People Round Up, July 2024

PEOPLE

Hachette announced a series of promotions and realignments on July 15th that included: Running Press and Workman will combine into Workman Running Press Group as of January 1st, 2025. Workman’s Algonquin Books imprint will become part of Little, Brown, reporting to Sally Kim; and Algonquin Young Readers will become part of Little, Brown Children’s, under Megan Tingley. Additionally, Hachette Books and Hachette Go– both nonfiction lines – have been eliminated. Titles will be reassigned to other Grand Central Press imprints. Layoffs includes Mary Ann Naples, whose last day is August 2nd.

Running Press publisher Kristin Kiser will become president of that new division at that time. Susan Weinberg will retire from her role as publisher of Workman at the end of this year. Thereafter, she will work for Hachette in a part-time capacity. Shannon Kelly, senior editor, will now oversee the gift and stationary line RP Studio and the self-help and wellness vertical RP Inspires at Running Press. Michael Barrs is joining Little, Brown and Company as VP, associate publisher. Karen Kosztolynik becomes VP executive editorial director for fiction and will report to Colin Dickerman.

At Penguin Random House, Samantha Endres has joined as business intelligence analyst. Batya Rosenblum, formerly executive editor at The Experiment, has joined TarcherPerigee as senior editor. Farrin Jacobs, most recently VP and editorial director at Little Brown Books for Young Readers, will join Random House Studios as executive editor on July 29th.

At Simon & Schuster, Francesca Carlos has joined Simon Element as marketing manager. Selene Covarrubias has joined as sales development manager for latinx market.

Abrams has Nicole Valdez joining as marketing director at Abrams ComicArts. She was previously the senior publicity manager at Simon & Schuster. Phil DiSanto, previously VP of technology and CIO at Allstar Innovations has been named VP of technology development.

At Astra House, Tara Sharma, formerly assistant editor at Farrar, Straus and Giroux has joined as associate editor. Maya Raiford Cohen has joined as associate editor. She was previously associate editor at Zando.

At HarperCollins, Jack Countryman, publisher emeritus at HarperCollins Christian Publishing’s Nelson Gift division, has retired. Stephanie Duncan Smith joined HarperOne as senior editor on July 15th. She was previously executive editor at Baker Books. Gretchen Schmid, previously editor at HarperVia marketing team as marketing manager.

At Amazon Publishing, Elizabeth Agyemang, formerly senior editor at HarperCollins has joined 47North as editor.

Scholastic, Kelly Carbone joins as inventory analyst.

At Sourcebooks, Timothy Fosczcz has joined as sales associate. Rebecca Johnson has joined as director of human resources. Benjamin Sherrard has joined as developer.

Chronicle Books has Linette Kim join as senior manager for school and library marketing and children’s publicity. Meghan Clarke has joined as controller.

Richard Dobbs, senior book buyer at the International Center of Photography, has left the company.

At Open Road Integrated Media, Michael Tolchinsky has joined as marketing analytics coordinator.

At Amazon Publishing, Elizabeth Agyemang, formerly senior editor at HarperCollins has joined 47North as editor.

Candlewick Press has Jaclyn Withers join as sales coordinator. Neda Kamalhedayat has joined as consumer marketing coordinator. Caitlyn Davis has joined as trade marketing assistant. April Li is joining as editorial assistant.

At Tiny Onion, Harley Salbacka, previously sales lead at Boom! Studios has joined as community and events manager.

At Catapult, Ashley Kiedrowski, formerly marketing manager at Hachette Books and Hachette Go is joining as digital marketing manager.

In Agency News…

Soumeya Bendimerad Roberts, VP of international rights at HG Literary has left her position and will now work exclusively on domestic clients and will retain the title of VP. Julia Kardon has been promoted to VP. Ellen Goff has been promoted to agent and international rights manager for children’s and YA. Alex Reubert, previously an agent at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates, has joined at agent and international rights manager for adult. Jonathan Cobb.

At Bindery Agency, Kesia Lupo, associate literary agent is leaving the company and contacted at keslupo@gmail.com.

Folio Literary Management has promoted Estelle Laure to agent and senior content development editor for Folio Jr..

PROMOTIONS

At Penguin Random House, Jeramie Orton is being promoted to executive editor at Pamela Dorman Books. Marie Michels is being promoted to executive editor at Pamela Dorman Books. Paul Whitlatch has been promoted to editorial director at Crown Currency as part of the expansion of the Crown Currency publishing program. Iris McElroy has been promoted to executive producer at Penguin Random House Audio. Brady Emerson has been promoted to executive producer at Penguin Random House Audio. Mollie Reid has been promoted to publicist at Penguin Press. Tia Resham Cheema has been promoted to assistant editor at Random House Children’s Books. Lisa Kwan has been promoted to assistant editor at Pantheon.

At Hachette, Oliver Wehner has been promoted to associate publicist at Orbit. Shannon Fabricant is being promoted to publisher at Running Press, effective Jan 1st, 2025. Betsy Hulsebosch is being promoted to VP and deputy publisher at Running Press, effective Jan 1st, 2025. Maria Simione has been promoted to assistant editor at Running Press. Gregg Kulick is being promoted to executive art director at Little, Brown and Company. Lia Ronnen is promoted to SVP publisher of Workman,Artisan, and Black Dog & Leventhal. The calendar group will move from Running Press to Workman. Stacey Lellos is promoted to SVP, Workman Kids. Colin Dickerman is promoted to SVP editor in chief.

At HarperCollins, Laura Gonzalez has been promoted to senior marketing associate at HarperOne Group. Makenna Holford is being promoted to senior marketing manager at HarperOne. Melinda Mullin is being promoted to executive director of publicity at HarperOne. Aly Mostel is being promoted to executive director of publicity at HarperOne. Julia Kent is being promoted to director of marketing at HarperOne. Andrew Arnold has been promoted to VP, publisher at HarperAlley. Rose Pleuler has been promoted to senior editor at HarperAlley. Maddy Price has been promoted to designer at HarperAlley. Sophie Schmidt has been promoted to assistant editor at HarperAlley.

At Simon & Schuster, Falon Kirby has been promoted to senior publicity manager at Atria Books. Morgan Maple has been promoted to publicity manager at Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. Kristal Batanjany has been promoted to VP, financial planning & analysis. Paul Cronin has been promoted to senior business manager.

Macmillan Publishers, sees Kristin Sevick, formerly executive editor at Tor Publishing Group’s Forger imprint, join St. Martin’s Publishing Group/Minotaur Books as executive editor.

Abrams has promoted Ashley Albert to managing editor. Krista Keplinger has been promoted to associate managing editor.

World of Eric Carle has promoted Mary Ricardo to creative services designer.

Candlewick Press has promoted Rachel Kirby to senior publicist.

At InterVarsity Press, Makayla Payne has joined as publicity and social media coordinator.

Soho Press has promoted Steven Tran to director of sales.

BookSparks has promoted Rylee Warner to publicist.

DULY NOTED

Peter Jovanovich educational publisher died July 15th at 75. Over the course of his 32 year career he created himself a name for his significant work across school publishing. A service will be held July 31 at 11 AM at Rye Presbyterian Church in Rye, NY.

EVENTS

Hong Kong Book Fair

July 17-23

Hong Kong

Comic-Con International

Jul 25-28

San Diego, CA

Booker Prize Longlist Announced

Jul 30

Romance Writers of American Conference

Jul 31- Aug 3

Austin, TX