The guest speaker for the School of Information and Library Science's (SILS) winter commencement ceremony is SILS alumna (MSLS '97) Deborah Balsamo. Balsamo is the National Program Manager for EPA's National Library Network where she has the responsibility for coordinating the operations of the agency’s 26 libraries, overseeing the implementation of policies and procedures and leading the strategic direction of EPA's information services.
Deborah is an active member of the American Library Association and the Special Libraries Association and served as president of the North Carolina Chapter. Her achievements have been recognized by professional awards from both organizations; and this past summer she was named a Dialog Quantum2 Info Star, one of three in North America. Deborah holds a BA from Florida Atlantic University and earned her Master of Science in Library Science from SILS at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a member of Beta Phi Mu International Library and Information Studies Honor Society.
Deborah lives in Chapel Hill with her husband, a cat and a certified therapy dog. She is a mother of three, grandmother of five, and enjoys knitting, quilting and gardening in her free time.
