"Send me your books, for the children of Gatlinburg have nothing to read."-Anna Porter, 1932
Library Staff
Ask Us Anything
Mandie is beyond thrilled to be living and working in the Smokies. She has been a library professional for almost 20 years. She is an avid home baker, an artist, a children’s book illustrator, and she will read anything as long as it keeps her interest.
Sean is a Gatlinburg native who enjoys to travel being as far North-west as Alaska and who
enjoys sci-fi and fantasy novels such as Star Wars or Game of Thrones. He is also an avid board
gamer, Settlers of Catan being one of his favorite.
Kaila can usually be found reading a classic like To Kill a Mockingbird, or enjoying a TV drama such as Downton Abbey or Stranger Things. She's fond of art and history as well as film studies and photography.
Jennifer loves to be immersed in a good story (regardless of genre), lush green trees, bad puns and especially her husband and four amazing children.
Lisa hails from the planet Earth; via the state of New Jersey, but officially calls Tennessee home. Lisa is enjoying life in the mountains with her boyfriend, her boxer-hound, Princess Leia, and her pug, Teddy E Bear.
Board of Trustees-Officers
Our amazing team is truly the core of Anna Porter Public Library. Their passion and commitment to helping our community creates an environment full of interesting and educational experiences for patrons to enjoy.
Chairperson
Beverly spent 40+ years in human resources with the State of Louisiana, Pinellas County (FL), and ended her career as HR Director for Hillsborough County Govt (FL). She and her husband, Bill, happily retired to Gatlinburg in 2019.
Vice-Chairperson
I’m happily retired after 21 years as Director of Anna Porter Public Library.
I live out in Sevier County near Douglas Lake and spend much of my time trying to keep my flowers happy watching the wildlife and like streaming murder mystery series, especially British ones. (I wrote my master’s thesis on detective novels.)
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Treasurer
Lisa Oakley is Vice President and Curator of Education with the East Tennessee Historical Society. She grew up in Gatlinburg and continues to live in the community. Anna Porter plays a leading role in her hometown memories.
Secretary
Pam has been an avid reader all of her life. She lived in Michigan for her first 32 years, earning a BA in economics and an MBA in marketing. Since then, she has lived in Gatlinburg, working and raising 3 children who attended the local schools.
Board of Trustees
Karen Honniball
Karen is currently working as an HR & Payroll Implementation Consultant. She believes that
Reading and Literacy are critical foundations in life. She and her husband relocated to Gatlinburg in 2023 after many corporate relocations. They know in their hearts that they have
found home.
Karen Bentz
TBD
Sally Helton
Sally Helton has been an educator in the Sevier County School System since August 1999. She has worked as an English teacher at Pigeon Forge High School, librarian at Pi Beta Phi Elementary, and most recently librarian at Gatlinburg-Pittman Junior High. She enjoys reading, collecting books, talking about books, and traveling with her husband and two children.
Debra McDermitt
TBD
Susan Helms
TBD