Board of Directors

Board Members

Julie Haywood, President
Jessika Rao McLaughlin, Vice President
Tim Gaudreau, Secretary/Treasurer
Emily Cheramie-Walz, Commissioner
Jesse Gallagher
Alycia Kinchloe

Contact the Library Board of Directors

Cheltenham Township Library System Bylaws

Board Member Biographies

Ms. Julie Haywood is an attorney and has practiced health law for over 30 years, most recently as Associate Deputy General Counsel at Independence Blue Cross until her retirement a few years ago. She is currently a Volunteer Attorney at Pennsylvania Health Law Project, where she assists clients who are over the Medicaid income limit to apply for pooled income trusts to preserve their in-home benefits.

Ms. Haywood is a former Cheltenham School Board Director, having served in that capacity for 12 years. During her tenure on the School Board, Ms. Haywood advocated for and was instrumental in drafting the School District’s Equity Policy. Ms. Haywood is also involved in several community-based organizations, including the Black Doctors COVID Consortium, American Red Cross, Cheltenham Democratic Committee, and Salem Baptist Church Scholarship and Endowment Committee.

In her second year as President of the Library Board, Ms. Haywood believes that the libraries serve a vital role in making community connections. A vibrant and adequately funded library system is essential to continue bringing quality programs and services that we expect and rely on. She is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, UCLA School of Law, and recently earned a certificate in Global Public Health from Johns Hopkins University. Ms. Haywood resides in Wyncote with her husband, Senator Art Haywood, and has three adult children, Arthur, Olivia, and Alexandra.

Jessika Rao McLaughlin has been an educator in the Philadelphia region for more than 20 years. Over the course of her career, she has served as a teacher, school leader, and now works as an independent consultant, partnering with schools and programs to drive exceptional outcomes for students and families.

Jessika joined the Board in 2021 and has served on the External Affairs and Governance Committees. Currently, she serves as Vice President of the Board, co-chairs the Governance Committee, and is a member of the Community Advisory Committee. She is deeply committed to advancing CTLS’s mission and vision of serving the community.

Jessika holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Loyola University and earned her teaching certification from the University of Pennsylvania. She resides in Elkins Park with her husband and their three daughters, who are enthusiastic patrons of CTLS.

Tim Gaudreau joined the Board of Library Directors of Cheltenham Township in 2024 after previously serving as an advisor to the Internal Affairs Committee. He is an Arcadia alumnus and township resident since 2015. He and his wife, Stephanie, have 2 sons in the Cheltenham School District, and his wife is active in the PTO and runs a small business DesignsbyStefe.

Tim brings his 15 years of executive operations management and a commitment to the community to the board. He is also active in the Cheltenham Little League and Cheltenham Sports.

Jesse Gallagher has lived in the Philadelphia suburbs for most of his life and in Glenside since 2017, joining the Friends of the Glenside Free Library shortly thereafter. He works as a programmer, doing consulting work for a variety of clients, and serving on the board of the non-profit organization OpenNTF.

Alycia Kinchloe is a dedicated advocate for lifelong learning and community engagement. She began serving as a member of the Board of Library Directors of Cheltenham Township in January of 2025. With a background in law, she brings a wealth of experience in nonprofit leadership, strategic planning, and community engagement, making her an invaluable asset to the board.

Alycia holds a degree in Psychology from Temple University, a Juris Doctorate from the James E. Beasley School of Law, and an Executive Masters of Business Administration from the St. Joseph University’s Haub School of Business. Her passion for supporting local educational initiatives is evidenced in her volunteer work with PTO boards of the schools of Cheltenham School District.

In her role on the board, Alycia works to ensure that the library will continue to serve as a vital community resource, advocating for diverse programs, accessible services, and sustainable growth. Outside her board duties, she enjoys reading, running, and volunteering. She lives in Elkins Park with her husband, three sons, and two dogs.

Meeting Schedules and Minutes

2026 Board Meeting Schedule

Except as noted, meetings are held on the fourth Wednesday of every other month at 7:00 PM. Meetings are open to the public and will be held in person with the option to attend virtually via Zoom. Public Comment Policy

Link to Join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85744246306?pwd=aEMvV295WUdqL1JSQnR4aGtxWnRuUT09

Meeting ID: 857 4424 6306

Meeting Password: 483221

* = Date changed from original or special meeting

2026 Community Advisory Committee Schedule

Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:00 PM unless otherwise noted. The meeting will be held remotely via Zoom, and members of the public are welcome to attend. Public Comment Policy

Link to Join:
See the agenda for the Zoom link and meeting details.

*= Rescheduled or Cancelled

2026 External Affairs Schedule

Meetings are held on the first Monday of every month at 6:00 PM unless otherwise noted. The meeting will be held remotely via Zoom, and members of the public are welcome to attend. Public Comment Policy

Link to Join:
See the agenda for the Zoom link and meeting details.

*= Rescheduled or Cancelled

2026 Governance Committee Schedule

Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of every month at 6:00 PM unless otherwise noted. The meeting will be held remotely via Zoom, and members of the public are welcome to attend. Public Comment Policy

Link to Join:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88581089070?pwd=c2ZndHpnQkdVbGVGdk1iRlVIUmkvQT09

Meeting ID: 885 8108 9070
Meeting Password: 625351
Phone: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)

*= Rescheduled or Cancelled

2026 Internal Affairs Committee Schedule

Meetings are held on the second Monday of the month at 4:00 PM unless otherwise noted. The meeting will be held remotely via Zoom, and members of the public are welcome to attend. Public Comment Policy

Link to Join:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81613701233?pwd=N1drd2VReXVHd0dVb1RSS1VTZFBxUT09

Meeting ID: 816 1370 1233
Meeting Password: 257483
Phone: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)

*= Rescheduled or Cancelled

Board Members

Julie Haywood, President
Jessika Rao McLaughlin, Vice President
Tim Gaudreau, Secretary/Treasurer
Jeff Chirico, Commissioner
Jesse Gallagher
Alycia Kinchloe

Contact the Library Board of Directors

Cheltenham Township Library System Bylaws

Tim brings his 15 years of executive operations management and a commitment to the community to the board. He is also active in the Cheltenham Little League and Cheltenham Sports.

Jeff Chirico is the township liaison to the Library Board. He was sworn in as Ward 3 commissioner on January 2, 2024. A native of Bucks County, Jeff graduated from the University of Scranton and spent more than 24 years working as a television journalist covering, among other topics, government affairs on the local, county, state, and federal levels. He currently works as a Realtor® and Team Leader for the Jeff Chirico Team at eXp Realty.

Jeff, his husband Danny, and their child moved to Elkins Park from Atlanta in 2015 to be closer to family. They chose Cheltenham Township because of its diversity and inclusivity and quickly felt at home.

Jeff has served on the boards of a number of non-profit organizations, the Township’s Economic Development Task Force and the Tri-County Suburban Association of Realtors® Diversity and Inclusion Committee. He’s also passionate about older child adoption and has spoken publicly about his experience adopting from foster care.

Since 2019, Jeff has worked to foster a stronger sense of community within Cheltenham Township by hosting annual community events, including the Sit with Santa Holiday Festival and the Free Ice Cream Summer Kick-off.

2026 Board Meeting Schedule

Link to Join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85744246306?pwd=aEMvV295WUdqL1JSQnR4aGtxWnRuUT09

Meeting ID: 857 4424 6306

Meeting Password: 483221

* = Date changed from original or special meeting

2026 Community Advisory Committee Schedule

Link to Join:
See the agenda for the Zoom link and meeting details.

*= Rescheduled or Cancelled

2026 External Affairs Schedule

Link to Join:
See the agenda for the Zoom link and meeting details.

*= Rescheduled or Cancelled

2026 Governance Committee Schedule

Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of every month at 6:00 PM unless otherwise noted. The meeting will be held remotely via Zoom, and members of the public are welcome to attend. Public Comment Policy

Link to Join:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88581089070?pwd=c2ZndHpnQkdVbGVGdk1iRlVIUmkvQT09

Meeting ID: 885 8108 9070
Meeting Password: 625351
Phone: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)

*= Rescheduled or Cancelled

2026 Internal Affairs Committee Schedule

Link to Join:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81613701233?pwd=N1drd2VReXVHd0dVb1RSS1VTZFBxUT09

Meeting ID: 816 1370 1233
Meeting Password: 257483
Phone: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)

*= Rescheduled or Cancelled