Spotlight Award: Emily Pfotenhauer

Emily Pfotenhauer, former digital strategist and grants manager at Wisconsin Library Services (WiLS), is the 2023 recipient of the Spotlight Award from the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The award recognizes the contributions of individuals who work for the good of the profession and archival collections—work that does not typically receive public recognition.

Pfotenhauer has had an enormous influence on the archival community in Wisconsin. She began her career in 2006 working with the Wisconsin Historical Society and the Chipstone Foundation on the Wisconsin Decorative Arts Database, which married her love of material culture to digital curation. In 2009, she joined WiLS, where she contributed to several digital cultural heritage projects, including shepherding Wisconsin Heritage Online—now known as Recollection Wisconsin—a project aimed at making Wisconsin’s cultural heritage widely accessible online. Pfotenhauer guided that project until 2023, leading it through several evolutions including a shift in 2016 when it became the state’s pathway to the Digital Public Library of America. As her nominator noted, “Pfotenhauer’s stewardship of Recollection Wisconsin has made it an unmatched national model in terms of organization, governance, and success working across a statewide network of diverse cultural heritage organizations.”

Pfotenhauer’s advocacy extends beyond WiLS into her work with Wisconsin’s Indigenous communities. Beginning with the creation of the Mukurtu Midwest hub in 2017, she has led efforts to support Indigenous communities in their initiatives to digitize and make accessible their cultural heritage materials. Pfotenhauer has also partnered with the University of Wisconsin–Madison Information School to mentor students in responsible contribution to Indigenous digital collections work. Additionally, she spearheaded Curating Community Digital Collections, an Institute of Museum and Library Services grant-funded project to provide library school students with practical experience in digital stewardship. She has often provided opportunities for practicum students from UW–Madison iSchool and supports them as they consider a professional path in archives.

Established in 2015, past recipients of the Spotlight Award include Georgina Tom (‘Iolani School), Lee Price (fundraising professional for cultural institutions), and Michelle Ganz (McDonough Innovation).