David W. Brezina Memorial Sessions

David W. Brezina served as ALA President from 1996 to 1997. His career in legal administration spanned more than 20 years. In 1996, Dave was involved in a tragic bicycling accident resulting in paralysis and quadriplegia. Even as he fought this disability, he served his term as President with distinction and vigor. At the time of his death in 1999, Dave was serving as a Trustee of the Foundation. A memorial fund was created in his honor to further the educational and charitable work of the Foundation.

Each year at Annual Conference, the Foundation sponsors the David W. Brezina Memorial Session by bringing a speaker who personifies the spirit of community, professional ethics, personal fortitude and high personal standards of human civility that David represented in both his professional life and his personal struggles.

We would like to thank Centerbase for being our sponsor for this program.

Thank you to our 2023 speaker Robyn Benincasa for her session, "Adapt, Overcome and Win as One!"

Previous speakers and topics include the following:

Brezina Session Keynote Speaker
Speaker: Inky Johnson, 2022

The 21st Century Leader
Speaker: Rick Rigsby, PhD, 2021

Getting Out of Your Silo: How to Respectfully Discuss Race, Gender and Politics in a Fragmented World
Speaker: Michelle Silverthorn, 2019

Leading Inclusion with Inclusive Leading
Speaker: Judy Hissong, CLM, 2018

Giving Voice to Values: The “How” of Values-Driven Leadership
Speaker: Mary Gentile, PhD, 2017

Civility Pays
Speaker: Christine Porath, PhD, 2016

Broken Eyes, Unbroken Spirit
Speaker: David Meador, 2015