2026 Virginia Library Association Executive Committee Election
Presidential Candidate Statements

About the President
The President is the chair of the Executive Committee and the chair of Council. The President’s term is one year, and they assume office immediately after the annual conference. The winner between these two candidates will serve from October 2026 - October 2027.

What's at Stake
The VLA president's responsibilities include representing the Association in all official capacities and acting as a spokesperson for the Association on all established policies. They appoint all ad hoc committees not outlined in the By-laws and make appointments to fill unexpired terms of VLA representatives to other organizations. The president is the person who coordinates the work of all officers, committees, and program units and coordinate the Association's budget preparation with the Treasurer and Executive Director. They also act as a liaison between the VLA and other organizations and evaluate the Executive Director at the end of the year. 

There are two candidates for Virginia Library Association president. Learn more about them below.

Zach Elder hopes to use his wide range of experience across academic and public libraries to advance library values and guide our organization through uncertain times. 
 
His love for libraries dates back to his childhood in Ohio. He shares, "It is thanks to my local librarians not strictly enforcing the unattended child policy that has helped make me the person I am today."

His first work in libraries came as a student assistant within The Ohio State University Libraries. After graduation and two years in the software profession, he started my career at Duke University’s Rare Book and Manuscripts while attending North Carolina Central University’s School of Library and Information Science. 

Following graduation, Elder served in multiple positions for George Washington University Libraries. There, he advocated for Open Educational Resources and textbooks, and volunteered for the DC Library Association helping to fundraise for scholarships.

After years in academic libraries, he felt called to public service in Virginia in 2017. After several years serving with colleagues at Newport News Public Library and Chesapeake Public Library, he is now in his third year serving as the Director of Massanutten Regional Library (MRL) in Harrisonburg. He loves working together with the MRL team as well as being ardent about their libraries being welcoming to everyone in our community, eliminating barriers wherever possible. 

Throughout his time in Virginia, Elder has enjoyed his involvement in VLA, where he has served on the Conference Committee in the past as a volunteer chair, and as 2nd Vice President from 2022-2024. He also serves as current treasurer of the Virginia Public Library Directors’ Association; coincidentally, he also love incorporating Financial Literacy concepts into library programming.

Jennifer Brown, PhD, is an accomplished library leader, educator, and advocate for equitable access to library services. She currently serves as Director of the Augusta County Library system, where she leads strategic initiatives across seven locations. With over a decade of public library experience and a strong foundation in instructional design, Dr. Brown brings a unique lens to leadership development, community engagement, and inclusive service design.

In 2025, she was named a Library Journal Mover & Shaker for her transformative work with the Virginia Library Leadership Academy (VALLA), where she led the redesign of the year-long leadership program and worked with the task force to secure funding to make it free to participants, dramatically expanding access and awareness across the Commonwealth.

Dr. Brown holds a PhD in Instructional Design & Technology from Old Dominion University and teaches graduate courses in library and information science, with a focus on user services and culturally responsive librarianship. Her research and professional service have centered on reflective practice, outreach to underserved communities, and staff development.

She was the 2024–2025 President of the Virginia Public Library Directors Association and has received numerous awards, including the VLA Donna G. Cote Librarian of the Year (2019), entered the No Kid Hungry Hall of Fame (2019),  Better Together Award (2024), and was honored with a 2024 Old Dominion University Darden Fellow Award. Whether in the classroom, at the reference desk, or in the boardroom, Dr. Brown is committed to empowering others and building responsive, community-driven libraries, because libraries are more than just books; they are about people.