Welcome to the Ventura County Library Foundation
GROWING MINDS COUNTYWIDE
Mary Rees
Chair
Laura D. Hernandez
Vice-Chair
Terry Mrvichin
Treasurer
Nancy Schram
Recording Secretary/Library Director
Patti Walker
Corresponding Secretary
Sandy Berg
Steve Brogden
Diana Cervantes
Nancy Cooper
Juanita Gills
Ann Hewitt
Sue Hughes
Kathy Long
Ashlee Nishiya
Marty Robinson
Colleen Scott
Matthew Shrope
Kathy Thomson
Kathleen Turner
Chandra Beaton
Kathleen has a lifelong love of reading and a passion to improve literacy for all children. As a career educator, Kathleen taught third through eighth grade for 37 years in four states and nine school districts, including 21 years in the Conejo Valley Unified School District. After her retirement, she was a University Supervisor for Pepperdine University, California Lutheran University (where she received her master’s degree) and the University of LaVerne, supervising and mentoring teacher candidates. Kathleen served for eight years as president of the Thousand Oaks chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG), an international society of women educators. She has also served on many of the committees and as the DKG State Area VIII director. Kathleen volunteers for numerous community organizations, including the Thousand Oaks Friends of the Library and Habitat for Humanity. Two years ago, she began building a team of collaborators to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to children across Ventura County. As program director of the Imagination Library of Ventura County, Kathleen is excited to partner with the Ventura County Library Foundation to help bring the Imagination Library to life in our community.
A tax-free gift from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA) Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) directly to the Ventura County Library Foundation. These gifts may also fulfill your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD).
Make a grant recommendation through your Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) to support the Ventura County Library System. It is a flexible and tax-efficient way to give.
Marty Robinson, now retired, was the first woman appointed to lead the County of Ventura as its Chief Executive Officer. Earlier in her approximate 38 year career with the County she served as the director of the Resource Management Agency, Chief Deputy Administrative Officer in charge of various federal and state grant programs with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, FEMA, and the Economic Development Administration. She also served as Union President of SEIU Local 535 and a labor contract negotiator. Marty currently serves on the Board of the Boys and Girls Club of Ventura and has been active as Co-chair for The American Cancer Society’s Gala for two years.
Patti Walker has been involved in supporting Ventura County Libraries for more than 25 years. During her time on the Fillmore City Council, she was honored to serve as the Council’s representative on the County Library Commission. Following that role, she was the President of the Fillmore Friends of the Library for 20 years and now continues to serve as Secretary. In addition to serving as a Board member, Patti also holds the role of Correspondence Secretary for the Foundation. A passionate advocate for libraries, Patti brings energy, experience, enthusiasm, and a heart for service to the Foundation.
Outside of her work with libraries and the Foundation, Patti loves caring for her goats and chickens, tending to her fruit and vegetable gardens, and spending time playing with her grandchildren. She is also an avid reader and enjoys taking walks with her husband.
After a 10-year career with Merrill Lynch Capital Markets in Los Angeles, Kathy relocated to Ventura County to start a family and become more involved in her community. She has held positions in several Ventura County departments, including the District Attorney’s Child Support Division, the Director’s Office at the Ventura County Medical Center, and the County Elections Division.
Kathy has also been a substitute teacher, both in person and online, for more than 20 years. Her passion lies in education and literacy, and her goal is to ensure that every child she works with is reading at or above grade level, giving them the foundation for lifelong learning.
Since 2010, she has served as president and treasurer of the Ventura Friends of the Library and played a key role in the opening of the Hill Road Library. Kathy has also contributed to her community by serving on a preschool board, coaching youth track, chairing committees for Cub Scout Pack 3176, and leading projects for 4-H. She is deeply committed to youth-oriented organizations.
In her free time, Kathy enjoys sailing around the Channel Islands, participating in book clubs, investing, and hiking the hills of Ventura.
Colleen’s first job was working as a page, shelving books at the H.P. Wright Library in Ventura. She learned how to repair books and several other useful library tasks. As the bookmobile driver neared retirement, he took Colleen on as a protégé and trained her to both drive and manage the bookmobile. She refers to the bookmobile job, which took her all over Ventura County, as the best job she’s ever had because of the people she met along the way.
Her careers after the library were many. She worked in banking, first in new accounts at Mercury Savings, then as assistant manager there. She subsequently moved to County Savings, opening a new branch in Camarillo as its first branch manager. Colleen’s other careers included mortgage lending, Ventura County Fire dispatcher, a small business owner for 20 years, and an administrative assistant to a local Homeowners Association. She retired December 31, 2018.
Colleen has long been dedicated to volunteer work with non-profit organizations, including Camarillo Hospice, where she helped start the Camarillo Farmers Market and the then Camarillo Hospice Tree of Life. She also served as President of Camarillo Hospice as well as President of the Camarillo Chamber of Commerce.
Nancy Schram brings a passion for public service and lifelong learning to her position as Library Director for the Ventura County Library since December 2017, following her role as Deputy Library Director beginning in 2016. With over 30 years in public librarianship, Nancy has held leadership roles with the City of Thousand Oaks Library and the County of Los Angeles Public Library, where she led adult literacy initiatives and managed multiple branches. She holds a Master’s in Library and Information Science from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
Nancy currently serves on the Boards of CENIC and Califa, and sits on the Administrative Council for the Southern California Library Cooperative. She is a past board member of the California Library Association and past President of the California County Librarians Association. She believes strongly in the power of libraries to transform communities and values collaborative leadership.
Outside the office, Nancy enjoys walking her dogs and spending time with family and friends. Her dedication to equitable access and innovation continues to guide her work and service.
Recently retired, Mary Rees had more than 20 years of experience in higher education and in the biotech industry. As a passionate advocate for science and education, Mary brings a unique blend of expertise and enthusiasm to the Ventura County Library Foundation.
Holding leadership roles in the biotechnology industry and in higher education, Mary has served as Interim Vice President at Moorpark College. She has also served on many Boards including as an elected Trustee and Board Chair of the Oak Park Unified School District. Her strategic vision and commitment to innovation have been invaluable assets to the Foundation.
Mary joined the Foundation as an appointee of the Ventura County Board of Supervisors. It is her pleasure to continue serving her community by promoting access to literacy, technology, and education.
In her spare time, Mary enjoys hiking and bicycling. She and her family love all that Ventura County has to offer.
Ashlee Barker Nishiya is a Library & Literacy Coordinator with more than 21 years of experience in the field of education and libraries. As a passionate advocate for books, literacy, and libraries, Ashlee brings a unique blend of expertise and enthusiasm to the Ventura County Library Foundation.
With a background in education and libraries, Ashlee has held leadership roles at the Ventura County Office of Education, where she serves as Librarian of Record to county schools and supports literacy through her work and events, such as bringing the Battle of the Books to Ventura County students. Her vision and commitment to education and literacy have been invaluable assets to our team.
Ashlee joined the Ventura County Library Foundation because she believes that books, reading, and libraries are magical. From childhood experiences to professional milestones, her dedication to literacy is deeply rooted in that journey.
When she’s not advocating for literacy, Ashlee enjoys time with her family and is an avid reader and writer. Ashlee is deeply connected to the community, with roots in the Ojai area.
Terry Mrvichin brings a wealth of experience from both the public and private sectors, having retired in 2013 after a distinguished 40-year career. She served the County of Ventura for two decades, leading initiatives in social services program development, human resources, and technology systems. Her work in the public sector included oversight of major software procurement, design, and implementation projects.
In the private sector, Terry held executive positions in the durable medical equipment industry, where she directed national and international sales, marketing, operations, and finance. Her roles as Operations Manager, Controller, and Director took her across the U.S. and Europe, driving strategic growth and operational excellence.
Terry has held leadership roles in several professional organizations, including the National Association of Medical Equipment Suppliers and Manufacturers, the National Registry of Rehabilitation Technology Suppliers, Project Foresight, and the Rehabilitation Engineering Society of North America.
A lifelong champion of libraries, Terry credits the Oxnard Public Library—and her childhood mentor, librarian Emily Richen—for sparking her deep love of reading. She proudly recalls receiving her adult library card at age 12, opening the door to the library’s full collection. Her father, a local contractor, supported the library with donated services, instilling in her a strong sense of civic responsibility.
In retirement, Terry continues to advocate for literacy, equitable access to information, and lifelong learning. She and her husband Draza live in Ventura and enjoy traveling and spending time with their five children and nine grandchildren.
Kathy Long is a dedicated Board member with decades of community involvement and public service. She brings with her 26 years of experience working for the County of Ventura, including 20 years as an elected County Supervisor. Throughout her career, Kathy has held numerous leadership positions at both the state and local levels.
In retirement, she serves as the Public Policy Chair on the Camarillo chapter of the American Association of University Women. For 26 years, Kathy has also served as a member of the Camarillo Rotary Club and was the Past-President in 2018-19. She is supportive of each of their respective missions to empower the youth of our communities in Ventura county.
Growing up in Michigan, one of four children raised by a single mother, Kathy discovered a deep love of learning and reading. She spent many hours at local libraries where her imagination took her on travels around the world, exploring diverse cultures and historical places and times.
She leveraged her educational path with job experiences, arriving in California ready to expand her passion for public service, a natural connection towards making a difference in her community.
Since joining the Library Board in 2017, she remains committed to making a meaningful contribution and a lasting difference.
Sue is a native Californian who grew up in Ventura, retired from the County of Ventura after having served as the County’s director of Government Affairs for 26 years. Her responsibilities were to develop and manage the Board of Supervisors’ State and Federal Legislative Platforms. Her work also included efforts to secure funding for programs administered by all County departments and agencies. Additionally, she helped obtain and manage tens of millions of dollars in grant funding for water and water-related projects across Ventura County.
Sue especially enjoyed working with the Ventura County Library staff and knew she wanted to find opportunities to volunteer with them. She also saw the potential to use her grant skills to help secure additional funding for library programs and initiatives.
She considers herself a life-long volunteer, walking political precincts in high school, facilitating a Camarillo Hospice grief group for teens for 17 years, and assisting with several American Cancer Society Galas.
In her spare time, Sue enjoys reading, gardening, sewing, crocheting, and spending time with people she adores.
Laura D. Hernandez is a dedicated public servant with more than 40 years of experience in local government. Currently Laura is serving her second term as a member of the Port Hueneme City Council. Elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, she served as Mayor Pro Tem in 2019 and Mayor in 2020. She also holds many committee assignments and leadership roles in regional and nonprofit organizations.
Laura believes in developing cooperative relationships with all community stakeholders to tackle current issues. Throughout her career, she has consistently demonstrated leadership, professionalism, and a commitment to public service, aiming to enhance the quality of life for residents of Port Hueneme and Ventura County.
Ms. Hernandez retired from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) in December 2012 after serving 16 years as the OES Manager. After retiring, Laura started a consulting business, offering emergency response training and planning for various organizations. She also served as an Adjunct Professor at CSUCI and CSUN.
Laura, a Port Hueneme resident for more than 25 years, was born in St. Paul, Minnesota and raised in Santa Paula before moving to Pasadena in the early 1970s. She holds a bachelor’s degree from UCSB and a Master of Science in Public Administration from CSULA. Every week, she travels to Pasadena to help care for her 98-year-old mother.
She enjoys yoga, reading, music, art, bird watching, and cares for her two rescue cats.
Juanita is a seasoned engineer with more than 12 years of experience in infrared sensors in Ventura County. As a passionate advocate for access to books and youth education, Juanita brings a unique blend of expertise and enthusiasm to the Ventura County Library Foundation.
With a background in system engineering and mission assurance, Juanita has held leadership roles at HRL Laboratories, where she led the implementation of a quality management system that successfully attained AS9100 accreditation for HRL’s Vision Systems Laboratory.
Juanita joined the Foundation Board because she wanted to help libraries introduce STEAM concepts to children and help foster an appreciation for science and technology. From childhood experiences to professional milestones, her dedication to continuous learning and love for libraries is deeply rooted in her journey.
Outside of the boardroom, Juanita finds joy in cheering on her son at track meets, soccer matches, and football games. When she’s not on the sidelines, she enjoys listening to music and dancing. She also plays an active role in public school committees in Ventura County, collaborating with parents and educators to enhance the overall educational experience for local youth.
Steve has worked in libraries since high school. Serving on the Ventura County Library Foundation Board is his way of giving back to the library community. Most recently Steve was director of the Thousand Oaks Library for 14 years until his retirement in 2016. The capstone of his career was the construction of the 22,000 square foot Children’s Library including a 3,600-gallon saltwater aquarium.
Steve’s library mentor was Lawrence Clark Powell who was the University Librarian at UCLA where the undergraduate library is named for him. Powell wrote to him, “Steve Brogden! I hope you make your life here in the Southwest. Library service needs men like you.”
Prior to this time in Thousand Oaks, Steve was caretaker of a ranch in northern New Mexico and road manager for an award-winning Americana duo.
Sandy is a founding member of the Board. Her work has helped the Foundation develop community partnerships and secure funds for the County’s mobile library. From the earliest days of the Foundation, her leadership and fundraising efforts have been rooted in her love of libraries and the vital role they play in our communities.
Sandy served for eight years on the Pleasant Valley School District Board of Trustees, three as Chair. After retiring from the school board, she was hired by the American Cancer Society and facilitated programs for patients and was a director of distinguished events. She was a national leader, coalescing the Society from 13 separate national entities into a single unified organization.
She and her husband Jeff are proud parents of three grown children and four grandchildren. When not traveling, attending school events, carpooling, or baking cookies, they can be found in their backyard enjoying a good book.
