Laura Horwood-Benton & Gretyl Macalaster

Laura has worked tirelessly during this crazy time to push forward the mission of the public library in Portsmouth as well as for the City of Portsmouth. While Laura has always been able to use her creativity, compassion, and articulate messaging to engage the community, she has also stepped up to support the general City’s communication process. Simultaneously, she is engaged in citywide efforts to connect mission-based organizations such as the Chase Home, Gather, Haven and other smaller organizations, to streamline needs and communication among each other. This ultimately strengthens our whole community.

Gretyl is a powerhouse of integrity, commitment and compassion. As the Youth Services director at Portsmouth Public Library, she has supported her staff through crazy times- remote school, programming upheaval, mission shifts and more! She developed creative programming to pivot the youth services department offerings during these COVID times and always with one eye on the most vulnerable in our community. She is a vocal advocate for considering the broad perspectives and needs of our community, even when we are working with in a vacuum of COVID. Furthermore, she tirelessly ensures that procedures and policy are logical for all. WHAT IS MORE, Gretyl is a loving aunty to two fabulous young children with diverse needs. She has shifted her schedule to ‘do remote school’ with them once a week, take them to various therapy appointments, and have them to stay with her for weekends to give their single-dad a break.