Laura Jane “LJ” Spina, President
Term 2021 – 2023
Laura Jane Spina is the President and CEO of RAFI Architecture, serving the local community for almost 35 years. With a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nevada, Reno where she studied Environmental Design, Interior Design and Land Planning. LJ joined RAFI in 1993 as a project manager bringing her special knowledge of Nevada’s six regional ecological/climate realms to community development; to site planning, to facility design and to resolving client design problems quickly and economically. The full extent of her project experience ranges from planning and developing entirely new communities to leading the firm’s teaming efforts with others on major projects approaching a billion dollars in construction costs.
As a regionally recognized planner and redevelopment specialist, Laura Jane is also a park and recreation leader, an urban ecologist and a registered interior designer. During her tenure of leadership, the firm has successfully completed nearly 500 projects without any litigation.
Hobbies:
Favorite Book:
Why HLF?
Zak Shellhammer, Vice President
Term 2021 – 2023
Zak Shellhammer is a Real Estate Broker and Business Consultant. A resident of the Southern NV desert since 2004, Zak brought his marketing and business development experience from the east coast. He began as a web developer and eventually found his way into the world of Real Estate. Zak spent ten years as the Operations Manager of a local brokerage before becoming a Real Estate Broker in 2020. During his time in Real Estate, he has specialized in Residential and Commercial Sales, REO, Short Sale, and Property Management. Zak is now a proud member of the Sundvick Realty team as a Broker Coach, where he trains other agents to be most excellent. As the Founder and CEO of Shellhammer Consulting, Zak enjoys teaching clients about successfully building a business and putting them on the track of success.
With a dedication for supporting diverse culture and human rights, Zak strives to be a voice for the local community. Personally and professionally, his goal is to pool the most effective professionals and community members together to work side by side, create solutions, and give back to the community. Zak is also a Director on the Board with Neighborhood Housing Services of Southern Nevada, a local non-profit organization, and a founding member of the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance, a national organization.
Hobbies: I love to travel, seek the cosmos (aliens), and create surreal art.
Favorite Book: “House of Leaves” by Mark Z Danielewski
Why HLF? Growing up in a small farming and coal mining town during the 80’s the library was critical in encouraging self-acceptance by connecting me with worldwide knowledge and showing me that other people who shared my perspective existed on this planet.
Wanda Shumar, Treasurer
Term 2021 – 2023
Wanda Shumar is a Broker Sales Manager for the Commercial Sales and Leasing Team for S & S Commercial Advisors a division of Sundvick Realty. She has over thirty-five years’ experience in Commercial Banking and most recently as a Senior Vice President Regional Manager with Bank of George. Wanda has lived and worked in Henderson for twenty-eight years and has an extensive background in working with Commercial clients and High Net Worth clients. She earned both her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and her Master’s in Business Management.
Wanda gives back to her community and currently serves on the Community Education Advisory Board for the City of Henderson, the Henderson Library Foundation Board and is the current Treasurer, the Chamberlain School of Nursing Advisory Board and is an active member in her church; Green Valley United Methodist as the current Treasurer and has been a member of the Finance Committee and Church Council for nine years. In addition, Wanda is the current Treasurer for the Puuone Towers Home Owners Association in Maui Hawaii where she and her husband have their second home.
Hobbies: Crafts, sewing, reading, bike riding and family time.
Favorite Book: I enjoy reading many autobiographies to learn more about that person and anything written by Debbie Malcomer.
Why HLF? Reading takes you so many places; travel, unlimited education, etc. It’s important to me to spread that word in the community.
Marcie Smedley, Executive Director of Henderson Libraries
Term 2017 – Present
Marcie is the Executive Director of the Henderson Libraries. She has worked in a variety of positions with the library district since 2003, and is passionate about literacy and advocating for libraries in our community. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication Studies from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and a Masters in Library Science from Texas Woman’s University. Marcie is a member of the American Library Association (ALA), the Public Library Association (a division of ALA), United for Libraries (a division of ALA), the Nevada Library Association, and the Mountain Plains Library Association.
Marcie was born and raised in Henderson, Nevada, where she continues to enjoy living with her husband and daughter.
Hobbies: In her spare time she enjoys reading (of course!), cooking, and traveling.
Favorite Book:
Why Henderson Libraries?
Angela Brommel, Liaison from the Henderson Libraries Board of Trustees
Term 2022 – Present
Angela M. Brommel is Senior Advisor & Executive Director for the Arts, Chief Curator of the Nevada State Collections & Galleries, and affiliate faculty at Nevada State College. She also is the Clark County Poet Laureate for the 2022-2024 term. Angela received her MFA in Creative Writing with an emphasis on Poetry from Antioch University Los Angeles, and an MA in Theatre from the University of Northern Iowa. She received a Graduate Certificate in Women’s Studies from UNLV, and received Certificates in Fundraising Management and Current Affairs Fundraising through The Fund Raising School at the University of Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).
She is the author of two books, Mojave in July (Tolsun Books) and Plutonium & Platinum Blonde (Serving House Books). Her poetry has been published in the The Best American Poetry blog, the North American Review, The Literary Review’s (TLR) Share, and many other journals and anthologies. Angela was awarded the 2017 Helen Stewart Poetry Award, and in 2018 she was a Red Rock Canyon Artist in Residence, serving as the inaugural poet of the program. Recently she was invited by a2ru ( Alliance of the Arts in Research Universities) to be a founding editorial board member of their new peer-reviewed open access online journal: Tradition Innovation in the Arts, Design, and Media Higher Education. She currently serves as Editor-in-Chief and Poetry Editor for The Citron Review.
Hobbies: Long walks, especially when traveling somewhere new, and a little bit of gardening.
What is your favorite book? This question is hard. I love Cheryl Strayed’s work (Wild, Tiny Beautiful Things), and I read everything that comes out by Lee Ann Roripaugh and Brenda Shaughnessy.
Why Henderson Libraries Foundation? We moved a lot when I was young, but the public library made every new place home. After moving here from Iowa in 2002, the first thing I did was get a library card. Henderson Libraries is the heart of our community, and I’m honored to join the Henderson Libraries Foundation as a liaison from the Henderson Libraries Board of Trustees.
PAST BOARD MEMBERS
Marshall Goldberg
John Wholihan
Jackie McRitchie
Aviva Y Gordon
James Green
Robert Clark
Evon Dawood
Laura E Donahue
Larry G. Duncan
Kathy Jumper
Tiffany A Fairfax
MJ Maynard
Jackie M McRitchie
Deborah L Morelli
Mary L Schramski
Ann Small-Williams
Angela Thornton
Thomas F Fay
John Dlouhy
Rob McCoy
Beverley Rogers
Kathy Jumper
Keith Huffman
Chris Larsen
Richard Sarro
Colleen Brown
Susan Bunyan
Brin Gibson
Aviva Gordon
*This list is incomplete. We wish to honor all who have come before us in this amazing endeavor. Please get in touch with us as we continue to gather our history!
APPLY TO BE PART OF OUR BOARD
We are excited to review your application to join us as a Board Member of the Henderson Libraries Foundation! We are seeking all types of participation on our Board whether you may have specific talents to contribute or are interested in creating and participating in fundraising activities. You do not need to have previous experience and our application is open to everyone!
Please complete the following application if you are interested in joining our Board. We will review your application and get back to you with the next steps. If there are any questions please feel free to contact Laura Jane Spina at 702-236-0025 or Zak Shellhammer at 702-530-1422.