Director
Washington County Public Library (AL)
Dr. Jessica Ross has served as Director of Washington County Public Library in Chatom, Alabama for 18 years. Dr. Ross received an MLIS from University of Southern Mississippi and a PhD in Communication and Information Science from the University of Alabama, where she has also served as a research assistant and adjunct instructor for the School of Library and Information Studies. Her primary research focuses on community development, public library partnerships, and sustainability in rural communities.
Dr. Ross works closely with local, state, and national government officials to advocate for libraries and community development projects in the region. She currently serves as Legislative/Advocacy Chair of the Alabama Library Association and represents Washington County on the Economic Development Association of Alabama’s Rural Development Initiative. She is a member of Leadership Alabama’s “Alabama Leadership Initiative” class of 2020 and was awarded the 2019 National Public Service Award by the American Society for Public Administration. Jessica and her husband, Spencer, live in her hometown of Chatom, and enjoy playing music together along the Gulf Coast.
Saturday, January 28, 2023
3:00 PM – 4:15 PM