People Round Up, Mid March, 2024

PEOPLE

Bertelsmann CEO Thomas Rabe will exit his role once his contract expires in 2026.

At Penguin Random House, Suzanne Herz is rejoining Penguin Random House as publisher of John Grisham, on April 15th, and will report to chief revenue officer Jaci Updike. Alessandra Scarpaci has joined Random House Children’s Books as publicity assistant. At Putnam, Regina Andreoni has joined as marketing manager. Sofie Parker has joined Putnam as marketing assistant. Marisa Nakasone has joined Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group as designer. Cassie Gitkins has joined Random House Publishing Group as production editor. At Dutton, David Howe has joined as associate editor.

At Hyperion, Chelsea Cutchens has joined Hyperion Avenue as editor.

ReaderLink Distribution: Lakshmi Jiddu has joined as D365 Finance and operations developer.

At Titan Publishing, Rosanna Anness has joined as head of rights, she was formerly publishing manager at Hasbro.

At Abrams, Clarie Stetzer has joined as editor; she was formerly editor at Inkyard Press. Shea Dunlop has joined as sales assistant. Kristi Iwashiro has joined as ComicArts editor, formerly she was the translation manager at J-Novel Club. Evelyn Lema has joined as senior financial analyst, she was formerly senior financial analyst at Amazon.

Megan Zimlich is being promoted to senior manager of digital content at Kensington Publishing

Chronicle Books has named Christina Amini as publisher of gift and she will also work in partnership with Chronicle’s Games & Toys.

At IPG, Julia Dillman has joined as administrative assistant, Kenneth Duncan has joined as digital marketing coordinator, and Megan Trank has joined as client manager for financial statements.

At Open Road Integrated Media, Hazel De Leon has joined as marketing coordinator for sales channels.

At Guilford Press, Lilith Dorko has joined as senior editor for social psychology; she was formerly executive editor for psychology at Rowman & Littlefield.

Kayla White has joined as managing editor associate at Zando Publishing. She was previously managing editorial assistant at Abrams.

At Wroteby.me, Rachel Bell has joined as go to market consultant.

At Phaidon, Audrée Damiba is joining as marketing manager. At Monacelli, Caroline Jones is joining as marketing and publicity assistant.

The American Booksellers Association announced Preethi Kannath has joined the education team as lead instructional designer.

In Agency News…

At Laura Dail Literary Agency, Jennifer Udden has joined as literary agent. She was previously a freelance editor, and previously an agent at New Leaf Literary & Media.

At LCS Literary Services, Kimberly Latrice Jones has joined as an associate agent, she previously authored I’m Not Dying With You Tonight.

PROMOTIONS

At Simon & Schuster, Lara Jones has been promoted to senior editor at Emily Bestler Books.

Penguin Random House promotions: Lauren Weber, has been promoted to executive director,brand development, and will report to Suzanne Herz. Maralee Diana is being promoted to publishing associate at Penguin Publishing Group. Vanessa Haughton has been promoted to editor at Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Katrina Damkoehler has been promoted to associate art director at Random House Children’s Books.

Hachette Book Group promotions: Lauren Kisare has been promoted to assistant editor at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Patrick Hulse has been promoted to designer at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Savannah Kennelly and Christie Michel have been promoted to senior manager of school and library marketing at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Ruqayyah Daud has been promoted to editor at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Jessica Anderson has been promoted to senior editor, Jenny Kimura has been promoted to associate art director, Cheryl Lew has been promoted to associate director of publicity, and Lisa Yoskowitz has been promoted to VP and executive editorial director at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Hachette Audio has promoted Jasmine Normil to publicity and marketing coordinator. Laura Essex has been promoted to audio editor, Charles McCrorey has been promoted to studio manager and audio operations associate, Ghenet Harvey has been promoted to senior audio production associate, and Michelle Figueroa has been promoted to senior audio production associate at Hachette Audio. At Black Dog & Leventhal, Katie Benezra has been promoted to art director. Scott Trebing has been promoted to production manager. Shay Brown has been promoted to senior reprint manager. Jennifer Tordy has been promoted to production manager of trade frontlist. Kenzie Sena has been promoted to marketing and sales associate. Lauren Shade has been promoted to assistant marketing director. Michelle Forde has been promoted to senior marketing manager. Sarah Alli has been promoted to marketing associate.

At Macmillan Publishers, Patrick Nielson Hayden has become editor-at-large for Tor Publishing Group. Miriam Weinberg has been promoted to executive editor of Tor. Troix Jackson has been promoted to assistant editor and Dianna Vega has been promoted to assistant editor. Jenna Johnson has been promoted to SVP, editor-in-chief at Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (FSG). Eric Chinski, has been promoted to editorial director, nonfiction at FSG. Na Kim has been promoted to creative director at FSG. Alex Merto has been promoted to senior art director at Picador. Jonathan Woolen has been promoted to associate marketing manager at FSG. Isabella Miranda has been promoted to senior manager of subsidiary rights at FSG. Bri Panzica has been promoted to senior production editor at FSG.

At Candlewick Press, Rachel Wood has been promoted to assistant art director.

IPG, Bianca Rodriguez has been promoted to marketing assistant. Valerie Pedroche has been promoted to associate publicist. Adam Barresse has been promoted to senior digital services associate. Casey Park has been promoted to digital services manager. Qassye Inwood has been promoted to digital print manager.

Phaidon, Ellie Levine is being promoted to director of marketing and digital initiatives. Eva Baron is being promoted to publicist.

At Quirk Books, Jhanteigh Kupihea has been promoted to president and publisher. Nicole De Jackmo has been promoted to EVP, deputy publisher. David Borgenicht has moved into the role of chairman and founder.

At Orbit Books, Bradley Englert has been promoted to executive editor and Angela Man has been promoted to senior publicist.

DULY NOTED

Zando is launching their romance imprint, Slowburn and will aim to publish 2 to 3 books per season. Hayley Wagreich, director of original development at Zando, and Sierra Stovall, director of rights at Zando, are co-directors of Slowburn. Nicole Otto, who joined Zando senior editor and was previously a senior creative executive at Realm, and TJ Ohler, assistant editor at Zando, will work closely with Wagreich and Stovall.

Akira Toriyama, Manga creator of Dragon Ball Z died at 68 on March 1st due to an acute subdural hematoma.

EVENTS

Mar 20-24

Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival

New Orleans, LA

Mar 20-24

Virginia Festival of the Book

Charlottesville, VA

Mar 21-24

Leipzig Book Fair

Leipzig, Germany

Mar 22-24