Renee Di Pilato has spent her career in a variety of library positions, from circulation to adult services and branch management. She is passionate about leadership development and finds it most rewarding to see her team members and students develop within the profession. Currently, Renee serves as the Director of Libraries and Historical Resources for Sarasota County, Florida. In this role, she leads the strategic direction of the library system, oversees major initiatives, manages the department’s budget, and is the primary liaison for community relations. Her significant projects for Sarasota have included the construction of a County History Center and the implementation of a new strategic plan that places the library system as the hub of quality-of-life initiatives for the community. Previously, Renee served as Deputy Director of the Alexandria Library in Virginia.
Renee holds a BA in history from Old Dominion University, an MS in library and information science from the Catholic University of America, and an MPA from George Mason University. Renee earned her PhD in library and information science from Simmons University. She is an active member of the American Library Association and was selected for its Emerging Leaders program and elected a councilor-at-large for two terms.