Well, we teased you a little last week but finally we can let you in on the secret. The first keynote speaker for this year’s LIANZA Conference is…
Jessica Dorr – Program Officer, Global Libraries, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Jessica Dorr’s work at the Foundation began in 1997, as a technology trainer for West Seattle Learns, a community technology center. For the Foundation’s U.S. Library Program, Jessica installed computer and Internet networks throughout the country.
She oversaw the Native American Access to Technology Program, which provided funding and resources specifically designed to meet the technology and information needs of Native communities.
She currently oversees grants to Mexico, Latvia, and Lithuania and supports the foundations’ annual Access to Learning Award. Jessica has experience with both school and academic libraries and holds a BA from Georgetown University and an MLIS from the University of Washington.
We are hugely excited at the prospect of hearing what Jessica has to share with us in terms of the organisation she works for and her involvement with indigenous knowledge and libraries. I’m sure you’ll agree she will be well worth listening to.
Any comments on this first announcement? Comment away! And don’t forget to check back next week when spill the beans on another exciting keynote speaker.
May 28, 2009 at 8:18 pm
How exciting to see the first keynote announced, makes the conference seem real.
June 18, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Thanks for the introduction. I’m so excited to be coming to this conference.
I’m looking for recommendations of libraries to visit and things to talk about so feel free to drop me a note: jessica.dorr@gatesfoundation.org
Looking forward to meeting all of you soon.
Jessica
July 7, 2009 at 9:13 pm
Hi Jessica,
Now that our programme for this year is available you (and other attendees) might like to note that there is a tour of Canterbury libraries taking place on the Sunday before Conference. For more information check out the Additional Events page.
October 14, 2009 at 8:50 am
[...] the Program Officer for Global Libraries, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Jessica is a keynote speaker at LIANZA Conference 2009 (she’s on stage at 9.30am this morning and promises a presentation [...]