Hello and thank you for visiting my ePortfolio. I am a passionate information professional with many interests within the field of library and information science. So far I have most enjoyed the opportunities that I have had, both in the realm of public librarianship as well as public school librarianship, to serve my community as an educator. However I have also pursued independent professional development in cataloging, cultivated digital design skills, continued to plan and facilitate programs and events, and found opportunities to use my keen eye for organization.

I would also like to highlight a few things about my background outside of the library profession that have greatly influenced my practice.

After earning my undergraduate degree, I worked in college recruitment, which taught me essential customer service skills, event planning, and gave me the opportunity to mentor student groups. I also worked at an international education non-profit organization in New York City, which afforded me the opportunity travel and work with colleagues in places like Malaysia, South Africa, and Italy. In that same role, I developed a strong foundation in training principles and techniques by becoming a qualified educational trainer for the organization.

I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to study abroad several times throughout the course of my education. These have been some of the most formative experiences of my life. I lived with a family in Australia in high school and I was able to return to Australia in college to study at the University of Queensland. Also in college, I took the opportunity to study at the University of Valencia in Spain, where I solidified my fluency in Spanish after a lifetime of academic study. Immersing myself in life in other countries helped me see the great diversity of thought and culture in the world.

These experiences have given me a personal commitment to diversity, inclusion, and intercultural learning. Thanks to all of these opportunities, I am adept and comfortable communicating and collaborating with all different people and personalities; and I’m not afraid to take calculated risks in order to innovate. I remain true to these principles regardless of my professional role.

To learn more about my philosophy of librarianship, please see my Library Vision Statement.

As a matter of common interest, my surname is pronounced: “KEY-less.” As if you’ve lost your keys.