Board of Trustees

The Evanston Public Library is governed by a diverse, dynamic and committed Board of Trustees. The Board brings their leadership, skills and commitment to excellence in library service to their role as a governing board.

There is one current vacancy, for a board term ending 6/30/2024.

Tracy Fulce is the President of the Board. She is a proud graduate of Districts 65 and 202 and holds a bachelor’s degree in Advertising and an MBA with a concentration in Marketing. Tracy has been a tenured faculty member at Oakton Community College since 2007, where she serves as Chair of Business and Professional Services. She’s active in her community, as a member of EPL’s Racial Equity Task Force, Second Baptist Church, an alum of Leadership Evanston, SEED, Beyond Diversity, and the Admin of District 65 Parents and Guardians. She and her husband are the proud parents of 3 sons, a Freshman at ETHS, a first grader at Kingsway Preparatory School in the 5^th ward, and a Shih-Tzu, Max.

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Arikpo Dada is serving her first term as a Library Trustee.  She is passionate about community building and service and has spent her career within the STEM field to ensure quality educational access for all people.  Currently at Northwestern University, she used her unique set of skills within the Equity in Opportunity Landscape Lab.  As a lifelong learner, she believes the library is a great place to engage and connect with different people from different walks of life.  She and her husband are proud to raise their 3 children here in Evanston.

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Catie Huggins is serving her first term as library trustee. She holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in music and began work at Northwestern’s music library in 2010. A lifelong library lover, she is thrilled to now work in special collections and archives on the Evanston campus where her passion is making primary sources accessible to all, especially to first time researchers. Additionally, she serves on the committee for the decentering of whiteness in collections and instruction at  Northwestern and on the DEI committee for the Library Publishing Coalition. She and her spouse have made their home in Evanston since 2011 and have loved to take their two children to the library since they were babies.

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Michelle Mills is serving her first term as a Library Trustee. She is a lifelong library user and enthusiast, and worked in a library as an undergraduate. Michelle has over 25 years of experience in health and human services policy, technology, and operations within the government, non-profit, and private business sectors. She currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer for a national health policy consulting firm. Michelle has served on nonprofit boards servicing behavioral health, social services, and health education programs. She has lived in Evanston since 2017 where she and her husband are raising their three daughters, all active library patrons. Michelle holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and a master’s degree from the University of Chicago.

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Meghan Shea is serving in her first term as a Library Trustee. She has been an Evanston resident since 2011. Meghan holds an MFA from Northern Illinois University, as well as a BFA from New York University. Libraries have been an important part of Meghan’s life, allowing for access to resources her family couldn’t always afford. She is an alumni of SEED, Beyond Diversity, and holds a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership Certificate from Northwestern University. She is currently the Co-Chair of the PTA Equity Project in D65, with previous volunteer experience as the PTA President at King Arts (2019-2021) and a leadership team member for Evanston 4 All. Meghan is passionate about building and improving equitable policies in local public institutions to ensure opportunities for belonging for historically marginalized folks in the community. She is also a parent of two kiddos in D65, who love the Evanston libraries!

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Russ Shurbet is serving his first term as a Library Trustee. Russ received a Bachelor’s degree in Education from McMurry University in Abilene, Texas. He received his M.ED from the University of Cincinnati. Retired from from public education and administration in Texas, Israel, Ohio, and Illinois where he focused on serving students with disabilities, before relocating to Evanston for retirement. Russ is an avid reader and learner and advocate for the role of libraries in advancing equitable spaces for all community members to feel valued, welcomed, and supported.

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Terry Soto is the Secretary of the Board and is serving her first term as a Library Trustee. She received her B.A. in English with High Honors from Lehman College (City University of New York). She has lived in Evanston since 2013 and has worshiped here since 1987. She was a member of the YWCA’s Racial Justice Committee for several years, is an alumna of the Evanston Citizen Police Academy, and a community volunteer of the Evanston Police Department’s restorative justice for youth program. For eight years she co-facilitated racial healing training and community and police dialogues in North Lawndale and was trained as a Peacemaking Circle Keeper. Decreasing geographical, language, economical and educational barriers for all Evanston residents to more easily access library services is important to her. Terry’s earliest childhood memories include 7 ½ mile round trip public bus rides to her family’s closest public library. Her gratitude as a library patron, her experience as a Latina and her two years living outside of the US will also inform her perspective on the board.

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Esther Wallen is serving in her first term as a Library Trustee and a member of EPL’s Racial Equity Task Force. She has been a proud Evanston resident since 2016. Esther obtained a Doctorate in Education with a specialty in Leadership in Innovation and Continuous Improvement. She has spent nearly two decades in higher education, serving in both student affairs and as an instructor in universities throughout Chicagoland, and she is currently the Director of Academic Advising and Study Abroad at Concordia University, Chicago. Esther is also the proud parent of a recent District 65 graduate and two adult children.

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Library Director

Heather Norborg,  Interim Library Director 1703 Orrington Ave., Evanston 60201
Phone: (847) 448-8650
E-mail: hnorborg@cityofevanston.org

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Scheduled 2023 Library Board Meetings

• January 13 (Subcommittee Meeting)
• January 18
• January 20 (Subcommittee Meeting)
• January 25 (Subcommittee Meeting)
• February 15
• March 15
• April 19
• May 17
• June 21
• July 19
• August 16
• September 6 (Special Budget Meeting)
• September 20 (Public Hearing on budget)
• October 18 (Truth in Taxation Hearing)
• November 15 (Adoption of Tax Levy)
• December 20

Meetings are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. and meet in person in the Community Room of the Evanston Public Library Main Branch, 1703 Orrington Avenue, Evanston. See Agendas & Minutes.