People 7/7

Carmen Giménez will join Graywolf Press as executive director and publisher, starting August 8. She is a poet, editor, professor of English in Virginia Tech’s MFA, and founder and publisher of nonprofit literary arts organization Noemi Press. Graywolf published Giménez’s 2019 poetry collection Be Recorder, which was a finalist for the National Book Award in Poetry, among other accolades.

Giménez succeeds Fiona McCrae, who retired in June. Associate publisher Katie Dublinski will serve as interim director until August 8.

Dan Smetanka has been promoted to svp, editorial director, Catapult Book Group, overseeing Catapult and Soft Skull. He will also continue to maintain his role as editor in chief of Counterpoint Press, editing a select list of fiction and nonfiction titles.

Editor in chief Lorena Jones will step down on July 8. She joined the company in 1994. Publisher Aaron Wehner said in the announcement, “The Ten Speed team and her colleagues across the company will deeply miss Lorena as she heads into the next chapter of her life. I hope you will join me in wishing her the very best.”

Stasia Whalen has been promoted to director.

Kaley Baron has been promoted to agent director.

Kwabena Dinizulu has been promoted to associate.

Windy Dorresteyn becomes vice president, director of marketing for Random House and Hogarth.

Allison Renzulli is promoted to marketing director for Ten Speed and Clarkson Potter.

Melissa Esner is promoted to deputy director, Crown, Currency, and Hogarth.

Julie Cepler adds director of marketing for special projects, in addition to her role as vice president, director of marketing.

Carisa Hays takes on a new role as vp, director of publicity, special projects, reporting to Susan Corcoran.

Barbara Fillon also has a new role, as vp, director of media coaching & creative messaging, also reporting to Corcoran.

Alice Jerman has been promoted to senior editor.

Olivia Valcarce has joined as editor. She was previously editor at Scholastic.

Meghan Maria McCullough has joined as editor. She was previously associate editor at Levine Querido.

Leticia Gomez joins as editorial director, Dafina. She was previously ceo & founder of Savvy Literary.

Susanna Gruninger has been promoted to associate director, subsidiary rights.

Susannah Lawrence has joined Simon & Schuster as corporate communications associate. She was previously director of publicity at Akashic Books.

Will Plunkett has been promoted to associate manager, digital & online sales.

Theresa Brown has joined the digital & online sales team as sales coordinator.

Erika Stevens is leaving her position as editorial director.

Lizzie Davis has been promoted to senior editor.

Zoë Koenig moves up to associate editor.

Abbie Phelps joins as production editor.

Mara Winke joins as individual giving director.

Danielle Kolodkin has joined as brand and partnership manager. She was formerly a manager with the speakers bureau at Harper Collins.

Founder Sarah Gorman will retire on December 31, after 29 years with the publisher. She founded Sarabande in 1994. Kristen Renee Miller will become executive director and editor-in-chief.

Shahenda Helmy joins as program director of special events, including Wordplay, the Loft’s annual book festival, and Wordsmith, the Loft’s annual writers conference. Helmy was previously director of literary programs at the PEN/Faulkner Foundation.