Advocacy Committee

The Advocacy Committee focuses on implementation of the legislative agenda as recommended by the Public Policy Committee (PPC) and approved by the ILA Executive Board; develops an annual advocacy plan in conjunction with PPC and the Executive Board; identifies advocacy best practices and implements them as appropriate; builds partnerships with organizations that have similar views; is responsible for advocacy education of ILA members; develops educational materials and programs to improve ILA members’ advocacy skills.

Committee Composition

Committee consists of twelve voting members, representing all types of libraries and public library trustees, serving three-year, staggered terms. Each incoming ILA president shall appoint four members, including his/her designated Advocacy Committee chair. Nonvoting ex officio members are the ILA executive director, the director of the Illinois State Library, ILA president, ILA vice president/president-elect, and the chair of the PPC.

Download the ILA Advocacy Took Kit in pdf format.

  1. Celeste Choate Celeste Choate, Co-chair Executive Director at The Urbana Free Library

    Term ends 06/30/2018
  2. Denise Raleigh Denise Raleigh, Co-chair Division Chief, Public Relations & Development at Gail Borden Public Library District

    Term ends 06/30/2018
  3. Steve Brantley Steve Brantley, Member Professor and Head, Reference and Instruction Services at Eastern Illinois University

    Term ends 06/30/2019
  4. Margaret J. Danhof Margaret J. Danhof, Member Fountaindale Public Library District

    Term ends 06/30/2019
  5. Veronica De Fazio Veronica De Fazio, Member Head of Youth Services at Plainfield Public Library District

    Term ends 06/30/2020
  6. Jim Deiters Jim Deiters, Member Director at Oak Lawn Public Library

    Term ends 06/30/2018
  7. John Keister John Keister, Member John Keister & Associates - Executive Search

    Term ends 06/30/2018
  8. Kate Kite Kate Kite, Member Research and Instruction Librarian - Teen Services at Six Mile Regional Library District

    Term ends 06/30/2019
  9. Gregory J Knott Gregory J Knott, Member Assistant Dean at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

    Term ends 06/30/2019
  10. Michelle Nielsen Ott Michelle Nielsen Ott, Member Outreach and Reference Librarian at Methodist College of UnityPoint Health

    Term ends 06/30/2020
  11. Susan C. Pearson Susan C. Pearson, Member Circulation & Resource Sharing Specialist at Illinois Heartland Library System - Edwardsville

    Term ends 06/30/2018
  12. Jason Pinshower Jason Pinshower, Member Adult and Teen Services Manager at Fox River Valley Public Library District

    Term ends 06/30/2019
  13. Cynthia L. Fuerst Cynthia L. Fuerst, Ex officio Vernon Area Public Library District

    Term ends 06/30/2018
  14. Allen Lanham Allen Lanham, Board liaison Dean Emeritus of Library Services at Eastern Illinois University

    Term ends 06/30/2018
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