Abby Deese, a reference librarian at Elon University School of Law, travels to Illinois in April for professional development and networking opportunities at the 2018 American Association of Law Librarians Leadership Academy.
An Elon Law librarian committed to helping women advance in the profession has been selected for a national program that develops participants' leadership and communication styles while growing their professional networks.
Abby Deese, a reference librarian who joined Elon Law in 2015, visits Illinois in April for the American Association of Law Librarians Leadership Academy.
Deese said she hopes the two-day academy – with a focus on leadership models and myths, effective communication techniques, and workplace ethics – will help her grow as a future leader in the legal information profession, which is dominated by male managers in a field comprised with women in the majority.
“For me, it’s about democratizing academia,” she said. “Because I don’t have the background and connections that a lot of people in the field bring with them, the Leadership Academy will help me develop my network.”
A graduate of the College of Charleston and Charleston Law School, Deese is a first-generation college graduate. She completed the prestigious Law Library Fellowship program at the University of Arizona prior to accepting a position at Elon Law.
The AALL program will include discussions of leadership concepts and current trends, leadership assessments, group collaborations, and development activities and opportunities for networking.
“Abby Deese is at the beginning of a promising law librarianship career,” said Kate McLeod, Elon Law’s associate dean for library and information services. “Previous attendees of AALL’s Leadership Academy have assumed leadership positions in the profession, and Abby’s selection into the program indicates the association has recognized her abilities and leadership potential.”