Connect with us online or by phone and you will be directed to the correct department.
Peter Leonard
Executive Director peterl@wccls.org 503-644-0043 ext. 110
Libraries, reading and learning have been a big part of Peter’s life since joining the “Look it Up” club at Thomas Jefferson elementary school in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He reads mostly nonfiction, but admits to reading post-apocalyptic fiction. A graduate of Bucknell University and the University of Pittsburgh, he managed libraries in Pennsylvania prior to moving to Cedar Mill in 1996. When not working or reading, Peter enjoys hiking and exploring nature.
Marianne Coalson
Bethany Library Manager mariannec@wccls.org (503) 617-7323 ext. 204
Marianne was born in Oregon and spent most of her childhood in Beaverton. She is a graduate of the University of Oregon and, before choosing to become a librarian, spent over 15 years in advertising. Some of her favorite books growing up were Nothing At All, What the Witch Left, The Wednesday Witch and The Chronicles of Prydain series. She enjoys spending time with her husband and two kids and loves sneaking in episodes of her favorite TV series late at night.
Shannon Caster
Head of Public Services shannonc@wccls.org 503-644-0043 ext. 105
Shannon grew up in many places including Kentucky, Virginia, and Colorado. Her favorite activities as a child included skiing, ice skating, reading, and helping animals in any way she could. She went onto study biology and elementary education at the University of Colorado in Boulder where she met her husband. In 2005 Shannon and her husband, plus their two kids, three dogs, and one very furry cat, moved to Portland to be closer to family. Shannon still enjoys reading, outdoor sports and volunteering for Basenji Rescue and Transport. Only now, she can add watching her kids play lacrosse a few days a week to things she loves to do.
Lori Van Deman
Collection Services Manager loriv@wccls.org 503-644-0043 ext. 127
Lori has worked in libraries since 2001. The dedicated staff and volunteers on the Collection Services team make Cedar Mill and Bethany’s collections accessible through acquisitions, cataloging, and collection maintenance.
Angela Mollet
Adult Services Manager angelam@wccls.org 503-644-0043 ext. 132
Angela grew up in Northern California and shared an early love for stories, including audiobooks, musicals, and the range of childhood books from White Fang to Where the Red Fern Grows. She attended the University of California, Santa Cruz and went on to Simmons College, Boston for her graduate degrees in History and Library and Information Sciences. She has worked in a variety of organizations including museum, archives, international start-up, non-profit, public library and school. Her family moved to Portland seven years ago to be closer to family and explore the outdoors. Historical fiction is her happy place and Erik Larson is a favorite author, but she reads across genres. She enjoys playing sports with her family, running, hiking, outdoor activities, traveling, and hearing individual stories.
Catherine Gildea
Youth Services Manager catherineg@wccls.org (503) 644-0043 ext. 125
Catherine comes to us from Northern California. She has degrees in Literature and Library Science from UC Santa Cruz and San Jose State. She is passionate about early literacy, community building, and library advocacy. In her free time, you can find her in the yoga studio, traveling, and reading. Her favorite author is Haruki Murakami. She loves experimental fiction, magical realism, poetry, and of course all things youth!
Sonia Cherian
Circulation and Volunteer Supervisor soniac@wccls.org (503) 644-0043 ext. 109
Sonia lived in the Middle East, India and Canada before moving to Portland in 2010. One of the first things she did after settling down was register for a library card at the Cedar Mill Library. Sonia has always been an avid reader and remembers going through her school library’s meager collection of Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys’ mysteries in just days. She discovered more authors like Sidney Sheldon and Robin Cook through her father’s personal library. She enjoys traveling with her husband and two boys, listening to audiobooks and watching K-Dramas whenever she can. Sonia volunteered at the Cedar Mill Library for a few years before joining the staff. She appreciates all that the volunteers do for the community and knows that they play a big role in what makes the library a wonderful.
Gweyn Rucker
Business Manager gweynr@wccls.org 503-644-0043 ext. 108
An avid reader since the age of 5, Gweyn did not have access to a public library until the Casa View Branch of the Dallas Public Library system opened when she was in fourth grade. During the opening ceremony, the library director challenged the children to check out every book in the library! Gweyn came away with a nonfiction tale of adventure about the Lewis and Clark expedition. A goal since girlhood, Gweyn relocated to Oregon 25 years ago. Now that her kids are grown, she enjoys spending as much time as possible in the great outdoors with her terrier, Josie. When not outdoors, Gweyn enjoys listening to a varied mix of audio books as she knits or works jigsaw puzzles. Gweyn has a BBA in Accounting from The University of Texas at Arlington and an MBA from Marylhurst University.
Jen Imai
Head of Volunteer Services jeni@wccls.org 503-644-0043 ext. 111
Jen was born in Massachusetts. A child of teachers, Jen has always loved reading: novels, cookbooks, the New York Times. She graduated from Amherst College and worked in television until a teaching job took her to Tokyo, where she met her husband and started a family. They moved to Portland, where Jen found Cedar Mill Library. She volunteered for many years before joining the staff. Jen is inspired and touched by the many things volunteers do to make the library flourish.
Susan Reid
Bethany Circulation Supervisor/Volunteer Coordinator susanr@wccls.org 503-617-7323 ext. 203
A member of the Cedar Mill at Bethany Community since 2008, Susan currently serves a dual role at Bethany as Circulation Supervisor and Volunteer Coordinator. She grew up on a farm outside of Philadelphia and has lived in Boulder, CO, where she earned a B.A. in American Studies, and Italy. Susan enjoys plants and gardening, biographies and true crime documentaries. Most importantly, Susan has extensive knowledge of the best taquerias in North Portland, where she resides with her husband.
Mark Richardson
Young Adult Librarian markr@wccls.org 503-644-0043 ext. 124
Mark is a native Oregonian. Much like the characters in Scott Westerfeld’s Midnighters series, he wishes he had the superpower to stop time for an hour each day just so he could catch up on his hobbies like reading and guitar playing. Mark has fun at the library planning teen programs and ordering teen materials, graphic novels and music. His favorite teen books are Finnikin of the Rock and Ship Breaker.
Follow me in the library catalog! CedarMill_MarkR
Shannon Caster
Head of Public Services shannonc@wccls.org 503-644-0043 ext. 105
Shannon grew up in many places including Kentucky, Virginia, and Colorado. Her favorite activities as a child included skiing, ice skating, reading, and helping animals in any way she could. She went onto study biology and elementary education at the University of Colorado in Boulder where she met her husband. In 2005 Shannon and her husband, plus their two kids, three dogs, and one very furry cat, moved to Portland to be closer to family. Shannon still enjoys reading, outdoor sports and volunteering for Basenji Rescue and Transport. Only now, she can add watching her kids play lacrosse a few days a week to things she loves to do.
Sonia Cherian
Circulation and Volunteer Supervisor soniac@wccls.org (503) 644-0043 ext. 109
Sonia lived in the Middle East, India and Canada before moving to Portland in 2010. One of the first things she did after settling down was register for a library card at the Cedar Mill Library. Sonia has always been an avid reader and remembers going through her school library’s meager collection of Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys’ mysteries in just days. She discovered more authors like Sidney Sheldon and Robin Cook through her father’s personal library. She enjoys traveling with her husband and two boys, listening to audiobooks and watching K-Dramas whenever she can. Sonia volunteered at the Cedar Mill Library for a few years before joining the staff. She appreciates all that the volunteers do for the community and knows that they play a big role in what makes the library a wonderful.
Patrick
Public Services Staff
Born in the suburban wilds of Dallas, Texas but raised in Beaverton, Patrick rapidly lost the accent but still loves the barbecue. Armed with a BA in English from Portland State University and a love of putting things on shelves, Patrick is jam-packed with movie and TV trivia and a compulsion to share it. He adores the cinema and science fiction in equal measure but is just as happy with a dog-eared paperback of Sense and Sensibility or anything by Italo Calvino.
Angela Mollet
Adult Services Manager angelam@wccls.org 503-644-0043 ext. 132
Angela grew up in Northern California and shared an early love for stories, including audiobooks, musicals, and the range of childhood books from White Fang to Where the Red Fern Grows. She attended the University of California, Santa Cruz and went on to Simmons College, Boston for her graduate degrees in History and Library and Information Sciences. She has worked in a variety of organizations including museum, archives, international start-up, non-profit, public library and school. Her family moved to Portland seven years ago to be closer to family and explore the outdoors. Historical fiction is her happy place and Erik Larson is a favorite author, but she reads across genres. She enjoys playing sports with her family, running, hiking, outdoor activities, traveling, and hearing individual stories.
Laura
Reference Assistant
Laura’s default genre is SF/fantasy, but she reads widely outside of that as well. The ridiculously fun parts of her job are creating Discovery Kits, ordering Board Games, and researching genre booklists. Ask her for recommendations of graphic novels, teen fiction, SF books and movies, world cinema, TV shows or board games.
Liz
Web Services / Adult Services Librarian
Find her recommendations at @CedarMill_Liz. Liz has a yen to roam, but Oregon will always be her heart's home. Born and raised in the Cherry City (our state capitol), she majored in geology in college and then found her way to all things book: selling, publishing, and in all kinds of libraries. Geography and science keep her energized, as well as a love for local history and reading mysteries from across the globe.
Sabrina
Reference Assistant
Sabrina has lived in the Portland area her whole life, and loves the rain and proximity to the beautiful Oregon coast. She reads widely but most enjoys nonfiction, fantasy, and comics for all ages, and is obsessed with fitting an audiobook into every spare second she can for maximum reading time. When not absorbed in a book, she enjoys crocheting, biking, and exploring the Pacific Northwest with her dogs.
Marti
Interlibrary Loan / Marketing
Marti grew up in San Diego and moved to Portland for the perfect combination of city life and nature. She loves helping you find that one book with the red cover or that obscure movie. She reads mostly fiction, including horror, fantasy, scifi and graphic novels. See her recommendations at @CedarMill_MartiS.