Caroline Perez – Chair
Caroline Perez is a lifelong Californian beginning her second year in the MLIS program. As an undergrad (20+ years ago!) at St. Mary’s College she studied Politics and worked as a library and interlibrary loan assistant and thoroughly enjoyed it. Caroline has worked on the finance/operations side of nonprofits for almost 20 years, most recently for a criminal justice reform organization. She is interested in the archives pathway and each archives class adds another piece to the puzzle. She is interested in community archives as well as special collections. She enjoys following various library/archive folks on Twitter to get the scoop on upcoming jobs, conferences or cool exhibits/projects they’re working on. Outside of school, she likes to read, watch K-dramas, do jigsaw puzzles and watch and quote the same movies over and over again.
Missy McCollum – Vice-Chair
Missy McCollum, a devoted mother of two residing in Danville, CA, is an accomplished individual driven by a passion for equality and social justice. With a BA in Gender Studies and Communication and Culture from Indiana University, Missy actively volunteers with the Trevor Project, demonstrating her commitment to supporting LGBTQ+ youth. Currently pursuing an MLIS degree, she seeks to expand her knowledge and contribute to the world of information and knowledge. In her leisure time, Missy enjoys playing pool, programming Christmas lights to create magical displays synchronized with music, indulging in video games, and showcasing her creativity through crochet. Notably, she had the extraordinary opportunity to meet Brandi Carlile at a private concert, an experience that left a lasting impression. Through her dedication to family, advocacy, and personal growth, Missy strives to positively impact her community. Her journey exemplifies resilience, empathy, and a desire to create a better world for those around her.
Phoebe Yip – Secretary
Phoebe is a first year MLIS student. She has a B.A. in Linguistics and Spanish and a photography certificate. Prior to graduate school, she worked in quality assurance in the usability testing industry and also specialized in undergraduate student records. With several work experiences that tapped into the information science field and an interest in how libraries operate, she decided to go back to school for her MLIS. She is from Sacramento, California and currently lives in Northern New York, where she interns at her local library. In her leisure time, she enjoys watching movies, baking, and exploring interior design.
Rebecca Maitland – Membership Director
Rebecca started her MLIS in Spring 2022 after completing her BA in French Studies at Wheaton College (MA). With experience in education, administrative work, and cultural heritage institutions, Rebecca is passionate about connecting people with information and hopes to someday work as an archivist in a museum or academic setting. In her free time, Rebecca enjoys exploring nature, experimenting in the kitchen, and trying to beat her partner at cribbage. Rebecca lives in the Boston area.
Aryn Prestia – Blog Editor
Aryn is a first year MLIS student with a bachelor’s degree in American Studies from the College of William & Mary. She currently lives just outside of New Haven, CT with her husband and two sons. In her free time, she enjoys reading (like most librarians), running, and attempting to garden. Post-graduation Aryn’s dream job would be a Local History and Genealogy Librarian.
Erica Leff – Webmaster
Erica Leff (pronouns she/they) started at SJSU’s MLIS program in Spring 2023. She lives just outside of Worcester, MA with her husband Mark and puppy Kira. She received a BA in Sociology from Marymount Manhattan College in 2013 and a JD from CUNY School of Law in 2018. Before making the career change from law to library and information science, Erica worked as a tenants’ rights and eviction defense attorney for low-income clients in the Boston area. Her professional interests include archives, digital curation, knowledge organization, and gaming as an information tool. Erica’s personal interests include Star Trek, the horror genre, crosswords and other puzzles, writing, and social activism.
Angela Greben – Social Media Coordinator
Angela has previous employment experience as a paralegal and enjoys playing classical guitar, gardening, and quilting. She is also a board member with the Sacramento Guitar Society.
Maddy Mazurek – Social Media Coordinator
Maddy is a first year MLIS student with a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and two teaching credentials. She currently lives in Corona, CA with her son, and a mini zoo of animals. She is a freelance photographer and quizmaster for a local trivia night. In her free time, Maddy enjoys video games, crafting, reading, and exploring the wilderness. Maddy hopes to someday work as an archivist at a government institution, and who knows, maybe someday be the official Archivist of the United States (a girl can dream, right?)!
Taliyah Shaver – Archeota Associate Editor
Taliyah was born in Sacramento and has lived in NorCal for the majority of her life. During her childhood, she would frequent libraries and, as a result, would always have a book in her hand. So, after earning her B.A. in English from the University of California, Irvine in 2021, she decided to jump into SJSU’s MLIS program to obtain her Master’s degree! Post-graduation, she hopes to work in a museum as an archivist and is driven by her passion for art and Renaissance literature. When she’s not working on assignments, Taliyah enjoys spending time with her family, going on walks, reading (of course!), and playing with her two dogs.
Dr. James Hodges – Faculty Advisor
James A. Hodges, Ph.D. studies digital archives and preservation, with a particular focus on the history of computing. His current book project uses digital forensics to uncover the technical legacy of 1960s counterculture in early multimedia software. He is also developing new projects that address the evidentiary value of digital objects in non-institutional preservation contexts. Prior to joining SJSU, James was Bullard Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin School of Information. He is also Junior Fellow in the Andrew W. Mellon Rare Book School Society of Fellows in Critical Bibliography (University of Virginia). He earned his Ph.D. from Rutgers University in 2020. His work has appeared in Journal of Documentation, Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology (JASIST), Internet Histories, New Media & Society, and Information Research, among others.
Dr. Jessica Bushey – Faculty Advisor
