Board of directors

CELA Board of Directors

  • Emily Blackmore Emily Blackmore has over a decade of experience working in public libraries, including outreach, social media work, and collections building. Emily is currently the Children's and Youth Collections and Services Librarian where she selects children's and teen books for all 94 branches at the Newfoundland and Labrador Public Libraries. Emily has her MLIS from Dalhousie University and is the Past President of the Atlantic Provinces Library Association, as well as a member of the TD Summer Reading Club National Committee.
  • Mary Chevreau
    Mary is the Executive Director of CULC (Canadian Urban Libraries Council). Mary has over 25 years of leadership experience, with excellent skills in strategic planning, advocacy, governance and policy development. Before her role at CULC, Mary was the Chief Executive Officer of Kitchener Public Libraries, responsible for all aspects of service. She has led large scale projects including establishing new funding strategies for special projects and creating exceptional programming and service in response to community need.
  • Grace Dawson
    Grace is the Library Technology Services Manager, Prince Edward Island Public Library Service. She earned her Masters of Library and Information Science (MLIS) from the University of Western Ontario in 2011 and held several positions in Prince Edward Island, including Regional and Community Services Librarian, prior to her current role.
  • Mélanie Dumas - Vice Chair
    Mélanie Dumas is director of the BAnQ Universal Collection. A graduate of the School of Library and Information Sciences at the University of Montreal, she has worked at BAnQ since 2001. She is responsible for the development, document processing and management of the BAnQ Universal Collection.
  • Sarah Gallagher
    Sarah is a librarian working on the traditional territories of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and Ta’an Kwäch’än Council, also known as Whitehorse, Yukon. Sarah has been part of the library management team at Yukon Public Libraries Branch since 2014 and has represented the Yukon on several committees over the years, including the CELA Advisory Committee. She is the past president of the Yukon Library Association.
  • Brian Harding
    Brian Harding is currently the CEO and Chief Librarian of the Greater Sudbury Public Library, a position he has held since returning to GSPL in 2022. Previously Brian was the CEO of the Brock Township Public Library, held several positions at the Greater Sudbury Public Library, and worked in the library software sector.
  • Amanda Lepage
    Amanda Lepage is currently the Director, Collections and Service Infrastructure at Saskatoon Public Library.  Prior to this role, she led the SPL teams responsible for service to patrons with disabilities, outreach worker support, and community partnerships, as well as a previous career in the education sector supporting students living with visual disabilities.
  • Sarah Meilleur
    Sarah Meilleur is the CEO of Calgary Public Library, an award-winning library system with 22 locations, serving over 1.6 million people. She is a recognized speaker at international conferences, has authored numerous journal articles, and lectures at Harvard University on library design. Sarah is passionate about how public libraries transform lives, and she works to foster curiosity, innovation, belonging, and fantastic visitor experiences.
  • Carolyn Minor - Chair
    Carolyn Minor is Section Head - Special Services, Winnipeg Public Library where she provides oversight for accessible services. She has previously served on the CELA Services & Operation and Outreach Committees.  
  • Tara Thompson
    Tara Thompson is the Okanagan Regional Library’s (ORL) Community Engagement Coordinator.  Tara is a dedicated system librarian, supporting all 29 branches within the ORL system. Her primary areas of focus include promoting accessibility, enhancing adult services, and fostering strong community connections. Tara's journey in the world of libraries began as a page, which surprisingly includes wonderful Readers Advisory training. Over the years, she's taken on various roles, including serving as the Branch Head of the Vernon Branch and the Community Librarian of the Peachland Branch.is the Okanagan Regional Library’s (ORL) Community Engagement Coordinator.
  • Vicky Varga
    Vicky is the Executive Director of Collections, Marketing, and Technology at the Edmonton Public Library where she has worked for over 24 years in a wide variety of roles. She is responsible for the strategic leadership of the technology, research, collections and marketing functions at the library. Vicky’s current professional interests include advocacy for fair ebook and audiobook pricing for public libraries, and developing strategies for expanding awareness of the breadth of library services.