Brenda Gunn, UVA Associate University Librarian for Special Collections and Preservation, was elected the 81st President of the Society of American Archivists (SAA) during the group’s annual business meeting, held in New Orleans earlier this month. Rare Book School congratulates Brenda on this remarkable and well-deserved accomplishment!
Brenda, whose term as SAA President runs from 2026 to 2027, is a certified archivist and serves as Director of UVA’s Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library and Harrison Institute for American History, Literature, and Culture. As Director, she leads a staff of archivists, librarians, curators, and preservationists, many of whom closely collaborate with Rare Book School, especially during summer courses.
“I believe in creating spaces where members feel heard and supported, knowing that our collective wisdom leads to better outcomes than any single voice,” Brenda told the Society of American Archivists last year. “My commitment to SAA’s success is rooted in my deep belief that building strong professional communities benefits us all.”
In addition to holding various leadership roles in archival organizations at the state, regional, and national levels, Brenda is currently Director of the Archives Leadership Institute, a grant program of the National Archives and Records Administration. She also co-leads On These Grounds, a UVA project that is developing a standard vocabulary for describing events in the lives of enslaved and free individuals who labored at institutions of higher education in the United States.
Gunn’s publications include A Survey of Archival Revolution, a 2026 monograph published by the Council of Library and Information Resources. She holds an M.L.I.S. from the University of Texas at Austin, with an emphasis in archival enterprise.
