People Round-Up, Mid-May 2019

PEOPLE

Founder and Owner David R. Godine will step down as Publisher of his eponymous company at the end of the year, ahead of its 50^th anniversary in 2020. The new owner is William N. Thorndike, Jr. A new management team will come on board in July.

Craig Popelars is joining Tin House Books as Publisher on June 1. He was previously Associate Publisher at Algonquin Books.

Daniel D. Fox has joined Andrews McMeel Universal as Executive Creative Director of Games. Previously he was Director, Client Engagement at VMLY&R.

Samantha Freeman joins Fabled Films LLC as Chief Commercial Officer. She was previously Cofounder and Chief Operating Officer at Out of the Blue Enterprises. Crystal McCoy, formerly Publicity Manager at Scholastic, joins the company as Publicist and Social Media Manager.

Nicole Bond, previously Director of Subsidiary Rights at Hachette Book Group, joins Atria as VP, Director of Subsidiary Rights. Lauren Jackson joins Saga Press as Publicity and Marketing Manager. She was previously Manager, Brand Publicity at Scholastic. Kate Prosswimmer, formerly Associate Editor at Sourcebooks, joins McElderry Books as Editor. Additionally, at Simon & Schuster, John Hardy, Senior Director of Distributor Sales and Retail Marketing, is retiring after twenty-two years with the company and Sales Rep Kelly Stidham is retiring at the end of May.

At the William Morrow Group, Kayleigh George has joined as Marketing Director. Most recently she was Director of Marketing at Penguin Random House. At HarperCollins, Shelby Meizlik has left her position as VP, Special Events and Creative Strategies and Jessica MacLeish has left her position as Editor. They can be contacted at, respectively, shelbymeizlik@gmail.com and jgmacleish@gmail.com.

Scott Hatfill has joined Independent Publishers Group as Director of International Sales. Previously he was Director, International at Diamond Book Distributors.

In June, Katie Hope will join Princeton University Press as Marketing Director. Most recently she was Director of Marketing and Author Relations at MIT Press.

Bess Brasswell has joined Harlequin as Publishing Director, Inkyard Press. She was previously Senior Director, Marketing at HarperCollins Children’s Books.

Craig Teicher, formerly Director of Special Editorial Projects at Publishers Weekly, has joined The Paris Review as Digital Director.

Gotham Ghostwriters has hired author Jennifer Banash as Director, Creative Writing, and Jessica Zafarris, formerly Content Strategist and Digital Content Director at Writer’s Digest, as Executive Director of Marketing and Communications.

Keely Platte joins BookSparks as Publicity Director. Previously she was Principal for Keely Platte Public Relations.

At Pomegranate Communications, Rachel Bell has joined as Marketing Director. She had been VP, Client Development at Equation Research.

At Melissa & Doug Books, Sara Miller, formerly Senior Editor at Disney Publishing Worldwide, joins as Editorial Director.

In agency news…Anne Tibbets joins D4EO Literary Agency as Agent, moving over from her previous position as Associate Literary Agent at Red Sofa Literary Agency. Bridget Smith, formerly Literary Agent at Dunham Literary, joins JABberwocky Literary Agency under the same title. At Corvisiero Literary Agency, Emmy-winning writer and producer Rudy Cecera joins as Film & Television Sub-Agent. And at Pippin Properties, Cameron Chase will join on June 10 as Manager of Subsidiary Rights. He was previously Senior Subsidiary Rights Associate at Hachette Book Group.

Taylor McBroom, formerly Marketing Coordinator at HarperCollins Children’s Books, joins Houghton Mifflin Harcourt as Marketing Specialist, School & Library.

At Workman Publishing, Rina Mody has joined as Manager, Digital Operations. Previously she was Metadata and eBook Distribution Associate at Thieme Group.

At Chronicle Books, Eugenia Pakalik, Director of Trade Sales, has left the company and can be contacted at epakalik@gmail.com. Mariam Quraishi, previously Junior Designer at Viking Children’s, joins as Designer, Children’s. Aki Neumann joins as Junior Production Designer, Children’s; she was formerly Project Editor at Octane Press.

Kelly Reed, formerly Senior Editor at Insight Editions, joins Rocky Nook as Executive Editor.

Kelsey Manning has joined Penguin Random House as Senior Marketing Manager; she was previously Assistant Director of Marketing at Scribner. At DK, Michael Ploetz joins as Associate Marketing Manager, Children’s; previously he was Marketing & Publicity Coordinator at little bee books. Simon Beecroft, Publishing Director for Licensing at DK, is leaving at the end of the month after twenty years with the company. Lauren Clauss, formerly Assistant Editor at Disney Press, joins Random House Books for Young Readers as Associate Editor. Elizabeth Bruce, Editor, will leave Picador on June 1 and can be contacted at elizabeth.r.bruce@gmail.com.

At Sourcebooks, Michael Leali has joined as Marketing Specialist.

Morgan Krehbiel, Associate Publisher and Art Director at Agate Publishing, has left the company and can be contacted at morgankrehbiel@gmail.com.

At Holiday House, Cheryl Lew, formerly Publicist at Media Connect, has joined as Senior Publicist.

Jenny Lee has joined Basic Books as Publicist, moving over from that position at Crown. Angela Man, formerly Marketing and Publicity Coordinator at Diversion Books, joins Orbit as Associate Publicist.

At BookBub, Ali Hammond joins as Account Manager, Chirp.

At Little A, Vivian Lee is leaving her position as Editor and can be contacted at lee.vivianwm@gmail.com.

Alicia Trader has left her position as Marketing Coordinator at Perma-Bound. She can be contacted at tradera39@hotmail.com.

PROMOTIONS

Following the departure of Mary Ann Naples, former Disney Publishing Group Publisher, Lynn Waggoner and Emily Thomas Meehan have been promoted to divide her responsibilities. Waggoner keeps her title as VP, Global Publisher, Franchise and now also oversees Disney Press, Marvel Press, Lucasfilm Press, and Disney Editions. Meehan has been named VP, Publisher of Hyperion and Original Content Strategy and IP Development.

At Berrett-Koehler, David Marshall becomes CEO and CFO, while Johanna Vondeling becomes President and Publisher. Neil Maillet has been promoted to Editorial Director. Maria Jesus Aguilo moves up to Director of Global and Digital Sales.

Cengage has promoted Rebecca McNamara to Chief Integration Officer ahead of the company’s planned merger with McGraw-Hill.

Lisa DiSarro has been promoted to Executive Director, Marketing at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers. Amanda Acevedo becomes Marketing Manager, School & Library. In addition, Sharismar Rodriguez is now Art Director.

Hachette Book Group sees a number of promotions in its sales department. Ali Cutrone becomes Senior Director of Online Sales, Claire Gamble becomes National Account Manager, and Mary Urban moves up to Senior Digital Account Manager. Julia Hernandez has been promoted to Senior Director of Wholesale Sales and Heidi Kanter and Laura Shepherd both move up to Senior National Accounts Manager. In mass merchant sales, Tracy Dowd becomes Senior Director of Club and Airport Sales, Tishana Knight becomes Sales Manager of Mass Merchants, and John Lefler is promoted to National Account Manager. John Leary is now Regional Director of Field Sales. John Byron III becomes Sales Promotion Manager. Katie Tucker becomes Senior National Accounts Manager, Children’s. In Nashville sales, David Chaudry and Linda Pearles have been promoted to National Accounts Manager. Jill Reschop-Gonzalez becomes Associate Director of Sales operations. Frankie Johnson becomes Manager of Specialty Retail.

At HarperCollins, Jace Molan becomes Senior Director of Video and Group Executive Producer and Anna Montague is now Associate Editor. At William Morrow, Emily Krump has been promoted to Executive Editor.

At Doubleday, Lauren Weber has been promoted to Associate Director of Marketing and Michael Goldsmith becomes Associate Director of Publicity. Rachel Chlebowski moves up to Associate Editor at Random House Books for Young Readers. Colleen Boyle is now Publicity Manager at Penguin Press, and Becky Odell is now Publicist at Dutton. At Dial Press, Annie Chagnot becomes Senior Editor. At One World, Nicole Counts has been promoted to Editor and Publishing Manager.

Claire Kelley has been promoted to Marketing & Publicity Director at Roost Books, while Katelin Ross becomes Publicist and Adria Batt becomes Marketing Associate at Shambhala Publications.

At Chronicle Books, Courtney Payne moves up to Associate Director of Trade Sales and Ian Delaney becomes Associate Sales Manager, while Chelsea Masquelier is promoted to Operations Coordinator.

Gary Thompson has been promoted to Director at Dead Reckoning.

In agency news…Neil Patterson is now VP at Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency. At Corvisiero Literary Agency, Kaitlyn Johnson becomes Associate Agent and Intern Supervisor. Hilary Harwell has been promoted to Agent at KT Literary. Susan Graham moves up to Agent at Einstein Literary Management. At Laura Dail Literary Agency, Samantha Fabien is now Literary Agent in addition to her existing role as International Rights Manager.

Eileen Rothschild has been promoted to Executive Editor for St. Martin’s Press and Wednesday Books. Alexandra Sehulster moves up to Editor at St. Martin’s Press. At Macmillan Children’s, Madison Furr has been promoted to Associate Publicist.

Stuart Roberts has been promoted to Senior Editor at Simon & Schuster. Morgan York moves up to become Associate Production Editor at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers and Paula Wiseman Books, while Tatyana Rosalia becomes Senior Production Associate at McElderry Books and Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

At Workman Publishing, Cindy Lee has been promoted to Senior Manager, Marketing & Visual Content; Neil Hiremath has been promoted to Senior Manager, Digital Operations; and SarahMay Harel moves up to Associate Manager, Web Operations & Ecommerce.

At Ingram Content Group, Sterling Crawford moves up to Project Manager, Integration and Outsource; Ann Zangri moves up to Senior Manager of Marketing Services; and Matt Mullin moves up to Senior Key Account Sales Manager.

At Independent Publishers Group, Alex Granato moves up to Editorial & Subrights Associate; Kristen Noon, to Senior A/R Associate; Sam Ofman, to Senior Publicist; Emily Parenti, to Content Marketing Coordinator; Stefani Szenda, to Marketing Associate; Anna Torres, to Publisher Development Coordinator; Ethan Walles, to A/P Manager; Josh Williams, to Senior AQ Editor; Clarissa Young, to AQ Editor; Jen Young, to Special Sales Representative. At IPG’s distribution center, Oskar Nogueda becomes Print Center Supervisor and Mario Montenegro becomes Replenishment Coordinator.

Steven Tran moves up to Sales Manager at Soho Press.

Mark Lee is now Senior Manager, Communications and Marketing at the National Book Foundation.

Marla Koenigsknecht has been promoted to Associate Publicist at APA Publishing’s APA Books and Magination Press Children’s Books.

At Llewellyn Worldwide, Jake-Ryan Kent becomes Publicist.

John Maher has been promoted to News and Digital Editor at Publishers Weekly.

At Kensington, James Abbate is now Assistant Editor.

DULY NOTED

Publishers Weekly is seeking nominations for its fifth annual Star Watch program. The deadline to submit a free nomination is June 14. More information and the entry form can be found here.

Penguin Random House has acquired a 45% stake in Sourcebooks. Under the new agreement, Sourcebooks is forming a five-person management board to be chaired by founder Dominique Raccah and which will include Madeline McIntosh, PRH US CEO, and Nina von Moltke, PRH President of Strategic Development.

Effective June 1, Consortium has added four new publishers: Charco Press, DENPA, Rabsel Editions, and Unbound.

Also effective June 1, Histria Books (a division of Histria LLC) has signed a worldwide sales, marketing, and distribution agreement with The Casemate Group.

Kane Press has purchased Boyds Mill Press and its affiliated imprints, Calkins Creek and WordSong, from Highlights for Children and has consequently renamed itself Boyd Mills & Kane. The combined publisher also includes StarBerry Books.

John Wiley & Sons will acquire the assets of New York City-based adaptive learning company Knowton. The deal is expected to close by May 31.

Ayesha Pande Literary announced the launch of a “forward-thinking and inclusive speakers bureau,” Pande Lecture Management.

Beginning fall 2019, Penguin Random House will handle sales and distribution for Square Enix to introduce a new line of English-language manga, novels, and art books worldwide.

In China, Liz Gately now scouts for Horizon.

The board of directors of the American Booksellers Association has appointed Tegan Tigani to fill the seat vacated when Jamie Fiocco stepped up to serve as president. The next election will be held in spring 2020.