Scholarships

Congratulations to our 2026 Scholarship Winners!

Joy Creasong is the Community Outreach Manager at Bossier Parish Libraries in Shreveport, Louisiana. In 2014, Joy moved to Louisiana with an English degree and a love for books. After landing a job at the local public library, she decided to dedicate her career to public service. She has a MLS from Texas Woman’s University and has spent the past 9 years working various roles for her hometown library in Bossier Parish. Now the Community Outreach Manager, she gets to combine her passion for public libraries and being chronically online by promoting the library on social media as well as out in the community.

Lisa Frost is the Public Relations, Marketing, and Social Media Librarian at Chelsea Public Library in Chelsea, Alabama. She oversees the library's website, marketing initiatives, and social media presence. Lisa has been with Chelsea Public Library for nearly five years and has served in her current role for the past year. She enjoys connecting the community with library programs, services, and resources. When she's not creating social media content or planning marketing campaigns, she enjoys reading, solving puzzles, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Anabel Marquez is the Community Engagement Manager for the Ventura County Library in Ventura, California. She is a communications professional, with more than 15 years of experience in government public affairs and strategic communications. While serving as a congressional liaison with the Internal Revenue Service, she was the editor of Mommy in Los Angeles Magazine, a digital publication celebrating motherhood, culture, and community across Los Angeles. After a sudden and unexpected career transition, Anabel was fortunate to join the Ventura County Library, where she is enthusiastically learning the art and strategy of library marketing. Passionate about storytelling and community engagement, she is eager to deepen her knowledge and exchange ideas with fellow professionals!

Anita Morales is a Librarian I at Oceanside Public Library in Oceanside, California. She earned her Bachelor’s in American Studies with a minor in Child and Adolescent Development at Cal State Fullerton. She later earned her Master's in Library and Information Science from the University of California, Los Angeles. During her undergraduate and graduate studies, she gained hands-on library experience by working at LA County Library as a Library Page and then a Library Associate. For the past three years, she has helped oversee Oceanside Public Library’s food programming and services for youth and their families, focusing on promotion and outreach to connect families with these resources. She is also an active member of the Library's Social Media team, collaborating with fellow librarians to promote programs and boost community engagement through digital platforms. She hopes to meet fellow colleagues and learn more about library marketing and communication at LMCC26.

Melinda Reed is the Access Services Manager at Armacost Library, part of a small but mighty team providing library services to the Eckerd College community in St. Petersburg, Florida. She received her bachelor’s from Georgetown University in 2025 and is now pursuing her MLIS at Florida State University. While she hasn’t yet chosen a specialty, she loves all things related to library marketing and outreach, and will be choosing a path that lets her do both. She would like to thank the LMCG Scholarship and Awards Committee for this wonderful opportunity.

Micah Wingard is the Department Coordinator for Furman University Libraries in Greenville, South Carolina, where she leads the library's marketing and communications efforts. She chairs the library's Social Media Task Force, oversees a marketing student assistant, and collaborates with colleagues to promote the library's services, collections, programs, and spaces. Micah holds a BA in English and an MA in Communication. Her career has included roles in both public and academic libraries, where she has developed a passion for helping people discover the value of libraries through strategic communication. Her professional interests include storytelling, web accessibility, and using compelling narratives to help organizations build stronger relationships with their audiences. Outside of work, Micah enjoys traveling, writing poetry, and planning her next adventure. Her work has been published in Porchlight. She is honored to attend her first LMCC as a scholarship recipient.