ALA Taps Lisa Varga to Lead Public Policy and Advocacy Office
Varga will take over from Alan Inouye, who is retiring from ALA after 18 years in the Public Policy and Advocacy Office. She will begin her new role on April 21.
In a major announcement, The American Library Association (ALA) has announced that Lisa Varga, currently the executive director of the Virginia Library Association, will be the next associate executive director of the ALA’s Public Policy and Advocacy Office.
Varga will take over from Alan Inouye, who is retiring from ALA after 18 years in the Public Policy and Advocacy Office, the last three years as interim AED. Varga will begin her new role on April 21.
Varga is a strong choice for the role. Recognized as Library Journal's 2024 Librarian of the Year, she is well-known and highly regarded in the library community as a fierce advocate for libraries. She comes to ALA after increasing membership and revenue over her 15 years at the Virginia Library Association, where she also helped defeat multiple book banning bills in the Virginia General Assembly in recent years.
“We are fortunate to have Lisa join us at a pivotal time for libraries in our nation,” Interim Executive Director Leslie Burger said in a statement. “Her background, experience and leadership will be vital as we advocate for libraries.”
