A full-blooded Boholana, Nanie was born in Alburquerque, Bohol.. She is married to Rodrigo A. Cruz, a retired expert on livestock production, and is blessed with three children. She is the 16th Director of the National Library of the Philippines. Her appointment as Director IV was signed by Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Her name always rings a bell among librarians, be it in the country or abroad, an indication that she is an acknowledged achiever in her field.

She received the very prestigious Ulirang Ina Award, representing the government sector. A Career Executive Service Officer (CESO III) and a professional licensed librarian (No. 379), she graduated Bachelor of Science in Education, major in Library Science from the University of San Carlos, Cebu City and Master of Library Science from the UP, Dilliman, Quezon City. She also had earned graduate units in Library and Information Science from Northern Illinois University, De Kalb, Illinois, USA. She took up her elementary education at Alburquerque Central Elementary School and secondary education from Holy Name College, Tagbilaran City. She became a division chief assigned at the Publications Division; Reference Division; Government Publications Division and Public Libraries Division of this Institution.

Director Cruz is a recipient of local and foreign scholarships, trainings, and study visits in the fields of library and information science and copyright and related rights. She has been an official delegate to local and international conferences and seminars and is frequently invited as keynote speaker, resource person, lecturer or panelist in library forums & seminar-workshops. She was the President of the Philippine Library Association, Inc. (PLAI) in 1986-87 and was a member of PLAI Board of Trustee. She was also President of the Public Librarians Association of the Philippines (PLAP). Director Cruz is Bohol’s pride in library science and as an Ulirang Ina.