2022-2023 Executive Board Members
Chair: Rachel Fleming
Hello! My name is Rachel, I started my MLIS journey in Fall 2021, I plan on graduating in May of 2023, and I’m primarily interested in Academic Librarianship, but will take any library job I can get! I’m excited to serve as ALASC’s chair for the 2022-2023 school year. I run my own small fine art business at RLynnStudio.com. I’ve done many different jobs in my life. My favorites include: photojournalism, editorial photography, mural painting, and art workshops but this MLIS is my first step towards a new career. I’m currently volunteering with my local public library, working on two internships, and working as a student assistant with the iSchool. I’m a CRAZY dog lady, and I love collaborating and connecting with other students and library folks. I love getting unexpected connecting emails so if you’re reading this and want to network or just say hello, please do so at rachel.fleming@sjsu.edu.
Co-Chair: Meghan Thompson
Hello! My name is Meghan Thompson and I began my MLIS journey in the Spring of 2022. I currently work in higher education and will be finishing my role as an elected school board trustee at the end of 2022. My background is in counseling psychology and higher education, but I am excited to make this transition to the library sciences and will focus on public and academic librarianship. I have an amazing family that supports me through this endeavor which consists of my spouse, twin 13-year olds, and our two Cavaliers King Charles Spaniels. In my downtime, I love camping, taking my dogs for a walk, or spending time outside on the patio with a good book. I am very excited to co-chair the ALASC for the 2022-2023 year!
Webmaster: Sabrina Gunn
Sabrina started her MLIS journey in Spring 2021 and is primarily interested in the Information Organization and Digital Curation pathways. While she is a California native, she spent three years between the ages of twelve and fifteen living with her family in Edinburgh, Scotland, and has enjoyed many solo travel experiences all around the world in the years since. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from the University of San Francisco and currently resides in Sacramento, CA. While attending grad school part-time, Sabrina works as a Digital Content and Operations Manager for an e-learning company. Sabrina was also selected as the inaugural Building Strong LIS Education (BSLISE) iSchool International Scholar, a student assistantship created in collaboration between the SJSU School of Information and IFLA’s BSLISE working group. In her spare time, you can find Sabrina with her nose buried in a book, going for long walks while listening to podcasts, watching documentaries, learning new hobbies, and playing with her beloved cat, Elphie.
Treasurer: LaShaunda Croussore
Born on the East Coast, LaShaunda Croussore is a second year MLIS student who now lives in the Bay Area. Before entering the iSchool program, she was a practicing Mental Health therapist. Her decision to pursue a Master of Library and Information Studies came from her love of researching and sharing knowledge with others. When she isn’t doing school work she enjoys trivia, traveling and spending time with her husband and daughter.
Secretary/Archivist: Natalie Moller (Spring 2023)
A California native with a background in music composition, Natalie (she/they) currently works as a full-time cataloger in an academic library and is in her final year of the MLIS program, focusing on the Information Organization pathway. She is passionate about inclusive metadata practices and hopes to carry them forward into her future work, no matter the setting. In her short yet precious free time, she enjoys hanging out with her family (one human husband and three very clingy cats), listening to music, watching video game journalism and streams on YouTube, and dabbling in Photoshop.
Secretary/Archivist: Gabrielle Bianca Visco (Fall 2022)
Gabrielle Bianca Visco is a first-generation master’s degree student and finished their first semester at the end of Spring 2020. Currently, Gabrielle lives in a small rural mountain town in Northern California about 3 1/2 hours north of the Bay. She is pursuing a new career path and is bubbling with joy for the new opportunities that are brewing. If Gabrielle doesn’t have her nose in a book or working online for school, you can find her outside hiking, wildcrafting, gardening, and being a lizard by the river.
Membership Coordinator: Edit Vosganians
Hi! My name is Edit Vosganians, and I am a first-generation master’s student and set to graduate in Fall 2023 with my MLIS degree. I graduated in 2020 from Cal State LA University with a BS in Computer Science and am currently working as the Technology Services Librarian Specialist at the Glendale Library, Arts & Culture. During my academic career, I hope to learn and explore many ways in which technology can inspire, help, and transform the way libraries interact with their communities. When not at work, you can find me crafting, baking, reading, or playing with my fur baby, Luna, a four-year-old malti-poo.
Social Media Manager: Amelia Smith
Amelia is a first-year iSchool student, considering several career avenues as an academic librarian. She has a Bachelor’s in Writing & Rhetoric from Oakland University, and currently works in the Circulation Department at Ann Arbor District Library. Her interests include philosophy, history, and alternative medicine. In addition to assisting with ALASC, she serves as the Blog Editor for SJSU’s First Generation Student Group. When she’s not working or studying, she enjoys reading, writing, drawing, walking, and spending time with her highly active and social cat, Jake.
Social Media Assistant: Avril Frasché
I am a full-time student in my second year of the MLIS program. I live in Eureka, CA. I graduated from UCLA with my bachelor’s in American Literature and Culture and then got my K-6 teaching credential from CSU Dominguez Hills. In my free time, I love spending time with my cat, walking in the redwoods, going to the beach, reading, baking, and camping.
Events Co-Coordinator: Irene Miller
Hello! I’m a second year student in the MLIS program. I have a Bachelor’s in Anthropology from the University of Colorado at Boulder, but am also intensely fascinated with foreign languages, public health, and science. My hobbies include hiking (rain or shine), photography, blogging, and reading. I’m excited to start the adventure that is graduate school and hopefully get a job in one of my happy places – a library.
Events Co-Coordinator: Eori Tokunaga
Hi there! My name is Eori Tokunaga and I am a first year MLIS student! I am originally from Yuba City, CA but I now live in Torrance with my family. I graduated with a B.S. in Human Development and dual minors in Japanese & Psychology from UC Davis in 2018. I am primarily interested in working as a children’s librarian after I complete my MLIS degree. Outside of my studies, I am currently working on several picture book manuscripts that I hope to have written, illustrated, and published one day! I love drawing digitally and with watercolor, so to combine that with storytelling would be a dream come true! I hope to one day be as talented and brilliant as Gyo Fujikawa. I’m so excited to be a part of ALASC events team!
Events Assistant: Tawnya Rizzotto (Spring 2023)
My name is Tawnya Rizzotto and I started my MLIS journey in the Fall of 2022. I have a bachelor’s degree in Recreation Therapy from California State University and an associate’s degree in Criminal Justice. I have been dedicated to the Department of Rehabilitation since 2010 and have worked for the State of California for the last 20 years. Although my job is fulfilling, my goal is to become a librarian for a university.
Ever since I was young, I enjoyed going to the library and being in a peaceful environment where I could explore and learn. I have always admired my librarians and teachers when I was growing up because they were so creative and inspiring. I have two daughters that I adore and I am happy to show them that I can make my goals come true no matter how old I am. In my free time I visit the beach, bookstore, museums, gardens, and more. I look forward to working with a team that advocates for students and libraries!
Events Assistant: Sarah Marquez (Spring 2023)
Sarah began her MLIS journey in 2020, inspired by a love for libraries and passion for reading. She has since developed an interest in reference services, youth programming, virtual worlds and graphic design. She has a background in English Literature and Creative Writing and spends most of her free time composing poems about the sacred every day. She has work published and forthcoming in various magazines and journals including Capsule Stories, Human/Kind Press, Kissing Dynamite, Mud Season Review, Salamander, SHIFT, The Hellebore, and The New Southern Fugitives. When not writing or working on assignments, she can be found tweeting @Sarahmarissa338 or exploring the fediverse @sarahmarissa_mz@creativewriting.social.
Events Assistant: Claire Huysentruyt (Fall 2022)
Hi! My name is Claire Huysentruyt, and I am finishing my second year in the MLIS program. I live in San Francisco with my partner, Jonathan, a recent iSchool graduate. I am seeking a career change and couldn’t be happier with my new vocation. I work as a library assistant for San Mateo County Libraries and hope to become a children’s librarian when I complete my degree. I enjoy hosting backyard barbecues, coastal hiking, and working on hand sewing projects. Looking forward to an exciting year of ALASC events!
Events Assistant: Samantha Barnthouse
Hi! I’m Samantha Barnthouse and I’m in my last year of the MLIS program at San Jose State University. I am interested in a lot of different things to do with librarianship, but have not nailed one down, though I’m avidly looking at academic libraries, special libraries, and even military libraries. I’ve lived in Salinas, California my whole life and love Monterey Bay, but I got the travel bug a few years ago after a summer class in Italy, so I hope to find something involving travel. My hobbies include reading (of course) and knitting. I’m looking forward to learning a lot from my fellow ALASC members this coming semester.
Blogging Team Lead: Emily Espanol
Emily’s professional adventures in libraries began in August 2019 when she earned her BA in English from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and became a YPL Page at her local public library. For a while she tried freelance writing, but when the world quieted down a bit, Emily reflected on her passion for the higher goals of the library as an institution and applied to join the iSchool in Spring 2021. She now works as a Library Assistant at a medical university library and anticipates continuing her journey in academic libraries after graduation. Outside of work, school, or her interminable commute, Emily enjoys reading, writing, connecting with students, and listening to her coworkers’ puppy stories.
Blogging Assistant: Melony del Real
Hello there! My name is Melony – I’m studying to become an academic librarian. Before pursuing the MLIS, I studied English Literature and Composition, earning a BA and MA in those fields. While studying English, I adored concepts of open access to literature, literacy, and education as a whole. Now, in library studies, I consider myself an advocate for OER and the dismantling of higher-ed gatekeeping. As a future librarian, I hope to excite marginalized communities to the wonderful resources that academic libraries have to offer, and to foster critical information literacy tenets in my work. When I’m not being a school/work nerd, I’m probably boardgaming with my parents and my partner, or trudging through the Stormlight Archives!
Blogging Assistant: Samantha Harteau
Hi! My name Samantha Harteau and I am excited to be a part of this team. I received my Bachelor’s in English and minor in Art History from Oregon State University. Currently, I am working in a public library and I deeply enjoy it. I believe that working to spread information literacy with diverse groups of people is extremely rewarding. After I graduate with a MLIS degree, I’d love to work as a public librarian full time. Outside of school and work, I enjoy baking new desserts, taking my dogs to new places to explore, and playing board games with my family and friends.
Blogging Assistant: DiAndra Reyes (Spring 2023)
Hi! My name is DiAndra Reyes and I started my MLIS journey at SJSU in the Fall of 2021. Before entering the program, I got my undergraduate degree in Art History and did metadata work and art historical research in a special collections library/museum. I joined SJSU’s MLIS program because I have a passion for the resources and services that all types of libraries offer communities and hope to become a librarian that can be of service to others. I live in Los Angeles where I enjoy spending time with my three cats, Shrimp, Cloud, and Ghost, playing Dungeons and Dragons with friends, and cooking.
Faculty Advisor: Alison Johnson
Alison Johnson serves as the faculty advisor for ALASC. She is a full-time Lecturer at the iSchool focusing on INFO 202 Information Retrieval System Design. Formerly, she was an academic librarian and loved working in the areas of reference, interlibrary loan, access services, systems, marketing, and information literacy. She lives in Indiana where she enjoys spending time outdoors amidst the cornfields, cooking, eating, and reading to her children.