struggles, and successes is important in an ever-changing field and also a challenge. Providing a space for members to learn from and connect with each other, as well as keeping the SAA Education Committee informed of what people want to know about web archiving, is important and something I am looking forward to collaborating with the rest of the Steering Committee on in this role.
Brenna Edwards (she/her) is currently Digital Archivist at the University of Georgia. Previously, she was Manager for Digital Archives at the Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas at Austin, lecturer for the iSchool at The University of Texas at Austin, and Project Digital Archivist at Emory University. She has a BS from Tennessee Tech University and an MSLS from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Brenna has been in various leadership positions with multiple Society of American Archivists sections throughout her career.
As the inaugural digital records archivist at Mount Vernon, Bogan is focused on establishing a records management and digital preservation program for the organization including developing best practices for web archiving. Continuing in her role as secretary of the Web Archiving Section Steering Committee for an additional term is a natural fit for the work she is already doing and she looks forward to continuing to work with the current committee and new members to shape the future of this section.
CANDIDATE STATEMENT: Balancing graduate school, work, and personal commitments is thrilling and exhausting for students; it can also be isolating. But through community, we can develop lifelong relationships and learn new professional skills. As the Treasurer for the Queens College chapter of SAA, I have worked hard to create regular programming that both educates and creates opportunities for social connection and career development. If elected as the Student Member of the Web Archiving Committee, I hope to act as a bridge between working archivists and graduate students interested in the field. I’m eager to learn about new strategies and tools for web archiving, and I’m excited for the chance to develop my leadership skills. By developing relationships between academic and professional circles, we can expand the web archives community and effectively prepare students for a career in archives.