It is time for the AASL membership to elect the volunteers who will lead our organization. Candidates will introduce themselves in a series of blogs, and were asked to prepare a statement. Please read through their answers below and be sure to vote when the ballot arrives in your inbox.

Statements and/or videos were a voluntary option offered to all candidates. Voting for the 2026 ALA elections will open on Monday, March 9, 2026 and close on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.

The candidates for the Independent Schools Section, Secretary are:

Alisa Brandt

Trey Veazey

 

Alisa Brandt:

Hello, fellow ISS and AASL colleagues! I’m Alisa Brandt and I have worked in school libraries for over 20 years. I am currently the library director at The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, CA.

Every day I see the impact and the value our school libraries make on the lives of our learners. I also see the potential of the AASL platform to support all of us in this important work as we connect and learn from one another.

Independent school librarians occupy a unique and central role within our schools. We aren’t just a space with books. We are the social heartbeat of the school. We are the catalysts that transform our learning communities with our research-backed best practices and National School Library Standards. We bring comfort and inspiration to learners with our thoughtfully arranged spaces and collections.

I believe the work of ISS leadership is most effective when we know our members well and offer resources that directly respond to the needs of our communities. By highlighting what is working well in our diverse libraries and seeking partnerships with outside organizations, we can ensure every independent school librarian has the tools to thrive.

My goal as the ISS Secretary is to turn our shared expertise into a stronger, more accessible network for all of us. I promise to bring clear and organized communication and diligent follow-through to this role. Our community is our greatest resource, and I would be honored to help us connect, grow, and lead together.

Trey Veazey:

While all three pillars of AASL’s Strategic Plan are vital, I feel most called to champion Meaningful Engagement. In my experience across various roles in education, I have found that engagement is not a task to be assigned but a natural byproduct of belonging. Too often, organizations focus on creating “slots” where members can plug themselves in. I believe our work should be centered on a different notion: helping every independent school librarian recognize that they already belong at the table. When a member feels their unique voice is an essential thread in our collective fabric, they don’t just participate — they invest. They become ambassadors who naturally draw others into the fold.

My Approach as a Board Member
As a member of the ISS board, I would approach this work through
three primary lenses:

● Identifying the Connective Threads: Leveraging my background as a teacher, librarian, and administrator, I aim to find the touchpoints that resonate across our diverse roles. I will work to ensure our programming and resources reflect the real-world complexities of independent school life, making our value proposition self-evident.

● Cultivating Community Over Compliance: I will advocate for initiatives that move beyond networking and toward true community-building. This means creating spaces for vulnerability, shared problem-solving, and the celebration of the specific niche expertise found within the Independent School Section.

● Weaving a Stronger Tapestry: My goal is to help members see the broader capacity of our collective work. By fostering an environment where members feel seen and valued, we empower them to take that sense of belonging back to their local and state levels, strengthening the entire national association.

The Bottom Line: Making meaning has been the heartbeat of my career. I am eager to help AASL transition from a place where people “go” to a community where they “are,” ensuring our tapestry is not only large but unbreakable.