RUSA Recognizes Three Armed Forces Librarians as Federal Rising Stars – Laura S. Thompson, Katherine Livingston & Jackie Evans
RUSA Recognizes Three Federal Government Workers as Rising Stars
The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) is recognizing three women working in military libraries and museums with its Federal Rising Stars Award in 2025: Jackie Evans, Katherine Livingston, and Laura Thompson.
The Federal Rising Stars Award highlights the achievements of those new to the profession. Only people who earned an MLIS or equivalent degree in the past five years are eligible to win the award. It has been administered by RUSA since the Federal and Armed Forces Libraries Interest Group (FAFLIG) joined RUSA in 2020.
The Federal Rising Stars Initiative (later renamed as the Federal Rising Stars Award) was created by the Federal and Armed Forces Libraries Round Table (FAFLRT). FAFLRT merged in 2018 with the Association of Specialized Government and Cooperative Library Agencies and established two separate interest groups (the Federal Libraries Interest Group and the Armed Forces Libraries Interest Group), which merged in 2020 to form the Federal and Armed Forces Libraries Interest Group (FAFLIG). When ASGCLA was dissolved later that year, FAFLIG moved to the Reference and User Services Association as an interest group.
Recent winners of the Federal Rising Stars Award include Elan Marae Birkeland, Max Gonzalez Burdick, Lori Ann Mullooly, and Mariah Antoinette Lovick.
“To be recognized by RUSA is particularly special to me as I have always taken so much inspiration from the many librarians who have touched my life” – Laura S. Thompson
“I am honored to be recognized as a RUSA Federal Rising Star, a significant prestige that helps me bring attention to the energy and impact of Army MWR Libraries. It is a privilege to be in this profession and to carry the torch of passionate library mentors. Throughout my career, I’ve learned some truths: Loud libraries are essential. Accurate information access is critical. Diversity is fundamental. Library joy is foundational” – Katherine Livingston
“I’ve always aimed to support our servicemembers and their families, and I am grateful for every opportunity I’ve had to do this work in military libraries and other educational environments. I look forward to further professional growth in this field, and to continue decreasing barriers for our military members in order to always better serve those who serve! Thank you for selecting me to receive this honor as RUSA’s Federal Rising Star.” – Jackie Evans
Laura Thompson is currently Library Director at the Soldier Support Institute (SSI) Library at Fort Jackson in South Carolina. She is a U.S. Air Force veteran and longtime library volunteer who became a library assistant and earned her MLIS in 2020 from Florida State University. She began working as a military librarian in 2021, including a stint as Library Director at Moody Air Force Base in Georgia.
Katherine Livingston is currently the Library Director at U.S. Army Garrison Fort Belvoir in Virginia. She started as a library technician in 2015 at a U.S. Army library in Germany, and earned her MLIS in 2021 from Valdosta State University. She has been working as a military librarian since then, including a stint as director of the Thomas Lee Hall Library at Fort Jackson in South Carolina.
Jackie Evans is currently Museum Registrar at the Parris Island Museum aboard MCRD Parris Island, South Carolina where she serves as lead in the management of the artifact collection and museum finances. She is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who started her civilian career in federal libraries as a military Library Administrative Assistant before becoming Lead Library Technician in Iwakuni, Japan. She earned her MSLS in 2023 from the University of North Texas and started at Parris Island in 2024. In a volunteer capacity, she serves as chair of the Communications Committee for RUSA’s Federal and Armed Forces Libraries Interest Group (FAFLIG).
Ben Leubsdorf (ben.leubsdorf@gmail.com) is FAFLIG’s representative on the RUSA Achievement Awards and Grants Committee.