Our Board

Dr. Celia Barberena

Vice President – Dr. Celia Barberena is a retired community college administrator, past President of Chabot College and past Vice President of Student Services for Hartnell College. Dr Barberena’s PhD in Educational Administration and Supervision, Spanish Literature graduate degree and bachelor’s degree in Economics uniquely positioned her to work to improve the lives, health and educational advancement of youth and adults in Monterey County.

She is a longtime nonprofit board member and community volunteer, supporting arts, music, health care, and currently on the Boards of the Unitarian Universalist Church, the Pacific Grove Rotary Club, Blind and Visually Impaired Center, and grants reviewer for the Community Foundation for Monterey County. Dr. Barberena believes that public libraries are a partner to public education, a main contributor to helping raise healthy families and developing healthy communities.

Kim Bui

President – Kim’s love of libraries began as a child, when a county bookmobile brought picturebooks to be read by her her immigrant father. “Raised by books” she enjoyed storytimes at PG Library with her littles and now with her grandchild. After a public service career in local government, and as the Monterey Public Library Director, Kim retired in 2017 and began volunteering with the PG Library Friends and Foundation.

Kim has lived in Pacific Grove since the late 70s, with her husband Steven Silveria, previously Pacific Grove’s Director of Library and Information Services. They have four grown children who all attended PG schools and two grandchildren.

Now, more than ever, Kim believes in the Library IDEA – that libraries inspire, delight and educate all – and in the Freedom to Read.

Don Freeman

Director – Don Freeman has taken college library courses; has a BA and JD. Don previously served as City Attorney of Carmel and Seaside, is a long-standing member of the Rotary, and has extensive experience on boards of non-profit community organizations as well as public agencies,  among them CASA, the Rotary, Monterey College of Law and Legal Aid of Monterey County. His love and appreciation for education and literacy drew him to join the Friends’ Board. Don maintains that the ability to read leads to an expansion of understanding that strengthens individuals, our societies and our world. Don “strongly believes in the importance of maintaining a free library system.”

Stephanie Herrick

Events – Stephanie is a retired Speech Language Pathologist/Audiologist who has lived in Pacific Grove for over thirty years. Stephanie grew up in Salinas, and worked throughout Monterey County.

Stephanie has an M.A. in Speech Language Pathology and a B.A. in Psychology (Counseling.) Stephanie enjoys traveling the world with her husband, Steve, and spending time with their first grandchild. Often at story time or the beach!

“I have had a lifelong love for libraries and feel the PG Library is a vital part of our community” explains Stephanie. A past Library Advisory Board member, Stephanie describes her passion  for libraries as “inter generational.” Starting with fond memories of visiting the library as a child, to involving her two children in PG Library activities as they grew, and now introducing her grandchild to the wonders of books and reading.

Aliah Ibarra

Director – Aliah is a recent CSUMB graduate with a BA in Business Administration, currently working as Volunteer Coordinator for the Animal Friends Rescue Project. Her career includes workforce development with young adults, hospitality and events management and peer mentoring.

Libraries have always held a special place in Aliah’s heart, ever since she was a child attending storytimes and summer reading programs with her mom. Aliah has enjoyed the Pacific Grove Public Library since she was a teen. Describing herself as a “curious person” Aliah says “the library is the first place I go to when wanting to dive into a new hobby or curiosity.”

Aliah joined the PG Library Board because she enjoys “being a part of organizations that are about community and engagement…Donating my time is the least I can do in giving back to what has given me so much joy and freedom in my life.” 

Susan Murphy

Secretary – Susan grew up on the Presidio and graduated from Monterey High School before being admitted to UCSC in its first class of undergraduates. She retired after 45 years in student services administration at the University of San Francisco, where she occupied an office directly across the lawn from the University Library.

During her time in the City, Susan served as a Board Member and President of the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, and as a Board Member of state, regional and national Student Financial Aid Associations. Coming home to the Peninsula after retirement, she was introduced to the Friends and Foundation by fellow Board member Heidi McNally-Dial and got involved by volunteering for the Thursday shift at the Friends bookshop. Susan comes from a family of voracious readers and is a lifelong library patron; she’s looking forward to participating in the Friends and Foundation’s active and imaginative support for the essential services of our community’s library.

Shelli Page

Director – Shelli is a Master’s-prepared Registered Nurse who made the transition from pediatric nursing to healthcare technology in 2011. She’s a member of the Montage Health leadership team, serving as the director of Epic Applications in the Healthcare Information Technology division since 2022. She leads the team that configures, supports, and maintains the electronic heath record used by all staff and patients. Keeping patients safe is her top priority.

Shelli and her husband Peter moved back to Peter’s hometown of Pacific Grove in 2014. They have two precious rescue dogs which they adore. Shelli’s other favorite hobby is reading and she both utilizes and evangelizes about our wonderful library. She looks forward to sharing her time and talent as a volunteer and Board Member of the Friends and Foundation to give back to the library that is such a valuable resource to her, their family, and our community.

Abby Pfeiffer

Director – Abby Pfeiffer and her husband have been Pacific Grove homeowners since 1991. They have two grown sons who graduated from Pacific Grove High School. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism, but has spent much of her career working in IT, primarily at the Department of Defense Manpower Data Center at Ft. Ord, where she is currently a specialist in the area of identity data management.

Abby also worked for the National Steinbeck Center as a grant writer and at Hartnell College as an instructor in English Composition. She was a grant writer for the Pacific Grove Art Center, helping to raise funds to support exhibitions, and also wrote grants to support elementary and high school projects when her youngest son was a student. 

Abby has been a library patron all her life and believes strongly in the importance of libraries as vital institutions that serve all people, providing the resources to learn, connect, develop and grow as individuals and as a community.

Melissa Pickford

Director – Melissa Pickford is an artist, teacher, arts administrator, and gallery curator, with a love of the ocean, mermaids, and Pacific Grove life. The legacy of her late father, Rollin Pickford, who was an accomplished watercolor painter, shines through all her artistic endeavors.

Melissa’s desire to work with children and arts through the Pacific Grove Library reflects the wisdom she gained from her father that “he found beauty everywhere, and reminded us to look for it every day, even in the most unexpected places.”

Her family had a great love for books, and she hopes to share this passion with the community by being on the Friends and Foundation Board. She sees the library as a sacred sanctuary for learning and creative expression, and hopes to bring her best to her work as a board member.

Nancy Spade

Director – Nancy is a long time Pacific Grove resident, award-winning Robert Down Elementary School teacher and decades-long Pacific Grove Public Library supporter. Nancy taught children at various grade levels at Robert Down before her retirement and was particularly celebrated for her work with children with special needs. 

The freedom to read, to imagine, and to learn is very important to Nancy, especially during these challenging times. She describes public libraries as special, exciting places for children and families to learn about the world, and each other, and themselves. Nancy is excited to be a part of the Friends and Foundation Board and looks forward to supporting the PG Library and upholding the freedom to read as a Board Director.

Judy Wills

Treasurer – Judy and her husband have lived in Pacific Grove for 37 years, moving here from upstate New York. She has one son, a wonderful daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren.

When Judy first moved here she worked for an ophthalmologist as a certified ophthalmic assistant. After 13 years, she decided on a career change. She received a teaching credential and was hired as a second grade teacher at Robert Down School, where she remained for almost 20 years. Her students’ first and last field trips every year were to the PG Library. 

Judy was involved in both campaigns for a parcel tax to support the Library.