Hometown: Hooversville, Penn., a small town in western Pennsylvania with fewer than 1,000 residents and no stoplights. It was a wonderful little town to grow up in.
Role: Library director, Maryland Department of Legislative Services
Years of legislative service: 14 and a half
The skill or talent she’s proudest of: “My ability to stay calm, cool and collected under pressure, which I think serves me well in my work with the Legislature.”
Why did you choose to work at the legislature?
I was looking for a more specialized and niche library opportunity. I was working in public libraries at the start of my career and realized I wanted to do something a bit different. A colleague at my public library encouraged me to apply for the position I was hired for at the Legislature, which was that of reference librarian. I am grateful that they did because I found out that it was the perfect environment for the type of library work that I wanted to do.
What’s the best advice you were ever given?
The best piece of advice that I’ve ever been given was from one of my graduate school professors. She mentioned to me one day that it was always important to treat everyone equally, no matter whether it was the person picking up the trash or the dean of the school. I took the advice to mean that everyone is important and no one person is better than anyone else. I try to embody this in the way that I interact with others each day.
Who or what inspires you?
I am always inspired when I see anyone put forth extra effort to help someone out, whether it is at work or out in public, and when it is truly coming from an altruistic place and not for self-serving purposes. It is sadly quite rare to see this these days, but I am always inspired when I see these caring and conscientious gestures in action.
What’s one thing you love about your state?
It is somewhat of a cliché that Maryland is “America in Miniature,” but it truly is. We have mountains in the west, urban areas in the center, and farms and the beach on the shore. It helps that my most favorite beach, Ocean City, is located in our state. No matter how many times I go there, it is always a relaxing and fun experience.
What are you currently reading/listening to/watching?
Prepandemic, I was quite a reader but have had trouble getting into books over the last few years, sadly. I mostly read online news these days but hopefully I’ll find the motivation to get back into reading books sometime soon.
I enjoy a number of true-crime podcasts, and I also listen to politics podcasts from time to time, at both the national and local levels.
I recently gave in and subscribed to Apple TV because I started watching “The Morning Show” while the service was doing a free trial. Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston are really great on the show, and it provides an interesting look behind the scenes at a high-profile morning show, much of which none of us ever consider when watching those types of shows. I also recently watched “Impeachment: American Crime Story,” which was a fascinating take on the Monica Lewinsky scandal.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
For its “Staff Snapshots” series, State Legislatures News is asking legislative staff about their role in the legislature. To suggest a staffer for this series, please use the email icon above to contact Holly South.