The purpose of the EPAL is to strengthen delivery of and resources for information and research through the development of cooperative programs and services in the El Paso region and surrounding area.
Members of EPAL
El Paso Public LibraryEPAL Partners
Doña Ana Community College
Gadsden Independent School District
People Skills, Inc.
Governance Board
President – Kayla Anderson, El Paso I.S.D.
Vice-President –Dionne Mack-Harvin, El Paso Public Library
Treasurer – Robert Stakes, University of Texas at El Paso
Immediate Past President –Sue Thompson, Socorro I.S.D.
Member – Christopher Gomez, Ysleta del Sur Pueblo
Member – Oscar Baeza, El Paso Community College
Director - Ruben Castañeda
Director of
Operations
The current director of operations, which has been contracted to oversee the development and implement programs and grants for the organization, is now Ruben Castañeda. Ruben has played a key role in the development and deployment of past EPAL projects.
Sherry Lambert was the previous director of EPAL, and was instrumental in starting the EPAL consortium and assisted in the development of the bylaws and the Memorandum of Understanding that each member signed in agreement for the EPAL organization.
Monthly Meetings
The governing board for EPAL meets once a month, with Carol Brey-Casiano as president presiding. Ruben Castañeda develops the agenda along with input from other members. Organizational issues and grant implementation reports are provided at the meetings.
Grants
EPAL has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the Telecommunications
Infrastructure Fund with Ysleta ISD as the fiscal agent. EPAL also implemented a
grant from the Texas State Library for $67,000 with the fiscal agent as El Paso
Public Library for the City of El Paso. El Paso Library Association along with
EPAL has been awarded a $1.4 million dollar grant from the Institute of Museums
and Libraries. The grant is to nurture individuals to seek careers in the
library profession.
Partners of EPAL - People Skills Inc.