Our Mission
The Friends of the Truckee Library support the cultural, social, and educational wellbeing of our community by advocating for the current Truckee Library and working to build a larger, modern library facility.
We are striving to increase community awareness and support of the new library campaign, LibraryUP!
Our Vision
Does anything define care for a community better than a library?
More than a space to borrow books, libraries offer story time, literacy programs, book clubs, Wi-Fi, access to technology, a meeting space, a co-working space, resources for research, and so much more. Our Truckee Library is a treasure trove of resources, information, and community connection, but unfortunately, it’s outgrown its current 4,500 sq ft space, constructed in 1975.
We are working towards the vision of a 20,000 sq. ft. modern library that will serve as the community hub for connection, creativity, and collaboration. A larger space will serve our whole community in access to dreams and opportunities, technology, resources and services, each other, and so much more.
This community is ready for a new library that will be a lasting legacy benefiting our region for decades to come.
Connection
Creativity
Collaboration
Community
Values
We are community-focused.
We are committed to conducting our work for and with our community. Bettering our community is the driving force of our work.
We are welcoming.
All individuals possess unique gifts and strengths. To elevate our work, we proactively seek out and listen to diverse perspectives from within our community. We work to foster an equitable and inclusive library community.
We have integrity.
Integrity is the foundation of everything we do. We do the right thing—even when no one is watching. We're committed to a positive, inclusive culture that encourages open, honest, and meaningful relationships.
We are visionaries.
Our vision is bold and exciting and reflects a spirit of possibility. We dream of building a space that will foster community and be an example of a great modern library and community connection center for many decades to come.
We are innovative.
We believe a modern library should embody its full purpose -- an innovative space for learning, technology, sustainability, connection, and a place to inspire and evoke creativity.
We are resolute.
We are driven to achieve extraordinary outcomes. We are relentlessly resourceful and are committed to seeing our goal of a new, modern library realized.
Board of Directors
Louise’s strong beliefs in the importance of education and lifelong learning drew her to join the Board of Friends of the Truckee Library in 2014. She became the president of the board in 2017 and over the years her belief in the need for a new library has only grown. These beliefs trace back to her 27 years as an elementary school teacher in Davis, California. As a teacher, Louise advocated statewide across districts and organizations for full inclusion classrooms in California. She also taught math workshops for school districts throughout the U.S.
Louise and her husband moved to Truckee in 2011 to be closer to children and 5 grandchildren and their love of the mountains. Together they enjoy the beauty and many activities the Sierras have to offer.
Louise Zabriskie
PRESIDENT
VICE PRESIDENT
Amy has built a career spanning over 30 years at Oracle, where she currently serves as Vice President of Global Environment, Health & Safety. Her diverse experience includes roles in accounting and corporate real estate, reflecting her adaptability and commitment to innovation. Amy holds a bachelor's degree with graduate studies in economics and a Master of Corporate Real Estate designation.
Beyond her professional achievements, Amy is deeply passionate about authentic leadership and advocacy. She co-chairs the Women of CoreNet, a nonprofit committee dedicated to elevating women in the corporate real estate industry, and has previously served as Treasurer of a youth soccer club board. She is also actively involved in her community as Vice President of the Friends of the Truckee Library.
Amy's love of literature, inspired by her mother, has made her a lifelong reader. With an international and blended family, she cherishes opportunities to travel, explore new cultures, and continue learning throughout her life.
Amy Aves
TREASURER
Mary Ellen moved to Tahoe Donner following a long career in the Silicon Valley technology sector. She retired from Intel Corporation’s Treasury Department in 2008 after 30 years of Treasury management experience, specializing in corporate cash management, international investment management, and global investor relations. Mary Ellen holds two degrees in finance, a B.A. from Southwestern University and an MBA from the University of Texas. She is excited to help bring the vision of a new library to fruition because of the many ways it promises to help the entire Truckee community, providing access to services unavailable from any other local source. Mary Ellen is an avid tennis player, downhill skier, and golfer.
Mary Ellen Clifford
SECRETARY
Rebecca is Chief Education and Research Officer at Action for the Climate Emergency (ACE), an award-winning national non-profit organization that educates and supports young people to lead the fight for their future. Rebecca moved to Truckee in 2006 and was an active volunteer for Nevada County’s ReadUp literacy program before joining Friends of the Truckee Library board in 2016. Rebecca owes her love of libraries to her mom, a high school English teacher who instilled in her a love of reading and literature. As a wife and mother, Rebecca is committed to getting a new Truckee library built before her son, himself an avid reader, graduates from high school in 2028.
Rebecca Anderson
BOARD MEMBER
Kath Eagan spearheaded Truckee’s incorporation as a town and was elected Truckee’s first mayor. She is a founding member of two organizations that are now central to civic life in the region, the Truckee River Watershed Council and the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation. As an elected member of the Truckee Tahoe Airport Board, she helped guide the Airport District to broaden its impact and become more community-focused. A retired bank vice president, Kath has a background in lending, finance and strategic planning. She and her husband moved to Truckee in 1986 to live where they spent their free time skiing, fly-fishing and backpacking.
Kathleen Eagan
BOARD MEMBER
Shortly before joining the FOTL board of directors, Lizzy Gardner was the interim CEO and COO of a non-profit organization that provides services to survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence. Most of Lizzy’s career was spent in international affairs, initially as an arms control officer for the U.S. Department of State and as a foreign and defense policy advisor to two United States Senators. She went on to work for USC and Stanford University, designing and leading international programs that advanced research and teaching and that sought to influence policy-making across the globe. Lizzy is the co-founder and former co-leader of two political advocacy organizations, and a long-time tutor to English language learners at public libraries. She holds degrees from Stanford and Georgetown.
Lizzy Gardner
BOARD MEMBER
Joan is the president and owner of Jones Corda Construction, which has been building custom homes and commercial projects in the Truckee-Tahoe Basin for more than 25 years. Together with her family, Joan also owns and operates the award-winning Truckee River Winery. Joan is very active in the Truckee community and was elected to the Truckee Town Council, serving from 2008 to 2016, and twice serving as mayor of Truckee. Among other community leadership roles, Joan chairs the Truckee River Revitalization Steering Committee. Joan was born and raised in Truckee and is a proud graduate of Truckee High and Cal State Sacramento. She is a licensed contractor in California and Nevada, and a former employee of Northstar and GarWoods Bar and Pier. Joan’s mother Adele worked diligently in the 1970s to get the current library built and Joan hopes to continue this legacy and work diligently to ensure a new library is built for this very deserving community.
Joan Jones
BOARD MEMBER
Kate Korsh is a fundraising professional who has worked to achieve philanthropic objectives at museums, universities, and libraries. A passion for work in the culture sector led her to pursue an MBA in Arts Administration and, more recently, an MA in Museum Studies. Libraries have been central to her professional roles where she was the Executive Director of the San Mateo Public Library Foundation, as well as personally where she endeavored to instill a love of reading and literature in her son, Will. Other professional roles include serving as the Director of Development for CuriOdyssey, a science museum in San Mateo, and Director of Development at the Stanford Law School. Kate is a founding board member of Leadership Council San Mateo County, and is a member of PEO, an international philanthropic women’s educational organization.
Kate Korsh
BOARD MEMBER
Ryan Parrish is the owner of grocery stores in the Lake Tahoe Region, with stores in both California and Nevada. As grocers, Ryan and his wife, Shannon, have been recognized nationally for their community involvement, as employers and mentors, volunteers and their aid and support of those in need. Ryan has previously served with numerous non-profits focusing on youth education, the arts and youth sports. Ryan’s passion for public libraries began at a very early age. Ryan was taught the importance of the local library by his grandfather, a self-educated man and Ryan’s hero and role model.
Ryan Parrish
BOARD MEMBER
After stints stewarding marketing for brands such as IBM, Hewlett Packard, Walt Disney, Lipton, and others, Mike took on the challenge of leading start-ups focused on database marketing, software, and media, either as CEO, President, EVP of Sales or CMO. His non-profit board experience includes HomeFirst, the largest provider of homeless services, shelter, and housing in Northern California. In addition, he currently is on the board of AARF, an avalanche rescue, training, and dog rescue at Alpine Meadows / Palisades, plus a board member at the Arrowhead Center Inc. in New Mexico, which is keenly focused on entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic development in the Borderlands region.
Mike Rogers
BOARD MEMBER
After experiencing the transformational power of language in his own life, Craig has spent the last decade sharing his passion for reading and learning largely with local teens. As an educator he teaches at Truckee High School and Mount Tamalpais College in San Quentin, and he is the founding director of La Fuerza Latina, a local college and career access program for low-income First Gen students. In addition to FOTL, Craig also serves as a mentor for the Nevada County Youth Commission and Model United Nations Advisor. Craig was the 2023 TTUSD and Placer County Office of Education Teacher of the Year and a California Teacher of the Year finalist, a Linda Brown Teaching Fellow, and a two-time Paul Harris Rotary service award recipient.
Craig Rowe
LibraryUP Team
LIBRARYUP CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR
April's primary role is to manage the big picture and drive the effort to get this much-needed space built!
April's personal experience with her own local library not only enriched her life, but opened up her world to endless possibilities, driving her belief that libraries have the power to change lives and enrich communities. As a child, the library was a space that inspired her to dream big and work towards those dreams
April Cole
The FOTL Advisory Council is a distinguished group of library supporters who provide professional, pro bono advice and services to advance the mission of building a new Truckee library.
Advisory Council
As the Behavioral Health Director for Nevada County, Phebe oversees mental health and substance use treatment services for lower income residents of Nevada County. In this role she sees firsthand how important connection and caring are in keeping community members safe and well. Phebe previously worked for a variety of non-profits in the Truckee region, including spending nearly 10 years at the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation. She is passionate about community infrastructure that creates gathering spaces for all residents, regardless of income level or background, and has led parcel tax and bond measure campaigns for TTUSD schools, as well as fundraising campaigns for resources like the KidZone, Family Resource Center and Community House. She and her husband Billy McCullough raised their children in Truckee and deeply love this community, and she is really excited about the welcoming space that the new library will be.
Phebe Bell
A long-time veteran of the technology industry, Dan has a track record of launching new products, managing programs, and contributing to the startup teams of several internet companies. After retiring, he followed his heart to Africa, where he trained management teams, launched new businesses, and has actively contributed to wildlife conservation projects for the past 15 years, including serving on the Board of Directors of the Cheetah Conservation Fund, based in Namibia.
Dan Beringer
With over 28 years of experience in entertainment and advertising retouching, Lisa began her journey with formal photography training at the Art Center College of Design. She has made a significant mark in the field as a Photoshop instructor and was honored to be a member of the Adobe Photoshop Advisory Council in 2020. Lisa specializes in the entertainment industry, beauty, and advertising.
Lisa Carney
Tom, a Certified Public Accountant with over fifty-six years of experience, boasts a rich professional background, including work with one of the nation’s largest CPA firms and a Fortune 500 corporation. A US Army veteran and a Truckee resident for 10 years, Tom has volunteered his expertise to over 20 charitable and religious organizations. In addition to his professional achievements, he has made over 200 blood donations.
Thomas E. Conk
Dana (Gunders) Rivero moved to Truckee with two very young kids and has been a regular at the library ever since. She is a national expert on reducing food waste, and is the Executive Director of ReFED, an organization entirely focused on the topic. She has testified in Congress, authored a book, and appeared in hundreds of media outlets. In her role at ReFED, she has grown the organization to six times its size. She is thrilled to apply her experience in organization building and fundraising to help FOTL thrive.
Dana Gunders
With a background in working with public, private, and nonprofit groups throughout North America, Claudette brings extensive experience in building collaborative teams, enhancing group communication, and furthering professional learning. As an author and skilled facilitator, Claudette engages groups with an invitational style, bringing out strengths, creativity, and consensus. Her teaching experience includes leaders in businesses such as Intel, KPMG, Oracle, Via Rail, school districts, and the University of California.
Claudette Landry
Tony spent 36 years working for local government in the Sierra. Truckee’s Town Manager from 2005 until his retirement in 2017, he also served as the first Community Development Director for this newly incorporated Town beginning in 1994. Tony was intimately involved in the organization of the Town. Achievements include preparation of the General Plan, Downtown Specific Plan, Redevelopment Plan, completely overhauled Development Code, Truckee River Revitalization Strategy, Trails Plan and development of an aggressive housing program for this unique community. Tony along with his wife Jan and cherished dog Katie continue to live in Truckee where he serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Truckee River Watershed Council.
Tony Lashbrook
Before retiring, Violet Nakayama served as the legal and policy coordinator for the 41-reserve University of California Natural Reserve System, the world's largest such system. Her expertise spanned real estate transactions, land management, environmental laws, and natural resource conservation, including negotiations with local, state, and federal agencies, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and private donors. Over three decades, she also dedicated her time to the board of Alameda County Legal Aid Services, now known as the Economic Justice Center, and locally, on the Tahoe Forest Hospital’s Patient and Family Advocacy Council.
Violet Nakayama
With 30 years in the healthcare field, including roles as a scientist at the Stanford University Sleep Disorders Center and hospital administrator at Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley, Bob brings a wealth of expertise. He founded Healthcare Business Development Associates (HBDA), a consulting firm specialized in the design, implementation, and governance of complex healthcare service delivery partnerships. Bob served on the board of directors for John Muir Health System and later became the President and CEO of Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, California.
Bob Phillips
Katie Shaffer is CEO and founder of East River PR & Marketing. Prior to starting her own business, Katie worked for a magazine in New York City and a textbook publisher in the Bay Area. She also directed a scholarly book publisher’s marketing department, worked as a journalist and columnist for Swift News and as a director with Switchback PR + Marketing. She currently serves as a director on the Truckee Chamber of Commerce board and chairs the CATT marketing committee. She also is past board president of Truckee Community Cares and founded and runs the micro outlet Sierraville.org. Katie is proud of the talent she has attracted to her firm and to be providing a dozen professional jobs in Truckee. She has lived and/or worked in Truckee for the past 42 years.
Katie Shaffer
David is a seasoned architect with over forty years of experience in real estate development, architecture, and planning. His professional journey began as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines, leading him to work in New York City, southern California, France, and the Netherlands before settling in Truckee. David has also been involved in local governance, serving as Truckee Mayor, Council Member, and Planning Commissioner. He earned undergraduate degrees from the University of Arkansas and a graduate degree in urban planning from McGill University. David resides in Truckee with his partner, Lorna, and enjoys cycling and Nordic skiing in his free time. He is passionate about helping bring a new, sustainable, state-of-the-art library to our deserving community.
David Tirman
Practicing law in Truckee, Lake Tahoe, Northern Nevada, and the Lost Sierra, Craig is an experienced litigator and transactional attorney. Collaborating closely with local business owners, Craig helps establish, grow, and protect their businesses. His expertise extends to addressing nuances in phantom stock programs, profit-sharing agreements, and restrictive stock units in family law. Craig leverages his considerable experience in complex, high-dollar divorce cases involving the valuation of family-owned businesses and fractional ownership interests.
Craig C. Weaver
Born and raised in California, Doug has had strong ties to Truckee since childhood. As a full-time resident, he embraces an active lifestyle as an avid skier, rock climber, kayaker, mountain biker, and hiker. Initially rooted in business ownership and investments, Doug's focus has shifted full time to landscape and astro photography, reflecting his deep connection to nature and exploration.
Doug Weiss
Debbie embarked on her career in publishing, marketing, and communications, notably launching Price Club’s member magazine, The Price Club Journal. Transitioning into program development and non-profit management, Debbie has combined her passion for education and community service as a literacy tutor for the Truckee Library.