People 8/6

Leigh Haber will take the newly created role of vice president, executive director of communications and special projects as of September 1, reporting to ceo and publisher Dominique Raccah. Haber has been working as a part-time consultant for Sourcebooks. Previously, she led books coverage at O, The Oprah Magazine and Oprah Daily, and helmed Oprah’s Book Club.

Raccah says in a release, “Leigh is a force: smart, fearless, deeply connected to writers, and endlessly curious about what makes readers care. She brings extraordinary editorial judgment, communications savvy, and the kind of big-picture thinking that turns good ideas into meaningful impact. She has already made us better, and I’m thrilled that she’s stepping into this larger role to help shape what Sourcebooks does next.”

Dial Press publisher and editor in chief Whitney Frick was profiled in the Wall Street Journal. The piece is focused on her track record of bestseller memoirs, and in particular the controversies that have cropped up around Amy Griffin’s THE TELL and Belle Burden’s STRANGERS.

The piece also touches on the ongoing litigation around The Tell, which involves a NYT piece from last September that investigated Griffin’s narrative. A lawsuit followed the article, filed by a former classmate of Griffin’s, against Griffin, her collaborator Sam Lansky, Dial Press and PRH. But in July a judge granted an anti-SLAPP motion from Dial and removed the publisher from the case.

The WSJ writes: “Frick and her team declined to comment on The Tell due to ongoing litigation. ‘I trust my authors,’ Frick says curtly when asked broadly about nailing down truth in memoir.”

Jayme Boucher has been promoted to vice president, director of Hachette Speakers Bureau & Consumer Events, an expanded role in which she will oversee consumer-facing events.

Kenzie Sena has been promoted to assistant manager, marketing technology and operations.

Jillian Vandall has been promoted to executive director, publicity, brand and licensed publishing.

Maria Vitale has been promoted to marketing associate, Young Readers.

Gabriella Murdoch has been promoted to marketing associate, young adult.

Josh Redlich has been promoted to director, publicity and media strategy.

Kristopher Kam has been promoted to director, publicity and event strategy.

Madison Furr has been promoted to senior publicity manager, brand & licensed publishing.

Sarah Lawrenson has been promoted to publicist.

Miles Temel has been promoted to associate literary agent.