The Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL) and the National Library of Medicine (NLM) recently announced the members of the 2019/2020 class of the NLM/AAHSL Leadership Fellows Program. Kelly Gonzalez, Assistant Vice President for Library Services, has been chosen to mentor Marisa L. Conte, MLIS, AHIP, Assistant Director, Research and Informatics, Taubman Health Sciences Library, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. The jointly sponsored program matches fellows and mentors in a one-year leadership development program.  Since the program began in 2002, 54 percent of fellow graduates have assumed director positions. The cohort includes five fellows and their mentors, who will begin their work together at the November AAHSL meeting in Boston.

The NLM/AAHSL Leadership Fellows Program prepares emerging leaders for director positions in academic health sciences libraries. The program provides a combination of in-person and virtual learning experiences for fellows and offers the opportunity to work collaboratively with the cohort of participants. Fellows are paired with mentors who are academic health sciences library directors. Mentors work closely with their fellows throughout the year and host their fellow’s visit to their library.

The candidate pool for fellows and demand for the program remain strong. Selection is competitive and recognition of a substantial record of leadership accomplishment and potential for a director position.