Valerie Bell is the executive director of the Athens Regional Library System, which covers five Northeast Georgia counties with 11 library branches. Valerie previously served as Assistant Director for Public Services at the Ocean County Library in Toms River, New Jersey, where she worked for 28 years in various positions. Valerie is a leader who specializes in customer service and community outreach. She has been recognized with numerous awards, including the NAACP Community Leader of the Year, Library Journal Mover & Shaker. A proponent of diversity and inclusion, Valerie has served on a number of ALA’s committees and on Council.