The Center for Research Libraries (CRL) today announced the appointment of Janine Marino as its Chief Operating Officer, effective November 30, 2026. As COO, Janine will play a central role in turning CRL’s strategy framework into priorities, plans, and measurable results, and to build the scalable services and organizational capacity CRL’s members need.
Janine joins CRL from the Chicago State University Foundation, where she serves as Deputy Director. At CSUF, she has partnered with executive leadership on governance, financial and operational controls, board engagement, and performance reporting. Earlier, as Director of Operations at the Kaplan Institute at Illinois Institute of Technology, she managed a multimillion-dollar budget and oversaw operations, grants compliance, and technology modernization. Her earlier career includes senior operations and development roles at Leadership Greater Chicago and the Chicago Architecture Center, and early roles at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.
“Janine is the right partner to help CRL realize its fullest potential,” said CRL President Jacob Nadal. “She brings deep experience in operations, fundraising, and development, and a record of building useful structure, in a way that is focused on helping people thrive in their work. I’m excited to work with her to make CRL a great place to work and a great partner to our members.”
“CRL has an extraordinary mission, a strong foundation, and a collaborative model that makes it uniquely positioned to serve its members,” said Janine. “I'm excited to work alongside Jake and the CRL team to turn ideas into meaningful results, strengthen connections across the organization, and ensure our members continue to see the value and impact of this dynamic network.”
Marino holds an MBA from Illinois Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Music from Boston University.