New Toledo Lucas County Public Library Board Officers Announced

Daily Dose  |  02/04/2026 3:30 pm

The Toledo Lucas County Public Library Board of Trustees appointed new officers during its monthly board meeting on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Keith B. Jordan Sr., MBA, was appointed board president, while Micheal Alexander Sr. was appointed board vice president and Kendra N. Smith, AICP, MPH, MSUS, was appointed secretary.

“This marks the first time all three board leadership positions are held by African American leaders in our community,” said Toledo Library Executive Director Jason Kucsma. “I look forward to their guidance as we continue to engage the community, inspire lifelong learning and provide universal access to information, ideas and entertainment.”

Between Jordan, Alexander and Smith, the three officers bring nearly 20 years of combined service on the Toledo Library Board of Trustees. Jordan began his first term in 2019, followed by Alexander in 2020 and Smith in 2022.

For more information about the Toledo Lucas County Public Library and its leadership team, visit toledolibrary.org/leadership. Biographical information for each officer is below.

Keith B. Jordan Sr., MBA, president

Keith B. Jordan Sr. is a respected leader, educator and advocate for youth empowerment. A graduate of Start High School, he spent many years at the Ford Motor Co. in Maumee before retiring and dedicating his efforts to supporting young people and strengthening communities. A frequent lecturer at colleges, nonprofits and community organizations, Jordan focuses on creating safe school environments, advancing diversity and inclusion, and promoting cultural sensitivity.

Jordan holds a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in strategic organizational leadership from Spring Arbor University and launched two businesses during the pandemic to promote social connection and community well-being.

His leadership has been recognized through honors including designation as a 2017 Jefferson Award regional finalist and induction into the Start High School Hall of Fame.

Micheal Alexander Sr., vice president

A lifelong Toledo resident and graduate of Scott High School, Micheal Alexander is a dedicated community leader and ordained deacon at United Vision Baptist Church. He served 12 years as first vice president of the Toledo Branch NAACP and as an instructor with the University of Michigan–Dearborn Labor Studies Program, Black Men in Unions.

Alexander has served on numerous boards, including The Salvation Army Advisory Board, United Way African American Leadership Council and the Citizens Police Review Board. He currently serves on the Toledo Lucas County Public Library Board of Trustees, Toledo Early College High School Governance Board, Neighborhood Health Association Board and the City of Toledo Human Relations Commission, where he co-chairs the Community and Neighborhoods Committee.

A 22-year employee of United Way of Greater Toledo and a proud UAW Local 12 member, Alexander has received multiple honors, including recognition from the African American Legacy Project, the Toledo NAACP and the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists for labor and community leadership.

Kendra N. Smith, AICP, MPH, MSUS, secretary

Kendra N. Smith serves as vice president of community health and impact for Advocate Health, a multistate nonprofit health system, where she leads strategies addressing social drivers of health such as housing, food access and health care equity. Previously, she held executive leadership roles with Bon Secours Mercy Health, ProMedica and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, and served as an appointee to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors’ Community Advisory Council.

A Cleveland native, Smith holds a Master of Public Health from Kent State University and a Master of Science in urban studies from Cleveland State University, with additional training from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and international institutions. She serves locally on the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority Board of Trustees, where she has been president since 2005, and the Toledo Lucas County Public Library Board, and nationally with Build Healthy Places Network and Community Housing Capital Inc.

Her honors include Toledo’s 20 Under 40 Award, induction into the Euclid High School Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame and the YWCA Milestone Women on the Rise Award.