People Round Up, Early July, 2024

PEOPLE

At Putnam/PRH, Lindsay Sagnette will join as VP, editor in chief, on July 15th. She was most recently VP, editorial director at Atria. Newly reporting to Sagnette are Tara Singh Carlson, Michelle Howry, Daphne Ming Durham, and Kate Dresser. She takes the position previously held by Sally Kim, who moved to Little, Brown as President and Publisher earlier this year.

Cassidy Graham has joined as editor at Open Field/Penguin Life. Senior editor of Random House Children’s, Barbara Bakowski will retire on July 3rd. Becky Green has been promoted to SVP, retail, and Penguin Young Readers sales. She will maintain oversight of national accounts and retails sales, in addition to her new sales-leader responsibilities. Mark Santella has been promoted to SVP, mass merchandise, and Random House Children’s sales. He will lead the RHCB sales effort along with his current responsibilities. Chatto & Windus will have Becky Hardie becoming publishing director, taking over from Clara Farmer. Farmer will become associate publishing director, while pursuing her PhD in publishing history. Molly Slight joins as editorial director, succeeding Rose Tomaszewska. Slight was previously publisher at Scribe UK. Asia Choudhry has been promoted to assistant editor. At Penguin Random House Audio, Kayla Kohlmeister has joined as publicist. Clare Perret, previously managing editor at Kensington, has joined Random House Children’s Books as senior copy editor.

At Simon & Schuster, Wibke Grutjen will join as SVP, global chief marketing and communications office on August 5th, reporting to president and CEO Jonathan Karp. She will also be a member of the publisher’s executive committee. She was most recently the chief marketing officer at Hachette Book Group. Maria Mann has joined Primero Sueño as associate director of publicity and marketing. She was previously at CNN en Español, Barnes and Noble, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Frontier Public Relations, and most recently, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Will Plunkett has been named digital sales manager. Abby Carola has joined as art & design coordinator for Simon & Schuster Children’s.

At Macmillan, Rachel Menth has joined as director of systems integration of Biblio. Donna Wilson has joined as cost accountant and Jasmine Cabrera has joined as inventory specialist. Justin Krasner, formerly executive editor at Odd Dot, has left the company. Alyssa Awe has joined as EVP for business development and publishing strategy. Shawn Foster has joined as VP for children’s sales.

Hachette Book Group welcomes Gabriella Mongelli as senior editor starting July 8th. She will be reporting to Sally Kim. Mongelli was previously at Park Row Books.

At HarperCollins, Nicole Pingelton, senior manager of special markets will now sell into gift and specialty retail and wholesale channels, handling sales and relationships with gift representatives groups and specialty wholesalers.

At Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, editorial director and founding shareholder Rosie de Courcy will be leaving the company on July 19th. She has been a part of Head of Zeus for the past 12 years.

At Sourcebooks, Ariel Curry has joined as senior editor of nonfiction. Shannon McCain has joined as associate director of international marketing and publicity. Diana Schmidt has joined as marketing assistant for Sourcebooks Casablanca and Bloom Books.

In the wake of founder Sue Arroyo’s passing in February, Helga Schier has been named interim CEO of CamCat Publishing. She will still continue her duties as editorial director.

Skyhorse Publishing senior editor Nicole Frail is leaving the company after 12 years and can be contacted at nicolefrailedits@gmail.com.

Candlewick Press sees the return of Martha Kennedy as assistant art director. She was most recently art director at Simon & Schuster. Rory Lake joins as promotions designer. She was most recently the community engagement coordinator at Emmanuel College.

Gemini Books has named Elen Jones publisher of a new gift imprint, Gemini Editions. She was most recently publishing director at Laurence King.

At Open Road Media, strategic advisor of science fiction and fantasy, Betsy Mitchell retired on June 28th. Stefan Dziemianowicz will join as consulting editor, horror, fantasy, and science fiction.

Quarto saw Martha Bucci join on July 1st as SVP of sales and marketing for the US, reporting to CEO Alison Goff. Bucci was previously at Hachette Book Group, leading the chain sales and mass channel sales division.

The American Booksellers Association welcomes Emily Nason as education specialist.

Princeton University Press has Yiwen Luo join as senior sales manager.

Strand Book Store has named Kelly Sterling as its chief retail officer and Carson Moss to its chief operating officer.

Beaufort Books, Alexa Schmidt joins as senior editor. Kaylee Lovato has joined Beaufort Books as marketing and publicity associate

Cornell University Press, Will Hearn, formerly advertising and promotions coordinator at William B. Eerdmans Publishing, has joined as academic marketing coordinator. He can be contacted at wjh223@cornell.edu.

In Agency News…

FinePrint Literary Management has welcomed Christine Goss as an agent. She was previously at Purcell Agency.

Cookie McDermid welcomes Amy Moore-Benson as an agent. She was previously at Meridian Artists.

Franklin & Siegal Associates will now serve as the US/Canada scout for Orion Publishing Group.

PROMOTIONS

At Simon & Schuster, Kassandra Rhoads has been promoted to senior publicist at Scribner. At Atria Books, Kate Napolitano has been promoted to editorial director, nonfiction. Sean deLone has been promoted to editor.

Penguin Random House has promoted Kristina Fazzalaro at Viking/Penguin to associate director of publicity. Kate Renner has been promoted to art director for Viking Books for Young Readers, Philomel, and Flamingo.

At Macmillan, Merilee Croft has been promoted to managing editor on the managing editorial team.

HarperCollins has promoted Gillian Wise to director, special markets sales and speciality publishing. Michelle Ramos has been promoted to project manager, special markets. Emma Tomko has been promoted to sales manager of educational sales. Karlee Stephney has been promoted to senior sales associate of special markets. Reid Sewell has been promoted to publishing manager at HarperCollins Children’s Books.

Scholastic has promoted Emily Seife to executive editor.

Astra Publishing House has promoted Olivia Dontsov to managing editor. At Astra Books for Young Readers, Kerry McManus has been promoted to marketing director, Susan Dobinick has been promoted to assistant publisher, and Millie von Platen has been promoted to associate editor.

Candlewick Press has promoted Hayley Parker to assistant art director.

At Norton, Rachel Salzman and Eric Sinesky Lovett have been promoted to senior publicity director. Gina Savoy has been promoted to publicist. Fanta Diallo has been promoted to senior publicist at Liveright. Clio Hamilton has been promoted to associate publicist at Liveright. Melanie Tortoroli has been promoted to executive editor.

Sourcebooks has promoted Kelly Lawler to senior creative director of adult and YA. Olivia Haase has been promoted to assistant publishing coordinator of children’s fiction and nonfiction.

DULY NOTED

Gary Urda Memorial Simon & Schuster will hold a virtual gathering to celebrate the life and work of Urda, SVP, sales, who died on Monday June 24th. All who knew and worked with Gary are invited to attend the Zoom session beginning at 4:00 PM ET Wednesday, July 10: https://cbs.zoom.us/j/99554165233

Written Remembrances may be sent to corporate.communications@simonandschuster.com

Tara Simons and Laura Heathfield have launched their literary agency, Greenstone Literary Agency, which will specialize in commercial fiction and select nonfiction. Both were previously at Darley Anderson

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