Brooks serves as President and CEO of the Urban Libraries Council, an outcomes-driven research and innovations network of more than 175 leading North American public libraries. Under his leadership, ULC champions the future of public libraries by engaging and uplifting members, focusing intently on equity and inclusion and leading on core policy issues that drive our communities forward. Throughout his career, Brooks has worked to advance urban policies that expand local democracy and provide funding for local programs related to economic opportunity, entrepreneurship, infrastructure and sustainability. Prior to joining ULC in July 2022, Brooks served as Senior Executive & Director, Center for City Solutions at the National League of Cities where he drove the organization’s research agenda and oversaw technical assistance efforts and leadership education. Brooks holds a Master of Public Administration from The George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Tonya Aikens is passionate about uncovering unheard voices in the community and leveraging community assets to build stronger communities through public libraries. As President & CEO, she leads the Howard County Library System with a focus on community-led librarianship rooted in Asset Based Community Development with an Equity Focus (ABCDEF). Placing the Equity Focus on the ABCD model, and her cutting-edge approach to Brave Voices Brave Choices, an initiative where library staff and community come together in racial equity training, story gathering and sharing, sensemaking, collaboration across background and difference, and then take action to advance equity, has placed her in high demand as a consultant and speaker on matters of equity and community building. She has served on numerous non-profit boards and is passionate about the ability of libraries to transform lives and communities.

Sonia Alcántara-Antoine is the CEO of Baltimore County Public Library, overseeing 19 branches, 600 dedicated staff and an annual budget of $45 million. Prior to joining Baltimore County Public Library, she was director of Newport News Public Library and held leadership positions at Virginia Beach Public Library and Enoch Pratt Free Library. Alcántara-Antoine is active in the Public Library Association, where she is currently past president, and the Urban Libraries Council, where she serves on the Anti-Racism and Digital Equity action team and is a member at large for the Maryland Association of Public Library Administrators’ board of directors. An American Library Association Spectrum Scholar, she holds a master's degree in Library and Information Science from Florida State University and a master's degree in Public Administration from Old Dominion University.

Dr. Audrey Barbakoff, EdD, MLIS is a passionate public library leader, consultant, speaker and author. Audrey believes that a public library is the heart of its community, and that community is at the heart of the library. She helps libraries and other social good organizations facilitate engaged learning that becomes the foundation for shared creativity and resilience. Audrey has over a decade of experience as a librarian and manager in public libraries, ranging from a tiny rural library in Connecticut to a 50-branch system in Washington state. Her innovative library work has been recognized by Library Journal Movers & Shakers, the Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal "40 Under 40", the Freedom to Read Foundation and the Urban Libraries Council. Audrey holds a doctorate in organizational change and leadership. Her dissertation research focused on building capacity for equity, diversity, and inclusion in public libraries through community-led planning. It served as the foundation for her innovative CoLaB (Community Led Capacity-Building) process, soon to be featured in her forthcoming book Twelve Steps to a Community-Led Library.

Heidi Daniel is the executive director for King County Library System (KCLS). Her journey began with children and teen programming in Oklahoma City and Houston before transitioning to library administration. Her first Executive Director job was overseeing the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County. Before joining KCLS, she was the CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore for over six years. She has a strong commitment to breaking down barriers of access, and made the Pratt one of the first public library systems on the East Coast to eliminate fines. Under her leadership, the Pratt was named one of the “Nicest Places in America” by Good Morning America and Reader’s Digest. She also received the Daily Record’s Maryland Most Admired CEOs award in 2023. Daniel is the daughter of a factory worker — her parents, who did not go to college, used the library in her Michigan hometown to impress upon her the importance of education. Daniel earned her bachelor’s degree in women’s studies at DePaul University and her master’s degree in library sciences at Texas Woman’s University.

Shamichael is a social, civic and tech innovator. As a '23 Loeb Fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, he explored how urban design and planning can make for socially inclusive cities. He has served as the Senior Library Manager with Memphis Public Libraries where he guided the reimagining of the historic Cossitt Library. His 2020 TEDx talk "Reimagining the Public Library to Reconnect the Community" garnered international acclaim. In 2021 he co-founded Libraries as Bridges which focuses on evaluating how libraries build social cohesion, promote civic renewal and advance the ideals of a healthy democracy.

Kelsey Hughes is a Program Manager with the Urban Libraries Council. Prior to joining ULC, Kelsey worked in public libraries in Maryland, most recently serving as a branch manager for Howard County Library System, with previous roles in branch leadership and overseeing systemwide Adult & Teen Services for Prince George’s County Memorial Library System. She was a 2022 ALA Emerging Leader and member of the 2020 YALSA Volunteer Group of the Year for her work on the Outstanding Books for the College Bound List. In addition to teen service, she specializes in creating equitable and inclusive cultures in libraries, empathetic leadership, and makerspaces in libraries. A proud two-time Maryland Terrapin, Kelsey received her MLIS from the University of Maryland in 2018. She lives in Baltimore, MD.

Michael Lambert is the City Librarian for the City and County of San Francisco. He was appointed to the position in March 2019 by Mayor London Breed. During his tenure, the San Francisco Public Library (SFPL) was named the 2018 National Library of the Year by Library Journal. Michael Lambert has championed increased and equitable access to libraries through expanded hours and a fine-free library system. Prior to his employment with the City and County of San Francisco, Lambert managed library operations at San Mateo County Libraries in northern California and at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library in North Carolina. He began his career in his hometown of Columbia, South Carolina at the Richland Library. He is a proud alumnus of the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and earned his Master of Library and Information Science Degree from South Carolina’s College of Library & Information Science. Lambert currently serves as President of the Public Library Association (PLA), the nation’s largest professional membership association supporting the unique and evolving needs of public library professionals. He also serves on the Children and Families First Commission and the City’s Committee on Information Technology (COIT). He is the first Asian American to lead the San Francisco Public Library.

Pilar Martinez is the CEO of the award-winning Edmonton Public Library, where she is responsible for leading 650 staff, managing a $69 million operating budget and supporting the Board of Trustees and stakeholder relations. Over the last 10 years, Pilar has successfully led and implemented capital projects totaling over $200 million. She has championed numerous innovative services, including community-led service delivery, makerspace and digital initiatives, highly popular early literacy services and speakers’ series. Pilar has a broad base of experience in executive leadership including advocacy, strategic planning, recruitment and change leadership. She holds an MLIS from the University of Alberta, a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in English from Acadia University and recently completed the Institute of Corporate Directors’ Directors Education Program.

The Free Library of Philadelphia welcomed Kelly Richards as its president and director in January 2022. Richards brings with him almost three decades of library experience, having most recently served as Director of the Muskegon Area District Library in Michigan and President of the Michigan Library Association. In addition to these roles, Richards served as the Chairperson for Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance. Richards began his career in library services in the Las Vegas Clark County Library District before joining the Genesee District Library in Flint, Michigan, where he served as Assistant Executive Director and Branch Operations Manager. Richards earned an Associate of Arts and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice at Ferris State University. He served as a police officer in Flint, Michigan, and an airport police officer at Bishop Airport before returning to school to earn his MLIS at the University of Pittsburgh. Richards is published in two books, In our own voices: The Changing Face of Librarianship (Scarecrow Press, 1996) and Pioneer African American Librarians in the West (Scarecrow Press, 2006). Richards is married, has three children, and is an avid angler.

Kim Scott is the author of Radical Respect: How to Work Together Better and Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity and co-founder of the company Radical Candor. Kim was a CEO coach at Dropbox, Qualtrics, Twitter, and other tech companies. She was a member of the faculty at Apple University and before that led AdSense, YouTube, and DoubleClick teams at Google. Prior to that Kim managed a pediatric clinic in Kosovo and started a diamond-cutting factory in Moscow. She co-hosts the podcasts Radical Candor and Radical Respect. She lives with her family in Silicon Valley.

Megan Sutherland is the Interim Chief Operating Officer for Public Services at Prince George's County Memorial Library System. She provides operational and strategic leadership for the programs, services, and collections at the system's nineteen branch libraries and the County Correctional Center's law library. Megan is passionate about developing and supporting library workers at all levels to provide community-focused, equity-driven library services. Before becoming a librarian, Megan worked in non-profit management and as a field organizer for political campaigns. She holds an MLIS from San Jose State University and a BA in Art History from Mary Washington College. Megan is a proud member of the Maryland Library Association, Maryland Association of Public Library Administrators, and the Urban Libraries Council's Creating Youth Opportunities Program.