People 2/27

Michael Zuccato is promoted to svp, chief digital officer, after more than 10 years at the company.

Starting March 1: Zoë Caulfield joins as executive director, North American sales, also oversee foreign and subsidiary rights. She left Hachette UK in December 2023, after lead the integration of Welbeck, where she worked previously with Gemini founder Marcus Leaver.

Adrian Greenwood will join as executive director, UK & worldwide sales. Most recently he was sales director for Magic Cat.

Steve Munnings will join as group commercial director, with responsibility for sales operations, inventory control and business development. He has been sales director of Imagine That! (which Gemini now owns) for 10 years. He will also serve as publisher of Two Windmills, the groups value books and toys business due to launch later this year.

Suzanne Albert has joined as vp, global sales. She was previously vice president of sales at Callisto Media.

Emma Cole has been promoted to editor, Harlequin Intrigue.

Betty Wong is promoted to vice president and associate publisher, books.

Shona Burns is promoted to vp, publishing services, books and calendars.

Sarah Tobaben is to executive editor, calendars.

Rebecca Ngo has been promoted to associate editor, calendars.

Chuck Harper has been promoted to production director, books

Jeff Preuss has been promoted to production manager.

Alex Alfano has been promoted to associate production manager.

Frank Antippas was promoted to accounting manager.

Kristin Seim was promoted to senior HR representative and office manager.

Joshua Riitano is joining as marketing analytics manager.

The organization has launched an online Equity Directory, listing literary agents who self-identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color).

As a reminder, agents (and editors) can indicate their identity on their PM Dealmakers pages by updating the contact record (and soon that data will be easily searchable through an update to our new Matcher feature).

Publisher Joni Sussman will retire on June 28 after 20 years at the company. This year she won the Sydney Taylor Body-of-Work Award.

“Joni’s passion for Jewish children’s literature and her dedication to fostering a love of reading among young readers have been truly inspirational,” said Adam Lerner, President and CEO of Lerner Publishing Group, parent company of Kar-Ben. “Joni has put her own personal touch on hundreds of books at Kar-Ben and we are forever grateful for the amazing impact she has made at Lerner and in Jewish children’s literature.”