Current Board
The Friends of WFPL operates with an all volunteer membership and is governed by a board of directors. Each board member is elected by the membership at the annual meeting and serves a two-year term. Members also elect the executive board made up of a president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer.
The Friends advocate for literacy and learning by providing funding and support for the West Florida Public Library where people of all ages, backgrounds, cultures and lifestyles can grow intellectually and contribute to our community and society. We encourage readers to build personal libraries by offering opportunities to purchase donated books at a reduced cost. We then use book sale proceeds to expand our financial contribution to the library by increasing sales revenue, and by growing our membership base and establishing strategic partnerships with the business community to secure sustainable funding streams.
Current Board Members
October 1, 2023 to September 20, 2024
President
Linda Williams
Linda has been involved as a Friends officer and volunteer for the past 12 years and has served in the roles of president, vice-president and secretary. Linda is currently the Chair of the Book Sales Committee (since 2014) and manages the warehouse, where all donated books are sorted and prepared to sell. Linda has been a business owner since 1981 and has owned a number of successful companies related to the fitness industry, both in Pensacola and Virginia Beach.
Vice-President
Kathy McCartan
Kathy has been involved with the Friends for the past 18 years and has served in the roles of secretary, book sorter at the warehouse and a key volunteer at book sales. Kathy is currently the Chair of the Friends Membership/Volunteer Committee. Kathy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from the United States Naval Academy and a Master of Arts degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of South Florida. Kathy honorably served as a former Naval Officer, a Peace Corps Volunteer, a Professor of English as a Foreign Language Specialist and as an instructor at Seoul National University of Science and Technology in South Korea.
Treasurer
Elisabeth Buswell
Elisabeth has been involved with the Friends for the past year and has served in the role of president. Elisabeth is an experienced professional with a demonstrated history of working both in the government and education management industry. She has extensive skills in budgeting, customer service, and public speaking. Elisabeth is currently the Coordinator of Board Affairs for the Escambia County Public School system.
Secretary
Sandra Reed
Sandra has been involved with the Friends for the past 10 years and has served in the roles of president, treasurer and a volunteer at book sales. Sandra is currently a Fiduciary Closing Officer with PNC Bank.
Board Member
David Bryant
David has been involved with the Friends for the past 11 years and has served in the roles of board member, treasurer and bookstore manager. David holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting and a Master of Accountancy degree from the University of West Florida. David is a Certified Public Accountant, a Certified Internal Auditor, a Certified Fraud Examiner, and a Certified Government Financial Manager. David is currently the Director of Internal Auditing for the Escambia County Public School system. David currently serves on the board of the Northwest Florida Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. He previously served as an officer and district representative for the Institute of Internal Auditors. David also served two terms as the City Council appointee to West Florida Library Board of Governance.
Board Member
Donna Henderson
Donna has been involved with the Friends of the past 6 years and has served in the role of bookstore volunteer. Donna holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education and was a teacher in Santa Rosa County for 30 years. Donna has been key promoting the Friends Facebook site and posting listings for current books for sale which has boosted overall bookstore sales. An avid reader, Donna enjoys talking to customers about books and helping them to find just the book they are looking for.
Board Member
Kim Stefansson
Kim has been involved with the Friends for the past 2 years and has served in the roles of board member and bookstore manager. Kim honorably served in the United States Navy as a Public Affairs Officer and served the community as a teacher and public relations coordinator for the Escambia County School District. Kim holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications from Towson University and a Master of Education degree from the University of West Florida. She has been visiting libraries for as long as she can remember.
Board Member
Manny Madrigal
Manny has been involved with the Friends for the Friends for the past year and has served as a booksale volunteer. Manny is an experienced professional, currently working as an assistant account executive at NEI Global Relocation, where he helps corporate clients relocate their employees and families all across the world. Over the past 10 years Manny has cultivated a background in community outreach, intercultural communication, and leadership by using different mediums in the various places he has called home.