People 3/14

Sophia Nguyen is joining Book World as news and features writer, “reporting on developments in the literary field,” starting March 20. She moves over from the national politics desk, where she was an assistant editor.

Becca Rothfield joins as the paper’s nonfiction book critic starting April 10. Her work has appeared regularly in the New Yorker, the Atlantic, the New York Times, Bookforum, the New York Review of Books and elsewhere.

Leigh Butler is retiring after 45 years in the rights department. Beginning as a rights assistant in 1977, she worked at 30 different children’s and adult imprints. Penguin Publishing Group president Allison Dobson writes, “Through decades of acquisitions, mergers, and leadership changes, Leigh grew to be an undeniable and unwavering force in the publishing landscape, among her in-house colleagues, as well as with agents, scouts, and publishers across the world.”

Hal Fessenden also retires from the rights department, after 36 years. “Hal is recognized as one of the truly iconic leaders in the foreign rights world for his uncanny sense of timing and ability to create elusive buzz around a new book,” writes Dobson. “In addition to his selling prowess, Hal has also been a mentor to countless people in the industry—when in the office, his door was known to have a line of people waiting to get in to speak with him.”

Yasmin Mathew is promoted to managing editor.

Melissa Veronesi is promoted to executive production editor.

Lora Wanta, formerly operations coordinator at WorldStrides, has joined as trade digital workflow associate.