View Interviews With the 2017 Library Trustee Candidates

Debbie Smart

• Profession: I am semi-retired.
• Community involvement: I have been a member of various organizations to volunteer my time and give back to our community including Rotary Club of Arlington Heights, A.H. Historical Society, Questers, Kappa Delta Sorority, A.H. Art Commission, St. John UCC Church and the Chamber of Commerce. I have been honored to win the 2014 Hearts of Gold Award for volunteering from our great Village.
• Library Board experience: I have served as a Trustee for 6 years and have held the positions of Treasurer and President of the Board.
• Why I want to serve on the Board of Library Trustees: My major focus is to continue to facilitate the success of our library while insuring fiscal responsibility. Our duty is to provide oversight that provides the best course for the future while respecting the past.

John Supplitt

• Profession: Senior director of constituency sections for the American Hospital Association (AHA)
• Why I want to serve on the Board of Library Trustees: As a resident of Arlington Heights, my family and I have been able to experience and enjoy the benefits of one of our area’s greatest resources, the Arlington Heights Memorial Library (AHML). Whether it was through participation in children’s classes, summer reading programs or use of the more traditional lending services for books, music and movies, our family has relied on AHML for school, research and leisure.

  AHML is a very diverse and rich resource to our community. From classes to meeting space, newsletters to story time, the AHML brings our community together to share knowledge and experiences in a way few other public resources can.

  My qualifications include 25 years’ experience with staffing of and participating on numerous national non-profit boards and panels throughout my career. From organizing agendas to reporting minutes, to presenting federal updates or case examples of best practices, I believe this skill set and experience will be invaluable as member of the AHML Board. I have managed operating budgets as a nursing home administrator and as a financial manager at the Health Research and Educational Trust of the AHA. Also, I have substantial public speaking experience and have a strong academic background with a bachelor of science from Georgetown University, and Master degrees in public administration from New York University and business administration from Loyola University of Chicago.

  I am prepared to commit to learning more about both the strategic goals and operations of the AHML and I welcome a chance to serve our community. Friend me on FaceBook and follow me on Twitter @wotsuppJ.

Christine C. Tangney

• Profession: Professor in Clinical Nutrition and Associate Dean for Research, College of Health Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago
• Community involvement:
  • Actively involved in American Cancer Society, providing lectures, cooking/food demonstrations about healthy eating/cooking to cancer survivors;
  • Numerous talks for the American Heart Association - specifically Go Red for women;
  • Various women’s organizations
  • Professional - journal editors, manuscript and grant reviews, etc.
  • Church and work, food pantry shopping, etc.
• Why I want to serve on the Board of Library Trustees: I am very proud of the Arlington Heights Memorial Library (AHML), and wish to enhance the reach of library services even more to those in our community who are unaware of how many wonderful services, programs, technology and educational tools are available. Currently, I am the chair of a search committee for our Medical Center Library director and much of what I see and use from AHML I use to ensure is in our medical library.

Marianthi Thanapoulos

• Profession: Community Engagement Liaison, Village of Mount Prospect
• Community involvement:
  • President/Board Member, Tharos Productions, local not-for-profit
  • Past Volunteer (Big Sister) of Big Brothers Big Sisters
  • Past Member of Women in Film
  • DePaul University, Alumni Sharing Knowledge
  • University of Chicago, Presenter/Mentor/Volunteer
  • PTA member
• Library Board experience: I was appointed in August of 2016; currently serve on the Finance and Human Resources Committees
• Why I want to serve on the Board of Library Trustees : I am honored to serve the residents of Arlington Heights. I believe libraries are the cornerstone of every community and feel my experience working in communications and marketing for a large, local library has offered key insight and helped prepare me to serve in this role.

  With our state's budget uncertainty, we may continue to see an impact in some areas. This is why, as a Board, we are seeking ways to partner with local organizations to reach our shared audiences. We are also exploring innovative resources to expand services. I would like to continue to investigate ways in how we can have a deeper impact on vast audiences who for a number of factors are not utilizing library services and resources. Our community surveys and community outreach will provide valuable information for the Board in helping to shape the future of the Library.

  The Arlington Heights Memorial Library is a center of knowledge, a meeting place, a technology hub, a study and much more. For some, the Library offers a space to research; for others, it is a classroom where they may be learning English for the first time. It offers free and equal access to all. Libraries offer programs that are timely, educational and important. Libraries have grown beyond books; they serve as a community to inspire residents to learn, create, connect, grow and explore.

  The Library remains relevant because our staff members know how to evolve to meet the current needs of our residents and businesses. We are ahead of the curve in the Library world. Staff deliver key presentations that shape communities across America. As a board member, it is my duty and privilege to serve as a volunteer and steward of this great community institution. I am seeking to be reinstated as trustee because I am passionate about the role that the Library serves in our community. I enjoy giving back to such a valuable public institution. As a child, the library offered me a key to the world through storytelling. As a young adult, the library granted me the opportunity to find college scholarships. In my graduate work, the library provided a sanctuary where I could research, write, and think. Now, the Library is a place my children look forward to exploring. There is no place that I would rather offer my time and talents. It is truly an honor.

  I look forward to continuing to serve our warm community.