We are pleased to announce the recent appointment of three members to their national board of directors: Jake Adams, Betsy Gleick, and Jennifer Lukas (pictured above, left to right).
Jake Adams of Phoenix is the Chief Development Officer for Southwest Human Development where he oversees agency fundraising, community outreach, volunteer engagement, special events, and marketing communications. Jake has more than 25 years of experience in fundraising and business development in a variety of industries including politics, nonprofit, telecom, construction, and renewable energy. Jake has also managed political campaigns in Arizona. Jake earned his undergraduate degree in economics from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and completed an MBA at the University of Arizona. This is his second tenure as a Little Free Library board member.
Betsy Gleick of New York City is a book editor and consultant with more than 30 years of experience as a journalist, magazine editor, and book publisher. Most recently, she was Editorial Director and Publisher of Algonquin Books, a division of the Hachette Book Group, where she oversaw all aspects of the imprint, from staffing and budgeting to her team’s acquisition and editing of dozens of award-winning, bestselling works of literary fiction and nonfiction. Before joining Algonquin, she consulted at Audible on a new audio curation project, and was for more than a decade a high-ranking editor at People magazine. Betsy holds a BA degree in literature from Yale University. A lifelong New Yorker, Betsy is also currently acting as a writing mentor for the Transforming Lives organization, which works with incarcerated people throughout the state.
Jennifer Lukas of Northern Virginia is a workforce development professional with 30 years of experience. Utilizing her skills in curriculum design and classroom facilitation, she has implemented and provided strategic leadership for enterprise-wide development programs. As an experienced mentor and certified professional coach, she is committed to helping individuals at all levels unlock their true potential and create their own path to success. Jennifer holds a Master of Arts in Psychology from Pepperdine University and a BA in International Relations and German from DePaul University. She has spent several years living overseas. In her free time, Jennifer’s activities revolve around books, and she is a proud Little Free Library steward.
“We are honored to welcome Jake, Betsy, and Jennifer to the Little Free Library national board,” said Daniel Gumnit, Executive Director and CEO of Little Free Library. “Each brings exceptional leadership experience, deep professional expertise, and a shared belief in the power of books to strengthen communities. Their collective insight will help us continue advancing our mission to build community, inspire readers, and expand book access for all.”
Adams, Gleick, and Lukas join an engaged national board of directors that totals 12 members including Migell Acosta, San Diego County Library; Heather Butts, Columbia University; Michelle Hudgins, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights; Shauntina Lilly, NASA; Patrick McCarthy, J.P. Morgan, retired; Azanique Rawl, Vanguard; Jeff Tobler, Universal Television Entertainment; and Nancy Wulkan, Neighbor to Neighbor Literacy Project. The board provides mission and financial guidance to the LFL organization.