Yelena Klompus came to the U.S. with a purpose. In an effort to keep her family safe and raise her son with better access to healthcare, she has been able to use her academic credentials and professional experience from her native country, Russia, to create impactful library programs in the U.S. As the Manager of Multicultural and English Language Literacy Programs at the Ferguson Library in Stamford, CT, she has been able to connect thousands of immigrants and English language learners to programs and resources that provide a pathway to self-sufficiency. She is empathetic to newcomers but is pragmatic in her approach in pointing people in a direction that helps them build confidence with their English skills and connects them to the community.