The following statements were given by the candidates seeking election as officers or council members to the Society of Ohio Archivists in 2025. Voting will be open May 1-16 (at noon), 2025. Candidates were asked to answer all questions in one essay of up to 1,000 words:

1. What skills and experiences can you offer to SOA?
2. Tell us about your past experience that would make you a good fit for this position.
3. What issue or theme would you like to address during your terms?
4. How would you address one of the charges of the JEDAI Committee?

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Open Council Position: Vice President/President-elect
Candidate’s Name: Kristen Newby
Current Job Title: Special Collections Manager
Current Place of Employment: Columbus Metropolitan Library

My journey to working in Ohio libraries and archives is somewhat unconventional. Like all of us, I’ve always loved history, but modern history never connected with me as a student. My heart was in the ancient past, which led to a history and classics double major with a focus on the Greco-Roman world. This course provided general historical context and knowledge, and the language skills to read ancient authors in their own words. Shifting my focus to ancient art and material culture in graduate school added a new piece to the puzzle. After graduation, I found myself back in Columbus, deep in state and local history. I quickly discovered that I hadn’t enjoyed modern history because it was never presented to me in a way that centered the human experience and inspired inward reflection. We, as an organization and GLAM professionals, are in a unique position to use our collections to foster empathy-building by elevating underrepresented voices; use the past as a lens to better understand ourselves; and share the stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

SOA—through both archives education and relationship building opportunities—has been an important part of my professional development over the past nine years. This organization and its leadership have risen to the challenge when faced with difficult and uncertain times, particularly during the pandemic. I’m honored to be considered to help lead SOA in the coming years. As one of the original members of the Social Justice & Black Lives Matter Task Force, I helped the team develop the goals that led to the Taskforce becoming a permanent facet of SOA’s leadership as a standing committee. For the past two years I have served as one of your at-large Council members. During my service on Council, I participated in the Bylaws Revision Taskforce that worked to better align our bylaws with our other foundational documents, foster efficient operations, and better enforce fair decision-making. My fellow at-large Council member and I worked with Council to establish the SOA Coffee Chat series, a virtual networking opportunity for SOA members to discuss challenges, share successes, and support each other as archives professionals and fellow humans. I hope this continues to build community among membership and is a place where we can share ideas with each other.

Over the next three years, much of my efforts will be dedicated to supporting our members through this uncertain and tumultuous time. Archives and libraries across the nation will be faced with limited staff, financial resources, and public access to collections. This frightening and disheartening climate we currently live in will undoubtedly be a challenging time in many, many ways. Even though we’re experiencing an unprecedented attack on access to information and the historical record, I believe in our resiliency and that together, as an organization and a field, we will find ways, however small they may seem, to give voices to those who came before us to better inform the future and teach us about the present. Our work has never been more important than it is in this moment, and SOA will continue to support its members, advocate for our institutions and collections, and foster collaboration. I would also like to work with Council to design a plan to conduct more outreach with colleges and universities across the state to increase awareness of SOA with undergraduate and graduate students with the hopes of increasing our student and young professional membership numbers. The JEDAI Committee will play in important role in this work, as we will need to consider how to reach underrepresented groups in the field and discuss how we can make being an SOA member more accessible to everyone.

JEDAI’s involvement in developing a recruitment plan aligns with their charge to “identify and develop sustainable ways to incorporate JEDAI into the work of SOA Council and its committees.” Over the next three years, I plan to continue to guide Council’s efforts to ensure that justice, equity, diversity, accessibility, and inclusion are at the heart of our decision-making and future planning in a sustainable yet consistent way. As the JEDAI Committee continues to inform our work, its impact and guidance should be an expected and continued part of our annual meeting and a resource for members. My hope is that not only will our organizational operations improve, but the values the Committee represents will become a natural lens through which we view our work. Thank you for your consideration!

Previous Positions

• Special Collections Supervisor, Columbus Metropolitan Library, 2022-2023
• Digital Projects Coordinator, Ohio History Connection, 2019-2022
• World War I Project Coordinator, Ohio History Connection, 2017-2019
• Metadata Coordinator, Ohio History Connection, 2016-2017
• Digitization Assistant for Online Coins of the Roman Empire (OCRE), American Numismatic Society, 2014-2015
• Visual Resources Assistant, Digital Media Services, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, 2012-2014
• Archival Assistant, Aphrodisias Excavations Archives, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, 2013-2014

Education

• M.A. History of Art and Archaeology, New York University, 2014
• B.A. History and Classics, The Ohio State University, 2012

Professional Associations

• Society of Ohio Archivists, 2020-present, Social Justice and Black Lives Matter Task Force 2020-2022, Council At-large member 2023-2025
• Ohio Digitization Interest Group, planning committee 2019-2023
• Library Leadership Ohio, 2021 cohort

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Open Council Position: Secretary
Candidate’s Name: Shelby Beatty
Current Job Title: Archivist & Records Manager
Current Place of Employment: Sinclair Community College

I’m happy to run for the Society of Ohio Archivists Secretary position for a second term. It’s been a pleasure serving as SOA Secretary since 2023. I thoroughly enjoy working with the society to document vital Council discussions and advocate for archives and archivists statewide.

Presenting at the 2015 SOA Annual meeting and accepting a student scholarship was my first experience with the society. I’ve been an archivist for nearly ten years and worked a variety of positions that have prepared me for the Secretary role. My early professional experiences as a contract archivist required intense attention to detail, organization and time-management skills, and being extremely conscious of member ideas and deadlines for successful project completion.

In my current role as Archivist & Records Manager of Sinclair Community College, I’ve developed and strengthened a variety of skills. My work involves promoting sound record keeping in compliance with the Ohio Public Records Act, collecting and preserving institutional history, and promoting the archives through digitization and community outreach. I enjoy working with others to identify their records management needs and finding solutions to keep digital records effectively.

I would like to see SOA continue advocacy for archivists working in the public sector that are heavily affected by state and federal policy. Recently, state laws and federal cuts have greatly impacted the profession. I’m proud to be involved with an organization that researches relevant policy, recognizes potential repercussions, and brainstorms solutions. I want to help find solutions and support Ohio archivists during uncertain times.

In reviewing JEDAI goals, I most connect with the charge of continually developing ways to engage membership with the committee. As Secretary, I ensure all committee activities and goals are represented in Council meeting minutes. This is one way to engage membership with committees and keep them informed. JEDAI is involved with all SOA committees to encourage initiatives, strategies, and assure underrepresented voices are heard. I’m committed to documenting JEDAI’s work throughout the organization and helping the committee continue to engage with membership.

Previous Positions

• Reference Archivist, Archives & Library, Ohio History Connection, 2017-2020
• Archives Intern, National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center, 2016-2017
• Project Archivist, Bradford Ohio Railroad Museum, 2016-2017
• Project Archivist, Southwestern Ohio Bluegrass Music Heritage Project, 2016-2017
• Project Archivist, Victoria Theatre Association (Dayton Live), 2015-2016

Education

• M.A., Public History, concentration in Archival Administration, Wright State University, 2016
• B.A., Social Science Education, Wright State University, 2014

Professional Associations

• Ohio Electronic Records Committee (OhioERC), 2023-Present
• Ohio Digitization Interest Group (OhioDIG), 2023-Present
• Academy of Certified Archivists (ACA), 2022-Present
• National Association of Government Archives & Records Administrators (NAGARA), 2022-Present
• ARMA International 2020-Present; Dayton Chapter Board Director, 2022-2024
• Society of Ohio Archivists, 2015-Present
• Miami Valley Archives Roundtable (MVAR), 2014-present

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Open Council Position: At-large Council Member
Candidate’s Name: Darrell Blevins Jr.
Current Job Title: Student Assistant and Intern
Current Place of Employment: Until graduation on May 2, 2025 – Student Assistant at Wright State University Special Collections and Archives and intern at The Heritage Center, Clark County Historical Society

I have not even graduated from the Public History graduate program at Wright State University yet, and I still felt the need and desire to join the Society of Ohio Archivists and to become an At-Large Council Member. I have many skills and experiences I can offer the SOA. I am a non-traditional student in that I received my undergraduate degree in Art History twenty-five years ago and only recently began the journey to earning my graduate degree in January of 2023. Following six knee surgeries and the death of my wife in 2022, I decided I did not like being disabled and so I made the decision to return to college and earn my master’s degree. I believe I can bring my life experiences and my recently garnered education to the SOA. Having a fresh set of eyes that are also seasoned eyes that have seen and done a lot, can be valuable to the organization. I have found the best way to “get your feet wet,” is to jump in the deep end right away. I have a lot less years than others to make my mark in the public history realm and I cannot wait to get started. I believe joining many organizations and running for office is a great way to start.

As I mentioned, I earned my Art History degree twenty-five years ago before joining the
workforce, where I proceeded to work many jobs providing for my family. Life knowledge,
regardless of what field it was earned in, can be valuable. I have real-world work experience in
sales, customer service, retail management, advertising, marketing, and warehouse manual labor and machine operating. In addition to the five semesters and 41 credit hours of graduate school I have earned, I have also worked in Wright State University’s Special Collections and Archives for two years. I have also been blessed with the opportunity to intern at the Heritage Center, Clark County Historical Society, for a year. I began by cataloguing their vast art collection in its entirety before transitioning into my capstone project where I researched, rewrote, and revamped the museum’s exhibit on the 135-year-old building and its architect.

One issue I would like to address in my term would be a stronger focus and emphasis on
the architecture of archives. I have authored many papers around the topic of archiving
blueprints and architectural drawings as well as the ideal architecture of the spaces where
archives are kept. I consider myself to be an architectural historian more than an art historian and my passion has always been architecture. Even now approaching the end of my graduate school education, I have kept that passion and shifted it into a desire to influence and change how we store architectural drawings and how we can manipulate the spaces archives are kept creating better options for current and future archivists. I always would like to learn more about the process of saving architecture and getting buildings placed on the National Register.

I am disabled; therefore, I feel very strongly about Justice, Equity, Diversity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (JEDAI), especially considering the recent political minefield being created by the current administration. The one charge I would address is to, “identify and share resources to educate Council and membership on JEDAI – with an emphasis on applications to archival and information work.” I have struggled in the pursuit of my degree and my part-time employment due to my disability. Classes are held in century-old buildings that are not ADA.  I have had seven knee surgeries and still need a left knee replacement. I have one class that I am required to walk up twelve steps just to get into the building. And God help me if I have to use the restroom during the two hour and forty-minute class because then I am forced to hike down seventeen steps and back up seventeen steps to do so. Then, once class is over, I have to walk down those same twelve steps I used to get to the classroom. This is but one example where anyone more disabled than me would not be able to enroll in one of the oldest and best Public History programs in the United States. I do not know the statistics, but I have eyes, and I only see white, American males and females in all my classes. I do not think my school purposely excludes other nationalities or ethnicities nor do I know how the college recruits its students. Every profession in the world could benefit from more diversity and inclusion, despite what the current government seems to believe. Everyone, from all levels of society, from all diverse backgrounds, and all unique upbringings can and should be allowed to bring their life experience to whatever field they choose with archives being one of those.

I do not know if I am experienced enough to warrant an appointment to the council, but I
do believe I am capable, willing, and excited to serve if I am elected. Fresh eyes to any
organization should be encouraged and I for one hope that the SOA can and will benefit from
electing new, not necessarily young, archival professionals to elected positions within the
Society. Thank you for your consideration. I have also linked the story written with me as the subject by university author Kim Patton.

Previous Positions

• Student Assistant, Wright State University Special Collections and Archives, August 2023- May 2025
• Intern, The Heritage Center Clark County Historical Society, May 2024 – May 2025

Education

• M.A., Public History, Wright State University, May 2025
• B.A. Art History with Departmental Honors, University of Toledo, June 2000

Professional Associations

• Member, Society of Ohio Archivists, March 2025
• Member, NAGARA, December 2024 to present
• Member, ARMA International, December 2024 to present
• Member, Society of American Archivists, April 2024 to present

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Open Council Position: Justice, Equity, Diversity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (JEDAI) Committee Co-Chair (2 year term)
Candidate’s Name: Michelle Ganz
Current Job Title: Director of Archives
Current Place of Employment: Dominican Sisters of Peace

I have been working with DEI in archives for over 15 years and was part of the working group to create accessibility guidelines for the SAA in my first years in the profession. I am passionate about creating equitable access to the archives field. I was the co-founder of the disability and accessibility section of SAA and currently serve on SAA Council. I have written and spoken extensively on the topic of accessibility including a forthcoming book on accessibility to be published in 2027 and a book on archival trauma to be published in 2026. As a mixed race, 1st generation, disabled queer woman I bring my personal experiences, challenges and successes to every endeavor I take on. I am dedicated to ensuring that future archivists do not have to struggle against the barriers I surmounted. I am currently focused on how to address DEI in today’s political climate and ways to integrate DEI into our workflows, processes and practices. I have a lot of real-world feedback and perspectives on different efforts to give a voice to underrepresented communities and individuals. I would like to develop a program that would allow SOA to provide honorariums, funding, and/or institutional support to individuals with barriers to participation, creating pathways for underrepresented voices to build their professional persona.

Previous Positions

• Archivist: History Factory, Chantilly, VA 2020-2022
• Archives Director: McDonough Innovation, Charlottesville, VA 2015 – 2021
• Professional Job Search Agent, 2018-2019
• Archivist and Special Collections Librarian: The Abraham Lincoln Library & Museum and Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN 2007-2015

Education

• Certified Archivist (CA), The Academy of Certified Archivists. Received 2008, Recertified 2013, 2019, 2025
• Masters of Library and Information Sciences (MILS), The University of Arizona. Tucson, AZ. Received August 2006
• Bachelor of Arts, Humanities (BA), The Ohio State University. Columbus, OH. Received March 2003
• Non-degreed coursework: Department of English Graduate Studies 2004

Professional Associations

• Dominican Archivists in Collaboration (DAC). Position: Board member at large: 2022-2025
• Archivists for Congregations of Women Religious (ACWR). Position; Education Committee: 2022-2024
• Academy of Certified Archivists. Positions and Appointments: Regent of Member Services, Appointed: 2020-2021, Elected: 2021-2023.  Exam Development Committee Member: 2016-2019.  Petition Review Committee Member: 2016-2019.  Petition Review Committee Team Leader 2017-2019.  Outreach Committee Member: 2010-2015.  Outreach Speaker: 2009-2015. SAA annual meetings: 2014-2016, 2018, 2019.  Item-writing workshop: 2014-2016, 2018, 2019.  Exam proctor: 2014, 2018, 2019
• Society of Ohio Archivists. Positions: Newsletter Assistant editor: 2023-2024.  Nominations committee: 2023-2025
• Society of American Archivists. Positions and Appointments: Council Member: 2023-2026.  Annual Meeting Host Committee co-chair: 2023.  Archives & Archivists of Color Section Steering Committee: 2022-2023.  American Archivist Reviewer: 2021-2023.  Accessibility & Disability Section Chair: 2020-2021.  Vice Chair/Chair-elect: 2019-2020.  A&D Section Co-founder: 2019.  Women Archivists Section Steering Committee: 2019-2021.  Election Teller: 2019.  Independent Archivists Section Chair: 2018-2019.  Independent Archivist Section Vice Chair/Chair-elect: 2017-2018.  Independent Archivists Section Co-founder: 2017.  SAA Representative to the American Library Association Committee on Cataloging: Description and Access (ALA CC:DA) 2018-2020.  SAA-ACRL/RBMS Joint Task Force to Revise Statement on Access Co-Chair: 2017-2019.  Lone Arrangers to the rescue: pilot program committee: 2017-2018.  Mentoring Program Subcommittee Member: 2016-2018.  Diversity Committee Member: 2014-2016.  Appointments Committee Member: 2014-2015.  Accessibility Working Group Member: 2013-2014.  Lone Arrangers Section Chair: 2012-2014.  Mentoring Program Mentor: 2010-present.  Lone Arrangers Section Vice-Chair: 2009-2012.  Accessibility Working Group Sub-Committee Chair: 2009-2010
• ARMA International.  Technical Manual Auditing Working Group: 2013-2014.  Glossary Working Group: 2001-2002

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Open Council Position: Justice, Equity, Diversity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (JEDAI) Committee Co-Chair (1 year term)
Candidate’s Name: Hannah Kemp-Severence
Current Job Title: University Records Manager
Current Place of Employment: University of Akron

Working in the archival field for most of the past 20 years has provided me with different experiences that inform my perspective and outlook on the importance of archival work. Building processing skills and assisting with appraisals of various collections, along with learning the tenets of records management and the differences in application at private, non-profit, and public entities has helped me to appreciate the diversity in the archival field on many levels. My experiences have brought forth the importance of public records law in preserving information for the public as well as unearthing stories of underrepresented groups and communities and the importance of preserving these stories
that may be otherwise lacking in the historical record.

I was first introduced to the diversity in archival work as an intern with the manuscripts
division of the Hayes Presidential Center. I experienced processing and digitization for the
first time, and even preservation and conservation work along with exhibit preparation and
grant planning. At my first processing position at the Western Reserve Historical Society, I
had a wonderful mentor who taught me so much about archival work, and also the
importance of documenting under-represented collection areas. She taught me how to
think creatively and innovatively about accomplishing this work under the constraints of a
bare bones budget and often-times the lack of upper level administration’s support. My
experiences at different types of institutions, from a non-profit regional historical society to
the academic setting, with variances between public and private institutions exposed me
to a range of collections, resource allocation strategies, and professional development
opportunities that will help me provide guidance to the JEDAI committee and its work.

My graduate studies in applied history and public humanities, especially the museums
and archives coursework that focused on cultural competency, allowed me to delve into
DEAI work being done in the library and archives profession. I was able to explore the many
facets of this work nationally, statewide and locally, and the changes it was bringing to the
field – both in terms of archival tenets and working conditions for members of the
profession. Having experienced term employment in a variety of settings, I am especially
cognizant of the efforts in the field to recognize the hardships these types of employment
situations can place on individuals and grateful for the work being done to improve these
situations, among many other improvements in areas like reparative description,
relationships with community archives, and recognizing the lack of in diversity in the field.

Drawing on my experiences, along with my love of history and the importance of a frank
and honest presentation of the historical record, I would like to address barriers to entering
the profession and also the unwelcoming climate that may exist in certain institutions
currently. I would like to work to ensure that everyone feels safe and welcome in SOA and
that their work is truly valued. I hope to forward these goals through the tenet of the JEDAI
committee to identify and share resources to educate Council and membership on JEDAI –
with an emphasis on applications to archival and information work. I am hopeful that as
co-chair of the JEDAI committee, I could help steward a review of best practices
throughout the field on how best to steward JEDAI focused collections, how to approach all
archival work from a more culturally competent and accessible lens, and how to build
relationships with underrepresented communities to build community archives and
archival collections that fit the mission and needs of such communities.

These skills would also be applicable to building and maintaining a welcoming and safe
environment in SOA where questions are welcomed and all types and levels of archival and
information work are valued and deemed worthy, from students to community volunteers,
newly graduated practitioners, to those with years and years of experience and multiple
certifications in the field. One strategy may be to look to archival organizations across the
country that have dealt with similar issues, how they are coping, and to build connections,
so that we are not constrained by, but cognizant of, the effects of these issues upon our
work.

I thank you for the opportunity to be considered for JEDAI committee co-chair and I
hope to help create an ever more just, equitable, diverse, accessible, and inclusive
organization for the betterment of the archives profession.

Previous Positions

• Library Assistant 5, Scholarly Resources and Special Collections, Kelvin Smith Library,
  Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, 2018-2020
• Manuscripts Processing Supervisor, Cleveland History Center of the Western Reserve
  Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio, 2009-2018
• Howard Metzenbaum Congressional Papers Processing Supervisor, Cleveland History
  Center of the Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio, 2008-2009
• LTV Steel Project Processor, Cleveland History Center of the Western Reserve Historical
  Society, Cleveland, Ohio, 2004-2006

Education

• M.A. Applied History and Public Humanities, The University of Akron, 2024
• Graduate Certificate of Public Humanities, The University of Akron, 2024
• B.A. Political Science, Bowling Green State University, 2003

Professional Associations

• Society of Ohio Archivists, 2013-present, JEDAI committee co-chair, 2024-2025
• Cleveland Archival Roundtable, 2016-2024
• Society of American Archivists, 2015-2016; 2024

Last Updated on May 1, 2025 by Emily Gainer