Mary Ellen Icaza joined Stark Library in 2018 as CEO and Executive Director. She is an innovative library leader who is fervent about making library services accessible for all. She has expertise in strategic planning, community engagement, and library technology, and is passionate about early childhood literacy – a passion that extends into her personal life.
Mary Ellen currently serves on the Canton Chamber of Commerce Board, Aultman Women’s Board, Kent State Stark Advisory Board, the Ohio Library Council Board, and the Public Library Association Board.
In 2018, Mary Ellen was honored with the EPIC Award for Education from Montgomery Community Media, which recognizes leaders for excellence in creating and sharing within the community. In 2004, she was named a Library Journal Mover & Shaker and was selected as a participant in the 2015 American Library Association Leadership Institute.
Prior to joining Stark Library, Mary Ellen led educational programming, community outreach and special events for Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) in Maryland, a large urban county near Washington, DC. She represented MCPL to county and state government agencies, local schools, partners, and elected officials, and managed nine of the library system’s 21 branches. Her programming expertise includes workforce development, business, early literacy, summer reading, children’s, teens’, and adults’ and programs for the under-served in the community.
Mary Ellen earned a Master of Library Science from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor of Arts in English (Magna Cum Laude) from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.