University of North Texas 
Kristen Burgess, 2013-2015 Board Georgia Cohort Representative, (LIS MS '10)
Kristen Burgess is a Clinical and Research Informationist at the Donald C. Harrison
Health Sciences Library at the University of Cincinnati. She recently completed a
two-year National Library of Medicine Associate Fellowship at the National Institutes
of Health in Bethesda, Maryland and the University of Cincinnati in Ohio. She serves
on the Outstanding Alumni Award committee.
Vikki Curtis, 2013-2015 Board Virginia Cohort Representative, (LIS MS '10)
Vikki Curtis, a graduate from the Virginia Cohort, served Trinity Episcopal School
- Richmond, VA from 2003-2012, in the role of a teacher and assistant librarian. Vikki
has a varied background. In the past, she has served her community as an attorney,
librarian and teacher for some 30 years.
Mary Dziorny, 2013-2015 Board LT Representative, (EC PhD '12)
Dr. Dziorny's primary research focuses on problem-based learning for students with
learning disabilities using alternative instruction and assessment methods. She is
employed by the University of Texas at Dallas in their Information Security Office
where she develops curriculum, serves as an instructional designer and technical writer.Mary
also serves as an online adjunct faculty member for Texas A&M Commerce.
Angie Lugo, 2013-2015 Board South Texas Representative, (MLS '09)
Angie Lugo is a 2009 graduate of the Master of Library and Information Sciences. Under
the direction of the Library Board and City of Los Fresnos Council, she serves as
the Library Director for the City of Los Fresnos, Texas since 2004. Angie oversees
the planning, developing, implementing and directing of the public library services
for the Ethel L. Whipple Memorial Library. Ms. Lugo is very active in professional
associations and community organizations.
Barbara Mitchell, 2013-2015 Board Houston Representative, (LIS MS '08)
Barbara Mitchell comes to librarianship from a successful career in architectural
interior design and another as an Anglican (Episcopalian) parish priest in Canada,
the U.S., and New Zealand. These previous careers inform her commitment to customer
service. They also provide the training for the graphic library marketing techniques
she uses and her commitment to the creation of a library as a beautiful space conducive
to the enjoyment of information. She works at the Tomball branch of Harris County
Public Library, one of two Houston area branches that share its space and services
with a Lone Star Community College academic library. She performs reference and readers'
advisory, marketing, and outreach to the Tomball Art League and the business community.
Alumni Society committee responsibilities: Outstanding Alumni Award committee.
Angie Rackler, 2013-2015 Board LT ATPI Representative, (PhD '11)
Angie Rackler works for McAfee Security, a division of Intel. Prior to completing
her degree, she worked in the Learning and development department in McAfee as a Technical
Trainer and Courseware Developer. Shortly after completing her degree, she moved into
a new role as a Global Learning Consultant responsible for the training activities
of Consumer sales division across all of their geographies. In this new role, she
has a much broader scope of responsibility and visibility. She is thankful to the
Learning Technologies department for their support, guidance, and flexibility that
helped her obtain her PhD. She serves on the LT Outstanding Alumni committee.
Vicki Read, 2013-2015 Board Nevada Representative, (LIS MS '06)
A graduate from Utah State University and the University of North Texas, she started
her library career as a student worker as the gifts librarian. This fluke of happenstance
changed the direction of her education as she transferred from getting a PHD in English
to supervising the circulation desk. Vicki has been at the forefront of two new libraries
built on Utah State University campus, the migration to five new library systems and
the installation of automated onsite storage systems. In her spare time, Vicki can
be found outside in her myriad gardens or taking care of her menagerie of animals.
A consummate Luddite when the sun goes down, she finds a comfy chair and curls up
with a good book. She serves on the LIS Outstanding Alumni committee.
Lynne M. Simpson, 2013-2015 Board State of Oklahoma Representative, (IIS PhD '09)
Since 2007, Dr. Simpson has served Oklahoma State University in Stillwater as an assistant
professor in the Science and Engineering Division of the Edmon Low Library. She is
the liaison for the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and for
the Nutrition Department of the College of Human Environmental Sciences. Lynne also
teaches the face-to-face version of Library Science 1011: Library and Internet Information
Competencies for the Oklahoma State University College of Education.
Christopher E. Strauss, 2013-2015 Board IIS PhD Representative, (IIS PhD '06)
Chris Strauss serves the University of North Texas community as a Call Tracking Administration
Manager in the Academic Computing and User Services Department. Chris is responsible
for BMC Remedy Action Request System implementation using IT Service Management. Dr.
Strauss has been with the UNT Denton Campus since 1993.
Susan Whitmer, 2013-2015 Board Denton Representative, (LIS MS '12)
Susan is a Reference Specialist in the Research and Instructional Services department
at the University of North Texas Libraries. Whitmer has worked at UNT since 2007 starting
as a technical services assistant, moving on to binding supervisor, and has spent
the last three years as a reference specialist. Whitmer is currently serving on the
planning committee of TLA's Cycling for Libraries and is the secretary/treasurer for
TLA's Reference and Information Services Roundtable. Whitmer has given presentations
on LibGuides at the Library Instruction Round Table Summit, the combined services
desk at the Cross Timbers Conference, and training paraprofessionals for reference
work at the Texas Library Association Conference.
Janis Test, 2013-2015 Board West Texas Representative, (MLS '79)
Janis is the Information Services Manager at Abilene Public Library, Abilene Texas.She
has served the Library in different capacities since the late 1990's. Janis is very
involved professionally: Texas Library Association - member PR Committee; Tall Texans
RT, Doo-Wop Intergalactic RT, Archives & Local History RT, Reference RT Alternate
Councilor, Programming for Adults Round Table PR/Branding Committee member; and Texas
State Library Electronic Information Working Group member.
Alumni Relations, Coordinator: Jurhee Curtis
Jurhee has benefitted from a successful career in alumni relations and public relations
for several universities. The beginning of her rewarding career included a position
at Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law where she served as Alumni Director
while both her children attended as undergrads. Upon their graduation, Jurhee moved
to Phoenix, Arizona during the development stages of Arizona State University's alumni
director program and West Campus initiative. Always a trailblazer, Jurhee was the
first Alumni Director for the Arizona State University (ASU) College of Business and
established and managed the undergraduate and MBA alumni organizations. Her talent
was brought to the University of North Texas School of Library and Information Sciences
(UNT-SLIS) to serve as External Affairs and Alumni Relations Coordinator. When the
College of Information was started, she served as Director of External Affairs overseeing
public relations, marketing, and outreach efforts. She retired in 2011, returning
part time as Alumni Relations Coordinator before ending her service in 2017. Jurhee
served as an ex-officio member of the College of Information Alumni Society.