Madeline Peña

For immediate release
Contact: Roxana Benavides, Chair
REFORMA Dr. Arnulfo D. Trejo Librarian of the Year (LOTY) Award & the Elizabeth Martinez Lifetime Achievement (LAA) Award Committee
awards@reforma.org

REFORMA Announces 2015 Librarian of the Year (LOTY) Winner

REFORMA is proud to announce the recipient of the 2015 Arnulfo Trejo Librarian of the Year (LOTY) award, Madeline Peña (REFORMA LA, Los Angeles Public Library)

Madeline Peña has been an active member of REFORMA for over four years. She served as Co-Chair of the Marketing Committee for RNCV and was recently elected Chapter Representative for the Western Region. She is the current President of the Los Angeles Chapter.
 
Madeline completed degrees in Graphic Design and Marketing and worked for private businesses and governmental organizations mostly in product management and TV production in her natal Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. After she moved to Los Angeles, she worked briefly in the marketing field until she found her true love and passion—public libraries.
 
In 2007 she started working in the Multilingual Collection Department of the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) and was mentored by an extraordinary librarian, Pat Cuesta, who motivated her to pursue a career in libraries and encouraged her to join REFORMA. Madeline completed the MLIS program from San Jose State University in 2012 and soon after was hired as a librarian to manage social media and digital marketing for the LAPL library system.
 
Fellow Reformistas say this about Madeline:
 
“Madeline has been an inspiration for Los Angeles librarians. It is evident that she loves her profession, and her creativity along with her positive attitude makes her a very talented librarian that Los Angeles and REFORMA are very lucky to have.”  - Cynthia Bautista
 
“For the work and passion she puts in her work and outside of work through Reforma LA, she is truly a great role model for librarianship and deserves the Dr. Arnulfo D. Trejo LOTY award.  She has done so much in the time she has been president for Reforma LA and is always willing to volunteer with such enthusiasm.”  - Alicia Rodriguez
 
“As a current (LA Chapter) President she is friendly, passionate and a big advocate for libraries (especially as a Librarian for the Los Angeles Public Library). She is a great inspiration. She has demonstrated that with passion and belief on what you do as a Librarian, you can be a powerful woman.”  - Concepción Flores
 
The Arnulfo D. Trejo Librarian of the Year Award is presented annually by REFORMA to recognize a librarian who has distinguished himself or herself in the field of librarianship, promoted and advocated services to the Spanish-speaking and Latino communities, and made outstanding contributions to REFORMA.

Madeline Peña will be honored at the 2015 American Library Association (ALA) annual conference in San Francisco at the 2015 REFORMA GALA on:
 
The REFORMA Dr. Arnulfo D. Trejo Librarian of the Year (LOTY) Award & the Elizabeth Martinez Lifetime Achievement (LAA) Award Committee

• Roxana Benavides, (Chair)
• Silvia Cisneros – REFORMA, President
• Beatriz Guevara - REFORMA Vice-President
• Jean Hatfield, Advisor
• Libbhy Romero, Member

For more information about the LAA and REFORMA, visit www.reforma.org

Download Press Release PDF.