Lessa has dedicated her career to advocating for libraries and strengthening ALA.

Lessa began her career at the County of Los Angeles Public Library’s Lomita Library as a page and has worked as a clerk, children’s librarian, teen librarian, and adult services librarian. She is currently the Adult Services Assistant Manager at the Palos Verdes Library District in Southern California and the Executive Director of the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association.

Joining ALA as an MLIS student at UCLA, Lessa is a 14-year dedicated member committed to improving upon and celebrating the strength of ALA and the National Associations of Librarians of Color. She just completed a 3-year term as an American Library Association Executive Board Member and 2-year term as Chair of the Steering Committee on Organizational Effectiveness (SCOE).

In April 2021, members voted Lessa 2022-2023 President of the American Library Association.