Pamela Van Halsema started her independent consulting work in 2019. Recent projects include project management and communications work for the California State Library in partnership with Regallium Consulting, LLC and communications strategy and design for Santa Rosa Community Health.

As the Project Manager for Developing Makerspaces in Libraries Throughout California, she researched the landscape of library makerspaces, developed curriculum, and coached 10 libraries through a community-centered process resulting in the formation of site-specific makerspace programs, the outcomes of which are published in the Makers in the Library Toolkit.

Previously, she served as the Library Media Specialist for Kenilworth Junior High School in Petaluma, where she developed maker experiences for informal tinkering and curriculum integrated projects, and she co-founded the North Bay Maker Educators Meetup group, which hosts monthly gatherings for the region. She formerly worked as the Dean’s Strategist in the School of Education at Sonoma State University, supporting professional learning for pre- and in-service teachers. Pam has helped coordinate many education initiatives, including the NSF Noyce Scholarship Program and the Maker Educator Certificate Program, and was on the faculty of the Professional Social Media Certificate Program at SSU.

She is an advocate for wildfire recovery, serves as a director of Coffey Strong, was the North Coast Parent Organizer for Common Sense Kids Action, and is a fellow of the Leadership Institute for Just and Resilient Communities. She graduated from Calvin College with a BA in Art and Art History, holds a culinary degree from Kendall College, attended the CTE Credential Program at North Coast School of Education, and earned a Master of Information Sciences degree with a concentration in emerging technology from San Jose State University.