People 9/12

Sarah Stein has been promoted to executive editor.

Senior editor Jennifer Baker has left Amistad, writing in a Twitter thread that she was “abruptly informed” her position was being eliminated at the end of August, on the same day Abby West was announced internally as the imprint’s new editorial director.

She writes that no transition plan was made for her authors and within 30 minutes of being informed her position had been eliminated, her HarperCollins account was disabled. “I was unable to effectively do my job or contact my authors/coworkers as an employee. None of my colleagues were alerted of management’s sudden decision about the dissolution of this position.”

Anne Savarese is promoted to publisher.

Hallie Stebbins is promoted to senior editor, neuroscience and computer science.

Abigail Johnson is promoted to associate editor, physical sciences.

Chloe Coy is promoted to editorial associate.

Poet and writer Samiya Bashir will join as executive director. She is the author of three poetry collections and was previously on the Board of Fire & Ink, a nonprofit “devoted to increasing the understanding, visibility, and awareness of the works of LGBTQ+ writers of African descent and heritage,” for more than 15 years.

Maria Cardona Serra has joined as an agent in the UK division. She was previously at the Pontas Agency in Barcelona.

Thomas Hill joins as literary manager. He was most recently development editor at John Wiley & Sons.

Steph Thwaites has been appointed head of books, succeeding Sheila Crowley and Gordon Wise. She will set up a new children’s division.