The Pella Library Board of Trustees has approved the city’s next Library Director. Tina Hertel will begin in the role sometime in January. This comes after the resignation of Mara Strickler earlier this year.

Hertel most recently served as the Library Director at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She’s also been involved in Pennsylvania’s state library association and is the co-founder of a leadership development program.

Hertel is also a military veteran, serving as a Missile Launch Officer in the U.S. Air Force while stationed in Montana.

“As a library leader, I believe in the power of connection and curiosity—two values that guide my approach to leadership and life. My mission is to empower the most valuable resource in any library: the staff. I focus on helping individuals recognize their potential and thrive in a collaborative, supportive environment,” she wrote in a letter to the city.

“I’m excited to be part of the vibrant community here in Pella in the Heartland of America, where I’m closer to one of my daughters and thrilled to join such a dedicated and passionate team at the library.”