ASI 2023 Conference—Speaker Biographies
Olga Brudastova
Olga Brudastova is the President of Local 2110, United Auto Workers, an amalgamated local union representing thousands of workers across cultural institutions, nonprofits, publishers, state agencies, and beyond in NY, CT, MA, and ME. She holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from Columbia University. Olga first got involved in the union in 2014, when she organized her co-workers to form a student worker union. She has been working for Local 2110 since 2018 and has been representing workers in grievances and negotiations, as well as organizing new union campaigns across multiple industries.
Olga Brudastova is the President of Local 2110, United Auto Workers, an amalgamated local union representing thousands of workers across cultural institutions, nonprofits, publishers, state agencies, and beyond in NY, CT, MA, and ME. She holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from Columbia University. Olga first got involved in the union in 2014, when she organized her co-workers to form a student worker union. She has been working for Local 2110 since 2018 and has been representing workers in grievances and negotiations, as well as organizing new union campaigns across multiple industries.
Mary Coe
Dr. Mary Coe has been indexing for 30 years, working in a wide range of subject areas and formats, including books. She was recently awarded a PhD by Charles Sturt University (CSU) for her thesis on how readers make sense of active e-book indexes. Mary is an Adjunct Lecturer at CSU, Editor of The Indexer: The International Journal of Indexing, and a member of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Indexers (ANZSI) and the Society of Indexers (SI).
Dr. Mary Coe has been indexing for 30 years, working in a wide range of subject areas and formats, including books. She was recently awarded a PhD by Charles Sturt University (CSU) for her thesis on how readers make sense of active e-book indexes. Mary is an Adjunct Lecturer at CSU, Editor of The Indexer: The International Journal of Indexing, and a member of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Indexers (ANZSI) and the Society of Indexers (SI).
Michelle Guiliano
Michelle Guiliano began her indexing career (her second career!) in a small town in New Hampshire with one general store, one tiny post office, and a parade ground. It was near the parade ground that she met a neighbor at a used book sale who told her all about indexing. Michelle was intrigued and set off to learn how to become an expert indexer.
Michelle Guiliano began her indexing career (her second career!) in a small town in New Hampshire with one general store, one tiny post office, and a parade ground. It was near the parade ground that she met a neighbor at a used book sale who told her all about indexing. Michelle was intrigued and set off to learn how to become an expert indexer.
Fast forward nine years, Michelle now has a thriving indexing business. And she has indexed more than one hundred thousand pages. She still lives in the same town, within walking distance of her indexing neighbor.
Fred Leise
Fred Leise started his indexing career with the University of Chicago Publishing Program’s introduction to indexing course in 1993. Since 1995, he has been indexing a broad variety of texts, specializing in scholarly works in international relations, cultural and political history, and contemporary social issues. His index to Art and Affection: A Life of Virginia Woolf was shortlisted for the 1997 Excellence in Indexing Award, the only time that a shortlist has been announced for that honor.
Fred Leise started his indexing career with the University of Chicago Publishing Program’s introduction to indexing course in 1993. Since 1995, he has been indexing a broad variety of texts, specializing in scholarly works in international relations, cultural and political history, and contemporary social issues. His index to Art and Affection: A Life of Virginia Woolf was shortlisted for the 1997 Excellence in Indexing Award, the only time that a shortlist has been announced for that honor.
Fred also works as a freelance taxonomy consultant, having completed projects for such clients as Dow Corning, HP, American Mathematical Society, Disney Studios, and Abbott, as well as a number of clients in the hospitality and travel industry.
He is a founding member of the Institute of Certified Indexers, was an instructor for the University of California, Berkeley Extension Division online indexing course for ten years, and also taught indexing for Columbia College Chicago and Dominican University’s School of Information Studies. He has served several terms on ASI’s board of directors, including two terms as president. He was a recipient of ASI’s Hines Award in 2019.
Fred regularly presents at both national and chapter events and has written a number of articles on various aspects of indexing for both Key Words and The Indexer.
Shannon Li
Shannon Li (Li Indexing) began her indexing business in 2018 after completing the UC Berkeley course. She has a PhD in history, specializing in medieval monasticism, theology, and manuscripts. She won the 2018 Purple Pen award with the Institute of Certified Indexers, and currently serves in a number of volunteer positions with ASI. She lives in Boston, MA with her husband, daughter, son, and two dogs.
Shannon Li (Li Indexing) began her indexing business in 2018 after completing the UC Berkeley course. She has a PhD in history, specializing in medieval monasticism, theology, and manuscripts. She won the 2018 Purple Pen award with the Institute of Certified Indexers, and currently serves in a number of volunteer positions with ASI. She lives in Boston, MA with her husband, daughter, son, and two dogs.
John Magee
John Magee is the Director of Metadata Services for Cengage Gale, where he has worked in a variety of indexing and metadata roles for more than 25 years. He lives in Wolverine Lake, Michigan, with his wife and his loyal Labrador retriever Bubbles, who also serves as his trusty work-from-home colleague in a mission-critical role as Senior Belly Rub Associate.
John Magee is the Director of Metadata Services for Cengage Gale, where he has worked in a variety of indexing and metadata roles for more than 25 years. He lives in Wolverine Lake, Michigan, with his wife and his loyal Labrador retriever Bubbles, who also serves as his trusty work-from-home colleague in a mission-critical role as Senior Belly Rub Associate.
Jennifer Parrucci
Jennifer has been working as a taxonomist for 15 years. She began her career at The Times as an indexer for The New York Times Index where she worked writing abstracts and assigning metadata. Prior to her work at The Times she received her M.L.I.S. from Pratt Institute, where she later earned her certification in archives. She is also on the board of the IPTC, a news metadata standards organization, and leads the Newscodes Working Group. Jennifer has always been passionate about books, organizing content, surfacing historical treasures and making sure that everyone can find what they need.
Jennifer has been working as a taxonomist for 15 years. She began her career at The Times as an indexer for The New York Times Index where she worked writing abstracts and assigning metadata. Prior to her work at The Times she received her M.L.I.S. from Pratt Institute, where she later earned her certification in archives. She is also on the board of the IPTC, a news metadata standards organization, and leads the Newscodes Working Group. Jennifer has always been passionate about books, organizing content, surfacing historical treasures and making sure that everyone can find what they need.
June Sawyers
Born in Scotland, June Sawyers is a writer and indexer who has written books on topics ranging from Springsteen to Scotland. Her work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Scottish Tradition, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the TLS, among other publications. In addition, she teaches humanities courses at the Newberry Library in Chicago.
Born in Scotland, June Sawyers is a writer and indexer who has written books on topics ranging from Springsteen to Scotland. Her work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Scottish Tradition, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the TLS, among other publications. In addition, she teaches humanities courses at the Newberry Library in Chicago.
Kamm Schreiner
Kamm Schreiner is the owner of SKY Software and a graduate of Virginia Tech with a BS in electrical engineering. He has been programming since high school and is the programmer of SKY Index Professional. In his spare time he is an amateur musician and songwriter.
Kamm Schreiner is the owner of SKY Software and a graduate of Virginia Tech with a BS in electrical engineering. He has been programming since high school and is the programmer of SKY Index Professional. In his spare time he is an amateur musician and songwriter.
Do Mi Stauber
Do Mi Stauber is the author of the classic Facing the Text: Content and Structure in Book Indexing, and winner of the 2007 Wilson Award for Excellence in Indexing. She is a popular and beloved presenter on indexing and many other topics. Do Mi has been using Macrex for thirty-four years and has assisted in tech support for the program.
Do Mi Stauber is the author of the classic Facing the Text: Content and Structure in Book Indexing, and winner of the 2007 Wilson Award for Excellence in Indexing. She is a popular and beloved presenter on indexing and many other topics. Do Mi has been using Macrex for thirty-four years and has assisted in tech support for the program.
Maria Sullivan
Maria Sullivan: Maria has been creating and updating indexes since 1988, when she started in the Indexing Department of Lawyer’s Cooperative Publishing (now part of Thomson Reuters) in Rochester, New York. Recently, Maria and her husband moved from Western New York State to Northwestern Massachusetts to be closer to their adult children and their families. Maria hates to see anyone duplicate effort and thoroughly enjoys a good creative challenge.
Maria Sullivan: Maria has been creating and updating indexes since 1988, when she started in the Indexing Department of Lawyer’s Cooperative Publishing (now part of Thomson Reuters) in Rochester, New York. Recently, Maria and her husband moved from Western New York State to Northwestern Massachusetts to be closer to their adult children and their families. Maria hates to see anyone duplicate effort and thoroughly enjoys a good creative challenge.
Bella Hass Weinberg
Bella Hass Weinberg is a past president of the American Society for Indexing and a winner of its Hines Award, named after Theodore Hines, her mentor at Columbia. Now Professor Emerita of the Division of Library & Information Science, St. John’s University, she previously taught courses on the organization of information, including indexing, information architecture, and thesaurus design. She has published extensively in The Indexer, Key Words, and information science journals. Her reviews of indexing manuals are collected in Can You Recommend a Good Book on Indexing? Dr. Weinberg currently works as a researcher, editor, translator, and consultant.
Bella Hass Weinberg is a past president of the American Society for Indexing and a winner of its Hines Award, named after Theodore Hines, her mentor at Columbia. Now Professor Emerita of the Division of Library & Information Science, St. John’s University, she previously taught courses on the organization of information, including indexing, information architecture, and thesaurus design. She has published extensively in The Indexer, Key Words, and information science journals. Her reviews of indexing manuals are collected in Can You Recommend a Good Book on Indexing? Dr. Weinberg currently works as a researcher, editor, translator, and consultant.
Pilar Wyman
Pilar Wyman, chief indexer and consultant, Wyman Indexing, has been writing indexes and providing related services for over 32 years. Currently, she is the leader of the ASI Digital Publications Indexing Special Interest Group (DPI-SIG) and Regional Sales Manager, USA/Canada for Index-Manager. She is a past president of ASI and a founding member of the Institute of Certified Indexers (ICI). Pilar works in English, Spanish and French in clinical medicine, health, technology, and other areas of personal interest. She has published numerous articles and other works on indexing and gives presentations and training workshops as time allows. More on Pilar at wymanindexing.com.
Pilar Wyman, chief indexer and consultant, Wyman Indexing, has been writing indexes and providing related services for over 32 years. Currently, she is the leader of the ASI Digital Publications Indexing Special Interest Group (DPI-SIG) and Regional Sales Manager, USA/Canada for Index-Manager. She is a past president of ASI and a founding member of the Institute of Certified Indexers (ICI). Pilar works in English, Spanish and French in clinical medicine, health, technology, and other areas of personal interest. She has published numerous articles and other works on indexing and gives presentations and training workshops as time allows. More on Pilar at wymanindexing.com.