SHAUNTEE BURNS-SIMPSON
Washington
Summary
Innovative leader in community engagement, specializing in culturally responsive services that address diverse neighborhood needs. Expertise in leading systemwide services, organizational transformation, and strategic planning. Recognized for advancing equitable library services and fostering collaborations that enhance educational opportunities for children, families, and communities.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Director, Youth & Family Services
District of Columbia Public Library
Washington
03.2024 - Current
- Lead the strategic vision for youth and family engagement across 26 library branches, with a focus on equity, innovation, and access
- Spearhead expansion of signature programs such as Books from Birth, Beyond the Book, and Know Your Power extending high-quality, no-cost literacy and enrichment opportunities to students in 8 Wards
- Lead strategic planning for service delivery to children, teens, families, and educators across the District
- Oversaw out-of-school time initiatives, early literacy programs, family learning hubs, and partnerships with DC agencies and education stakeholders, enhancing community engagement and support for families through targeted services
- Lead implementation of nationally recognized literacy initiatives including Discover Summer and STARfest
- Guided policy input and advocacy efforts, reviewing Universal Out-of-School Time legislation to solidify libraries' central role in promoting educational equity for underserved populations
- Built interagency and community partnerships to deliver culturally responsive services, ensuring alignment with diverse neighborhood needs and fostering inclusive access to resources
- Represent DCPL at local, regional, and national events; serve as a thought leader in youth services innovation
Associate Director, Center for Educators & Schools
New York Public Library
New York
01.2022 - 02.2024
- Directed the operations and growth of NYPL's Center for Educators & Schools, a citywide hub for supporting K-12 educators through curated resources, training, and partnerships.
- Oversaw strategy, staffing, and budget for outreach and educator-facing services, ensuring alignment of public library offerings with academic equity goals to improve educator support.
- Supervised cross-disciplinary teams to develop professional development, digital teaching tools, and curriculum-linked experiences, enhancing K-12 educators' access to NYPL's research collections.
- Managed MyLibraryNYC collaboration with NYC Department of Education and Brooklyn/Queens library systems, providing thousands of schools with improved library access.
- Expanded library visibility through workshops, field trips, author events, and partnerships with school leaders and nonprofit organizations, boosting engagement among K-12 educators.
- Partnered with executive leadership to implement strategic priorities across multiple departments
- Led initiatives to strengthen educational partnerships across New York City
- Supervised managers and staff responsible for outreach, instructional services, and professional development
Associate Director, School Support & Outreach
New York Public Library
New York
01.2020 - 01.2022
- Led cross-functional project teams to curate impactful learning experiences and streamline outreach operations across 1,800 schools
- Managed central school outreach librarians and strategic initiatives, including MyLibraryNYC, to foster collaboration among NYPL, BPL, QPL, and DOE
- Oversaw professional development and created engaging learning content from NYPL's special collections, enhancing educator resources
- Supervised budgets, staff hiring, and personnel development to support NYPL's strategic goals, fostering team growth and alignment
Manager, School Support & Outreach
New York Public Library
New York
01.2018 - 01.2020
- Managed outreach operations across boroughs, ensuring budget integrity while developing training programs and reporting outcomes to senior leadership
- Expanded partnerships and increased library access through targeted enrollment campaigns and educator engagement
- Led library operations to enhance user experience and service delivery
- Developed training programs for staff to improve service skills
- Established evaluation systems to enhance service delivery and organizational effectiveness
- Coordinated team schedules to ensure optimal staffing coverage. to ensure adequate staffing and coverage
Education
Master of Library and Information Science -
Queens College
Queens, NYBachelor of Fine Arts -
Long Island University
Brooklyn, NYHigh School Diploma -
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art
New York, NYSkills
- Program management
- Strategic planning
- Youth program development
- Partnership development
- Community engagement
- Equity initiatives
- Program evaluation
- Financial oversight
- Project coordination
- Team leadership
- Innovative solutions
- Problem solving
- Effective communication
- Staff development
Affiliations
- American Library Association (ALA), Executive Board
- Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA), Past President
- Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF), Board Member
- Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table (GNCRT), Past President
- New York Black Librarians Caucus (NYBLC), Past President
- Public Library Association (PLA), Board Member
Selected Recognitions
- 2023 Demco Award for Excellence in Librarianship
- 2022 New York Public Library's Leadership Award
- 2021 Queens College Alumni of the Year
- Editor of 'The Black Librarian in America: Reflections, Resistance, and Reawakening'
- Contributor to textbook: Librarianship Beyond the Textbook
Timeline
Director, Youth & Family Services
District of Columbia Public Library
03.2024 - Current
Associate Director, Center for Educators & Schools
New York Public Library
01.2022 - 02.2024
Associate Director, School Support & Outreach
New York Public Library
01.2020 - 01.2022
Manager, School Support & Outreach
New York Public Library
01.2018 - 01.2020
Master of Library and Information Science -
Queens College
Bachelor of Fine Arts -
Long Island University
High School Diploma -
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art