Ballot for the SIBA Board of Directors
There are two seats coming open on the board in 2021. Board members serve a three year term.
The slate:
Errol "E.R." Anderson, Charis Circle, Decatur, GA
Julia R. Davis, The Book Worm Bookstore, Powder Springs, GA
Janet Geddis, Avid Bookshop, Athens, GA
Candice Huber, Tubby & Coo's Mid-City Bookshop, New Orleans, LA
Doloris Vest, Book No Further, Roanoke, VA
Below you will find bios of each of the SIBA members on the slate. You will also have the opportunity to write in a candidate. Please vote for two candidates.
Errol "E.R." Anderson
Errol "E.R." Anderson (pronouns: they/them or he/him) is the Executive Director of Charis Circle, the non-profit programming arm of Charis Books and More, the South's oldest feminist bookstore located in Decatur, GA. E.R. manages the programming, fiscal, and daily operations of Charis Circle, and is always interested in the ways communities can share skills and resources. A native Atlantan, E.R. came to Charis as one of the founding members of Charis' Young Writer's Group in 1997, and has enjoyed helping build connections between communities of activists, artists, and academics ever since. E.R. proudly co-facilitates Charis' Race Conscious Parenting Collective and the Gender Creative Parenting Collective, because he knows that when children receive a strong foundation in justice and liberation, they go on to change the world in unexpected and beautiful ways. E.R. reads everything from poetry and essays to horror and how-to, but they are a sucker for gritty stories gracefully told. When not running around Charis, E.R. loves reading, writing, taking care of his dogs, playing in the woods, and learning about classic cars and trucks.
Julia R. Davis
Julia R. Davis was born and raised in New York where she embarked on her working career in the legal profession. Always being ambitious, she climbed the corporate ladder fast, spending over 15 years in the legal profession with 7 of those years managing law firms. This was when Ms. Davis decided to venture into something different, something that would impact lives on a different level.
Ms. Davis is no stranger to entrepreneurship and going against the grain. At a young age her parents, who owned a small deli in her hometown, laid the groundwork for being an entrepreneur, thus igniting a passion that would soon grow.
Julia also hosts a series of children’s events, appropriately titled “I Love ME!” designed to encourage children to love themselves as they are. Unknowingly starting the foundation the I Love Me! Book Series would rest upon. Julia has always had a love for reading and writing but never felt she had the time to commit to following that road in her life. But for someone who began reading at the age of 2, it was just a matter of time before her love of books took over.
In February 2014, Ms. Davis published her first children’s book “I Love me because….I’m DIFFERENT.” Currently, there are EIGHT published picture books ONE Chapter Book, and various self-love items in the continually growing I LOVE ME! Book Series.
Most recently, Julia Davis took ownership of The Book Worm Bookstore in November 2020 when the former owner retired. Ms. Davis’ passion for promoting self-love and literacy has become the foundation that The Book Worm stands on.
The Book Worm strives to bring the best in literature, from international bestsellers to local literary giants, to a vibrant growing community that is as diverse as the books on our shelves! The store's motto is "Where love is shared as much as stories!"
The Book Worm Bookstore is located in historic Downtown Powder Springs, Georgia and, home to over 30,000 titles in a wide variety of genres with hundreds of accessories,
Julia is the mother of two adult children who are also entrepreneurs.
Janet Geddis
Janet Geddis (she/her) is a business owner, writer, speaker, and community leader. The owner of Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia, Janet is involved with regional and national book industry organizations, presenting at least twice a year at conferences and volunteering her time for advisory boards. She began her first term on the SIBA Board in 2018. Janet holds an M.Ed. in educational psychology from UGA with an emphasis in creativity studies. Using the moniker "The Migraine Girl," Janet is a professional patient advocate and spokesperson.
Janet has established a robust speaking career, presenting original speeches, commencement addresses, and talks to audiences of all sizes. Known for her inventiveness (she was the first bookstore owner to use crowdfunding to gather some startup funds in 2010!) and positivity, Janet volunteers in Athens and in the book world whenever possible. Her creative entrepreneurism and open leadership style have garnered her award nominations and significant press coverage. One of her lifetime dreams came true in February 2021 when she was chosen to
interview Brené Brown as part of an hour-long conference keynote conversation. Recently she and Avid were featured in a
WebMD film, a
Facebook video series, and even a one-on-one
interview with Stacey Abrams. She is a contributor to podcasts and radio programs, including shows on Georgia Public Broadcasting and NPR.
Candice Huber
Candice Huber (they/them) is a sixth-generation New Orleanian who owns New Orleans’ only queer-owned and genre focused bookstore, Tubby & Coo’s Mid-City Book Shop, named after their grandparents. They established TALES Publishing in 2018, which has thus far published three books. They are also a writing, editing, publishing, and virtual event consultant and host The Writers’ Forum on WRBH Reading Radio, focusing on interviewing science fiction and fantasy authors. Candice serves on the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee and the Science Fiction & Fantasy Task Force for the American Booksellers Association and is helping to develop the Store Operations module for the new Bookseller Certification program. They are an avid genre fiction reader, board game player, and nerd.
Doloris Vest
Doloris Vest is co-owner (with husband Craig Coker) of Book No Further, located on the Roanoke City Market in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. The store opened in 2017 and relocated to a larger store in 2019. Book No Further offers new and gently used books, including best-sellers, new releases and classics. The store features the work of local and regional fiction and non-fiction authors as well as books about the Appalachian region.
After working in journalism and public relations Doloris spent 20-plus years in corporate marketing and non-profit management in the Roanoke Valley. She is a native of Radford, VA, and earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and business from Radford University where she also did graduate work in corporate communication. Her stint as executive director for the Botetourt Chamber of Commerce, piqued her interest in owning her own business. Doloris has volunteered with a number of local non-profits and currently serves on the board of Blue Ridge Literacy.
She also writes periodically for publications in the area and, maybe, one day, will finish one of the three novels she has underway.
The Ballot
Deadline is August 15, 2021
One vote per store. You must log in under your store's account to vote.
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Dear SIBA Booksellers!
Jamie Rogers Southern is the Interim Executive Director at Bookmarks as of October 1st. Bookmarks is a literary nonprofit organization based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It began as the largest annual book festival in the Carolinas, and an Authors in Schools program reaching 7000+ students of all ages annually, and several other book and author events throughout the year. In 2017 the organization completed a successful capital campaign and opened a bookstore and permanent event space in downtown Winston-Salem. Before Bookmarks Jamie worked at Alabama Booksmith in Homewood, AL, and for the American Booksellers Association. She is married to Ed Southern, Executive Director of the North Carolina Writers Network. She's also a University of Alabama football fan. Roll Tide!
Jamie Rogers Southern is the Operations Director at Bookmarks. Bookmarks is a literary nonprofit organization based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It began as the largest annual book festival in the Carolinas, and an Authors in Schools program reaching 7000+ students of all ages annually, and several other book and author events throughout the year. In 2017 the organization completed a successful capital campaign and opened a bookstore and permanent event space in downtown Winston-Salem. Before Bookmarks Jamie worked at Alabama Booksmith in Homewood, AL, and for the American Booksellers Association. She is married to Ed Southern, Executive Director of the North Carolina Writers Network. She's also a University of Alabama football fan. Roll Tide!
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