LAMNS 2025 Conference Keynote Speakers

As University Librarian at the University of Ottawa, Leslie played important roles in many transformative moments at the Canadian Research Knowledge Network and in research libraries and archives in Canada. Leslie served as President of Canadiana.org, the Canadian Association of Research Libraries and the Ontario Library Association. She is currently a member of the FAN (Forum of National Archivists) Steering Committee, Vice-Chair of CDNL (Conference of Directors of National Libraries) and President-Elect of IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations), taking on the role of IFLA President in August 2025.

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Friday Morning Keynote Presentation

Presentation Synopsis:

Collections are the heart of libraries, archives, and museums of all kinds, ranging from national or provincial entities to those at the community level. Organizing and describing collections remains critical to providing understanding and access to collections. Ethical, community-centred approaches to description and data management have only become more important in contemporary times, particularly in a context where there are growing threats to progress that have been made. This talk will explore current issues and opportunities for collaborative, ethical descriptive practices in the LAM sectors.

Biography:

Dr. Stacy Allison-Cassin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Information Science at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada, Stacy engages in research and teaching related to linked data, and metadata and issues related to equity and justice. Stacy is the co-director of the Mellon-funded Respectful Terminology Platform Project and is currently the chair for the Teaching and Learning community of the National Indigenous Knowledge and Language Association, an Indigenous-led association centered in Canada.

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Saturday Morning Keynote Presentation

Presentation Synopsis:

This keynote presentation explores how museums—often seen as neutral repositories—are increasingly called upon to defend democratic values amid rising global autocratization. Drawing on international experience, Sascha Priewe proposes a proactive, prevention-focused approach to museum practice, positioning these institutions as civic infrastructure that fosters critical thinking, dialogue, historical memory, and democratic resilience. The talk outlines strategic actions and challenges professionals to reimagine their roles as active agents in sustaining pluralistic societies.

Biography:

Dr. Sascha Priewe is the Aga Khan Museum’s Director of Collections & Public Programs. In this role he oversees the programmatic work of the museum including curatorial, exhibitions, collections, education, performing arts, festivals, digital production, and attendant strategic partnerships. He has previously served as Associate VP, Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships, at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, as well as the Curator in charge of Chinese and Korean collections at the British Museum, London.

He holds professorial appointments at the University of Toronto and Queen’s University, is a Senior Fellow of Massey College and was a 2019-21 Research Fellow of the USC Center on Public Diplomacy. He is also a co-founder of the North American Cultural Diplomacy Initiative (NACDI). Sascha has authored two books on museum diplomacy and is currently partnering with Sarah E.K. Smith on projects on diaspora museums and diaspora diplomacy, as well as on the global engagement of Canadian museums and art galleries after Covid.

In terms of sector leadership, he serves as the President of ICOM Canada, which is the Canadian national committee of the International Council of Museums. He is also currently the chair of the Global Leadership Council of the Idaho Museum of International Diaspora and has previously served on the board of the Ontario Museum Association.

He holds a PhD in archaeology from the University of Oxford.

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Closing Keynote Presentation

Presentation Synopsis:

In this keynote, Lerato Chondoma will explore how leaders can approach institutional transformation by first recognizing themselves as part of the systems they seek to change. Drawing on decolonial and intersectional frameworks, she will highlight strategies for addressing decolonization, integrative equity and anti-racism to cultivate psychologically safe environments of belonging. The presentation will invite participants to reflect on their own positionality, build practices of solidarity, and reimagine institutions as spaces of justice, belonging, and collective flourishing.

Biography:

Lerato is the inaugural Associate Vice-President of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism at Acadia University, where she provides strategic leadership on institutional EDI, anti-racism, and accessibility initiatives. With more than 16 years of experience, she has advanced racial and employment equity, decolonization, and systems change across higher education, government, and community organizations.

An employment equity lawyer by training, Lerato practiced in Lesotho and South Africa before moving into leadership roles in Canada. Originally from the Batuang Clan of ba ha Moletsane in Lesotho, Lerato lives as an uninvited guest on the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people. Her work is grounded in decolonial and intersectional frameworks, centring anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism and the recognition of diverse knowledge systems within public institutions. She holds a B.Com and LL.B from Rhodes University and an MBA from Simon Fraser University.