Kate Zwaard has been named the next Executive Director of the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI), effective September 15, 2025. She succeeds Clifford Lynch, who led CNI from 1997 until his passing earlier this year.
Zwaard brings over a decade of leadership experience from the Library of Congress, where she led the institution’s digital transformation. Her contributions include developing its first digital strategy, launching initiatives like LC Labs, and expanding the digital collections. She also guided the agency’s shift to open-source infrastructure and spearheaded multiple machine learning projects to enhance digital access and preservation.
Currently, Zwaard serves as associate librarian for Discovery & Preservation Services at the Library of Congress, overseeing a $125 million annual budget and leading over 600 staff across several directorates.
Her appointment reflects CNI’s focus on continuing to shape the digital information landscape through collaborative innovation. Zwaard’s background in organizational change, strategic planning, and emerging technologies aligns with CNI’s mission to support scholarship and education via creative technology.
She has actively participated in initiatives such as the ARL/CNI Joint Task Force on AI and ML Futures and the National Digital Stewardship Alliance. Her experience will help guide CNI’s strategic direction, community engagement, and international collaborations.
Zwaard’s leadership is expected to build on CNI’s longstanding role in advancing academic technology and digital scholarship through partnerships across higher education, libraries, and professional organizations.
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