2026 ASI Conference—Speaker Biographies
Elizabeth Bartmess
Elizabeth Bartmess is the chair of the American Society for Indexing’s AI Committee. She is an award-winning freelance indexer specializing in back-of-book and embedded indexes for scholarly, trade, and technology and design books. She also develops software utilities for indexers. Her academic background is in research psychology and information science.
Elizabeth Bartmess is the chair of the American Society for Indexing’s AI Committee. She is an award-winning freelance indexer specializing in back-of-book and embedded indexes for scholarly, trade, and technology and design books. She also develops software utilities for indexers. Her academic background is in research psychology and information science.
Michele Combs
Michele Combs is a freelance indexer and editor with more than 20 years’ experience and also works full time as the lead archivist at Syracuse University’s Special Collections Research Center. She is a past president of the American Society for Indexing (ASI), co-author of the International Digital Publishing Forum’s EPUB Indexes 1.0 standard (2015), and a member of ASI’s AI Committee. Her academic background is in history and political science, with an M.S. in library and information science.
Michele Combs is a freelance indexer and editor with more than 20 years’ experience and also works full time as the lead archivist at Syracuse University’s Special Collections Research Center. She is a past president of the American Society for Indexing (ASI), co-author of the International Digital Publishing Forum’s EPUB Indexes 1.0 standard (2015), and a member of ASI’s AI Committee. Her academic background is in history and political science, with an M.S. in library and information science.
Melanie Dolechek
Melanie Dolechek has served as the Executive Director of the Society for Scholarly Publishing since 2015. She is founder and past Convener for the Coalition for Diversity and Inclusion in Scholarly Communication and past treasurer of the Kansas City Society of Association Executives where she has also served on the Communications and Program committees. Melanie holds a Master of Science in Management from Baker University, a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Kansas State University and is a Certified Association Executive. She has been active in scholarly publishing since 2006.
Melanie Dolechek has served as the Executive Director of the Society for Scholarly Publishing since 2015. She is founder and past Convener for the Coalition for Diversity and Inclusion in Scholarly Communication and past treasurer of the Kansas City Society of Association Executives where she has also served on the Communications and Program committees. Melanie holds a Master of Science in Management from Baker University, a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Kansas State University and is a Certified Association Executive. She has been active in scholarly publishing since 2006.
Anne Fifer
Anne Fifer began freelance indexing at Graffito in 2008. She indexes trade books, encyclopedias, and medical books of various levels. She does embedded indexing using InDesign, Word, and WordEmbed using SKY Index Pro v8 as her indexing software. Her education includes a PhD in psychology and DO with specialty in neurology. She served on the committee to write ASI’s Best Indexing Practices, served as the treasurer of the American Society for Indexing, and presented the Online Learning Course, “Medical Indexing.”
Anne Fifer began freelance indexing at Graffito in 2008. She indexes trade books, encyclopedias, and medical books of various levels. She does embedded indexing using InDesign, Word, and WordEmbed using SKY Index Pro v8 as her indexing software. Her education includes a PhD in psychology and DO with specialty in neurology. She served on the committee to write ASI’s Best Indexing Practices, served as the treasurer of the American Society for Indexing, and presented the Online Learning Course, “Medical Indexing.”
Vickie Jacobs
Vickie Jacobs has been freelance indexing part-time since 2012 and full-time since 2021, and is owner of VFJ Indexing & Word Services, LLC. She first registered her business with SAM.gov and Dun & Bradstreet in 2023 to be able to do contract work for the U.S. Department of Justice, writing abstracts for a virtual library, and registered with GPO Publish later the same year to be able to do book indexing work for the Government Publishing Office.
Vickie Jacobs has been freelance indexing part-time since 2012 and full-time since 2021, and is owner of VFJ Indexing & Word Services, LLC. She first registered her business with SAM.gov and Dun & Bradstreet in 2023 to be able to do contract work for the U.S. Department of Justice, writing abstracts for a virtual library, and registered with GPO Publish later the same year to be able to do book indexing work for the Government Publishing Office.
Rebecca McLeod
Rebecca McLeod is the Managing Director for the Harvard Data Science Review (HDSR,) the open access platform of the Harvard Data Science Initiative. In this role, she oversees all business, publishing and program operations of HDSR including business development, production and editorial activities, and marketing. Rebecca has decades of experience in scholarly communications having worked in marketing, editorial development, operations, and relationship management roles for both nonprofit and commercial organizations including The MIT Press, Aries Systems, and Copyright Clearance Center. Rebecca is very active in the scholarly communications industry having chaired and served on multiple committees for the Association of University Presses, the Professional and Scholarly Division of the American Publishers’ Association and the Society for Scholarly Publishing. She is a founding member of the Boston Women’s Information Network (BWIN) and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Society of Scholarly Publishing (President 2025-26) and for the National Information Standards Organization (NISO).
Rebecca McLeod is the Managing Director for the Harvard Data Science Review (HDSR,) the open access platform of the Harvard Data Science Initiative. In this role, she oversees all business, publishing and program operations of HDSR including business development, production and editorial activities, and marketing. Rebecca has decades of experience in scholarly communications having worked in marketing, editorial development, operations, and relationship management roles for both nonprofit and commercial organizations including The MIT Press, Aries Systems, and Copyright Clearance Center. Rebecca is very active in the scholarly communications industry having chaired and served on multiple committees for the Association of University Presses, the Professional and Scholarly Division of the American Publishers’ Association and the Society for Scholarly Publishing. She is a founding member of the Boston Women’s Information Network (BWIN) and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Society of Scholarly Publishing (President 2025-26) and for the National Information Standards Organization (NISO).
Shana Milkie
Shana Milkie began indexing in 2000. She specializes in scientific and technical topics, but in one of the delightful turns that indexing brings, she is unexpectedly developing a minor specialty in political science. She is currently administrator for ASI’s new Principles of Indexing course. Shana lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Shana Milkie began indexing in 2000. She specializes in scientific and technical topics, but in one of the delightful turns that indexing brings, she is unexpectedly developing a minor specialty in political science. She is currently administrator for ASI’s new Principles of Indexing course. Shana lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Mary Stevens
Mary Stevens is owner of Look Within Indexing & Editing. Indexing interests include self-help, trade science, and sociology. She is a member of the ASI webmaster team and exam grader for the ASI indexing course. Meditation experience includes practicing Tai Chi and Chi Gung with instructors from the Naropa Institute in Boulder, Colorado, for over 10 years; authentic movement since 2008; and yoga nidra. She leads meditation services at UUCatskills.
Mary Stevens is owner of Look Within Indexing & Editing. Indexing interests include self-help, trade science, and sociology. She is a member of the ASI webmaster team and exam grader for the ASI indexing course. Meditation experience includes practicing Tai Chi and Chi Gung with instructors from the Naropa Institute in Boulder, Colorado, for over 10 years; authentic movement since 2008; and yoga nidra. She leads meditation services at UUCatskills.
Maria Sullivan
Maria lives in northwestern Massachusetts (not Boston, more like Vermont) with her husband and a very elderly “wobbly cat.” Maria has been indexing since Ronald Reagan was in the White House and “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” was on the Top 40. She started using Cindex about two months in, and has been trying her best to help fellow indexers ever since.
Maria lives in northwestern Massachusetts (not Boston, more like Vermont) with her husband and a very elderly “wobbly cat.” Maria has been indexing since Ronald Reagan was in the White House and “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” was on the Top 40. She started using Cindex about two months in, and has been trying her best to help fellow indexers ever since.
Pilar Wyman
Pilar Wyman, Chief Indexer and Consultant, Wyman Indexing, has been writing indexes and working as a successful freelancer since February, 1990. She works in English, Spanish, and French in health, medicine, technology, and other areas of personal interest. She is a past president of ASI and currently chairs the Digital Publications Indexing (DPI) SIG. She gives presentations and workshops as her time allows.
Pilar Wyman, Chief Indexer and Consultant, Wyman Indexing, has been writing indexes and working as a successful freelancer since February, 1990. She works in English, Spanish, and French in health, medicine, technology, and other areas of personal interest. She is a past president of ASI and currently chairs the Digital Publications Indexing (DPI) SIG. She gives presentations and workshops as her time allows.