People Round Up, April, 2026

PEOPLE

At Penguin Random House, Amy Trotter joins as manager, inventory operations, reporting to Danielle Procter. Trotter was previously at Amplify Education. Michelle Jaramillo joins as business analyst in the Publishing Operation Systems team. BOOM! continues to undergo restructuring with their integration into Random House Worlds. Associate marketing manager Anthony Mauro and executive editor Kwanza Osajyefo Johnson have been laid off. Michael Kelly will join the RHW leadership team and continue to lead BOOM! as vp, publisher, reporting to SVP, publisher Keith Clayton. VP, deputy publisher Julie Leung will now oversee BOOM! in addition to the other RHW imprints. Bryce Carlson, who becomes vp, business development & special projects, will lead direct-to-consumer efforts for all imprints. Josh Hayes becomes imprint sales director, overseeing sales and distribution for BOOM!, Inklore, and direct-to-consumer programs. Austin Yi becomes the rights associate for BOOM!. The BOOM! marketing team, including marketing manager Alya Kronsberg and marketing associate Grecia Martinez, will join the RHPG marketing group, reporting to vp, senior director of marketing and publicity for Random House Worlds, David Moench. Adrian Lopez will continue to lead BOOM! community engagement. Penguin Life brings on Julia Pollacco as senior commissioning editor.

Hachette brings on Shelby Sweet as associate national account manager, overseeing library and academic accounts including Overdrive, Apple Books, and Libro.fm. Madi Fortich joined as digital sales analyst.

At Macmillan, Beth Steidle has joined as art director, Fablelistik.

At Sourcebooks, Jason Arvelo joins as vice president of data & analytics. He was previously at Macmillan, where he had the same title of vp of data science & analytics.

At NetGalley, Carson Filips has joined as social media manager.

Feminist Press has Caro Llewellyn joining as executive director and Dr. Norrell Edwards has taken the role of chair of the board of directors. Llewellyn previously served as director of the PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature.

At Pavilion Publishing, Cara Armstrong is returning to the imprint as editorial director. Most recently she was at DK Living.

Yale University Press has both publicity director Brenda King and senior publicist Robert Pranzatelli retiring at the end of this month. Both have spent over 20+ years with the press.

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In Agency News…

At SBR Media, Diego Harrison has been promoted to senior literary agent. Jo-Ann Carol has joined as film and television agent.

Rosecliff Literary has Rita Veras joining as an associate agent.

Transatlantic Agency promotes Lisa Rambert to literary agent.

At P.S. Literary Agency, Gemma Paynter has joined as associate literary agent. She was previously product manager at Harlequin.

At The Caldwell Agency, Sarah Gerton has joined as literary agent & audio rights manager, focusing on romantasy, speculative fiction, and hybrid authors. Previously, she was at New Leaf Literary.

At Aragi, literary agent Frances Coady is retiring.

Park, Fine & Brower Literary Management has Abby Zidle joining as creative development manager. She was most recently an executive editor at Gallery. Olivia Malesco joins as international rights manager. Previously, she was associate rights manager at Amazon Publishing.

At CLMP, Gracie Rittenberg joins as membership senior manager. She was previously at Ann Rittenberg Literary Agency.

Daniela Schlingmann Literary Scouting is now scouting for Giunti and Bompiani in the UK and US markets, and key international markets.

Alanna Feldman Scouting has been appointed US Scout for Bastei Lübbe in Germany. The firm will be scouting for Lübbe’s children’s/YA, adult fiction, and adult non-fiction divisions.

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PROMOTIONS

Penguin Publishing Group promotes Jordan Aaronson to associate director, marketing strategy. Carolina Meurkens is promoted to senior manager, multicultural marketing. Andrew Taets is promoted to associate marketing manager. Penguin Press promotes Victoria Laboz to assistant editor. At Random House Children’s, Caroline Lese has been promoted to subrights associate. Penguin Random House Audio promotes Kate Smith to senior publicist, listening library. Marissa Secreto has been promoted to marketing manager. Abby Nutter is promoted to executive editor, content acquisitions. Leah Jackson is promoted to senior editor, content acquisitions. Carly Quinn is promoted to editor, content acquisitions. Desiree Johnson has been promoted to associate editor, Listening Library, and Una James is promoted to associate, licensing & business development. At Penguin Random House Christian, Matthew Burdette has been promoted to senior editor for the Image and Forum imprint. BOOM! promotes Alex Larned to associate publisher, Del Rey and Random House Worlds, and Marcelle Iten Busto to publishing associate. Berkeley promotes Lance Serafica to digital marketing associate.

Macmillan promotes Leah Carlson-Stanisic to senior director, design. Within Macmillan Children’s, promotions include Allison Verost who has been named publishing director of Henry Holt Books for Young Readers and Godwin Books, with a larger group of imprints under her oversight; she will continue to report to Besser. As before, Verost will oversee FSG Books for Young Readers, First Second, 23rd Street, Neon Squid, and Priddy. Emilia Sowersby will join Holt BYR, and Ann Marie Wong and Laura Godwin will report to Verost.Calista Brill promoted to vice president, executive editorial director at First Second. At Balzer + Bray, Lavell Nero has been promoted to assistant editor. Samantha Sacks has been promoted to senior publicist and Sara Elroubi has been promoted to associate publicist. Kaitlin Loss has been promoted to associate director, subsidiary rights. Laura Hernandez has been promoted to senior marketing manager and Katie Quinn has been promoted to director, marketing. Kat Kopit has been promoted to director, production editorial and Ilana Worrell has been promoted to senior manager, production editorial. Kortney Nash has been promoted to associate editor at Holt Children’s. Hana Tzou has been promoted to assistant editor. Phoebe Liu has joined as associate designer. She was previously a Chronicle Books design fellow.

Promotions at Tor Publishing Group include Emily Mlynek to senior director of marketing, Becky Yeager to associate director, ad promo and marketing, and Tyrinne Lewis to senior marketing manager. Tiana Tolbert has been promoted to senior social media manager. Samantha Friedlander has been promoted to associate marketing manager. Erin Robinson has been promoted to associate manager, publishing operations, Lizzy Hosty has been promoted to associate manager, publishing strategy, and Alexa Best has been promoted to publishing strategy associate. Jesse Shamon has been promoted to designer, AdPromo.

Harper Collins restructures their sales department into two categories, Divisional Sales and Channel Sales. With this restructuring, promotions include Kelly Roberts to SVP, deputy director of sales, leading the divisional sales team. VP, children’s sales Monica Shah‘s role will expand to oversee the national accounts channel for adult and children’s. Jen Wygand has been promoted to senior director, national accounts and brand management, continuing to report to Shah. VP, mass merch Stefanie Lindner will oversee all mass merch for adult and children’s titles. Marianna Ricciuto has been promoted to the new role of director, online sales, overseeing audio and digital. Jess Abel has been promoted to director, online sales, overseeing children’s print and ebooks at Amazon.

Sourcebooks promotes Christy Droege to vice president of Strategic Planning/Analysis and Supply Chain. In her expanded role, Droege will lead strategic planning and analysis while strengthening the systems and supply chain. She has been with the company for over 20 years.

At Hachette promotions include Cristal Sanchez to national account manager, overseeing Audible, Spotify, Kobo, Chirp, and Scribd/Everand.

Simon and Schuster promotes Diana Arena assistant manager, independent retail sales.

Yankee Publishing promotes Ernesto Burden to president and CEO.

At Writers House, Matt Fulton has been promoted to general counsel & director of business affairs.

At Candlewick Press, Holiday House, Peachtree, Madison Karpiej has been promoted to associate manager, marketing materials production, Candlewick. Megan Brearley has been promoted to associate production editor, Holiday House and Peachtree.

At St. Martin’s Publishing Group, Layla Yuro and Susannah Noel are promoted to senior production editors.

Podium Entertainment promotes Andy Dodds to senior director of acquisitions.

At Yale University Press, promotions include Jennifer Doerr to publicity director and Amanda Cordero to senior publicist.

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DULY NOTED

Scholastic begins to buy back up to $200 million in shares. They are paying between $36 to $40 per share and will gain back about 25% of shares outstanding.

Penguin Random House closes Dial Books for Young Readers. The imprint was launched in 1961. Some employees are being let go, while others will be joining other PRH young reader imprints.

Judge Colleen McMahon states that author Tracy Wolff did not plagiarize her series Crave. The lawsuit was filed in 2022 by author Lynne Freeman, who stated that the series was plagiarized from her unpublished manuscript Blue Moon Rising. After reading the Crave series and multiple drafts of Blue Moon Rising, Judge McMahon found Tracy Wolff not guilty.

It has been reported that Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group is closing their imprint Roaring Book Press, which published picture books, fiction books, and nonfiction books for young readers. Following this, they will launch a yet-to-be-named nonfiction and illustrated book imprint. VP, publishing director Connie Hsu leads the new imprint, with executive editor Emily Feinberg and associate editor Nico Ore-Giron joining and reporting to her. Hsu will also manage Odd Dot & Roaring Brook backlist. With these changes, it was reported that six people have been laid off from MCPG.

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EVENTS

April 10-12th, 2026

Teche Literary Festival

New Iberia, LA

April 11th, 2026

BAM! Festival

West Palm Beach, FL

April 13-16th

Bologna Children’s Book Fair

Bologna, Italy

April 16-18th, 2026