Deborah Gitlitz

Deborah Gitlitz is an accomplished library and literacy professional with extensive experience in outreach, early literacy, and bilingual services. As a member of the Pura Belpré Award Selection Committee at the American Library Association, Deborah contributes to the recognition of exceptional children's literature. Deborah founded Libros for Oregon, which supports Spanish-language collection development in Oregon libraries and advocates for underserved communities. In addition, Deborah serves on the executive board of Libros para Pueblos, focusing on promoting reading and literacy in diverse communities. With a background in training early childhood providers as a certified Specialty Master Trainer, Deborah effectively develops and delivers customized literacy training programs. Previous roles include consulting for Ruth Metz Associates, training summer reading volunteers for Multnomah County Library, and outreach efforts at Wilsonville Public Library. Deborah holds a Master of Library Science from Indiana University Bloomington and a Bachelor of Arts with honors in Comparative Literature and Creative Writing from Brown University.