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Education

2009, University of Kentucky – Bachelor of Arts, English

2012–2014, University of Kentucky – Continuing Education (non-degree-seeking), Art History

Publications


My Old Kentucky Road Trip: Historic Destinations and Natural Wonders
The History Press, 2015

The State of Bourbon: Exploring the Spirit of Kentucky
Indiana University Press, 2018

Famous Kentucky Flavors: A My Old Kentucky Road Trip
Indiana University Press, 2019

Presidents, Battles, and Other Must-See Civil War Destinations: A My Old Kentucky Road Trip
Indiana University Press, 2019

Kentucky, Y’all: Celebrating the People and Culture of the Bluegrass State
University Press of Kentucky, 2024 (anticipated)


Conference Presentations


AUPresses Annual Meeting, Virtual, 2023

  • CoChair, AUPresses Annual Meeting Program Committee
  • Opening Plenary Introduction
  • Creator/Organizer, Building the Exquisite Corpse: The Who, What, When, and Why of P&Ls
  • Creator/Organzer/Moderator, The Great Debate About Catalogs
  • Moderator,Amazon for Mere Mortals: What Every Department Needs to Know About Wrangling the Behemoth
  • Organizer, The Changing Sales Landscape


AUPresses Annual Meeting, Washington DC, 2022


AUPresses Annual Meeting, Virtual, 2021

  • Everyone’s a Pitcher: What can interdepartmental colleagues learn from each other about pitching strategies
    Collaboration Lab; creator & moderator

SCIB Annual Meeting, Austin, 2020
  • An Introduction to the World of Book Publishing
   Workshop; panelist

Texas Book Festival, 2019

  • Read. Think. Act. Exploring the Vital Role of University Press Publishing
       Panel; creator & moderator

Southern Kentucky Book Festival, Kentucky Writers Conference
Bowling Green, Kentucky, 2019
  • Exploring Your Own Backyard

AUPresses Annual Meeting, Detroit, 2019

  • Beyond Likes: Making Social Media Metrics Matter
    Marketing Workshop
  • Edelweiss for Publicists
    Marketing/Sales Solutions “superuser” demonstration

AUPresses Annual Meeting, San Francisco, 2018

  • How to Promote Trade Books When It Feels Like the World is Ending
    Panel Discussion

Kentucky Book Festival, 2015, 2018, 2019

Southern Kentucky Book Festival, 2016, 2018, 2019

Committees


AUPresses Annual Meeting Planning Committee, cochair, 2022-2023

University Press Week Task Force, 2016–2019

University of Texas at Austin Staff Council, 2020–2022

Volunteer Work


Girls Empowerment Network
Ad Hoc Volunteer
November 2017–present

Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning
Reading and Elementary Math tutor
2009–May 2017

Kentucky Women Writers Conference
Intern and Volunteer
2009–2011

Skills


Adobe Creative Suite, MailChimp, Constant Contact, Wordpress, Drupal, Google Analytics, HTML/CSS coding language, iMovie, Final Cut, Audacity, Microsoft Office, Filemaker, Mac, PC

Work Experience


University of Texas Press – Assistant Marketing Manager; Publicity & Communications Manager
September 2022 – Present

Supervisor to one direct report, and four indirect reports, including onboarding, training and directing the work of a yearly fellow.

Develop and execute flexible publicity and marketing strategies for approximately 80–100 new books per year; plan and execute publicity campaigns across a diverse list of subject areas.

Direct communications strategy for the UT Press brand, focusing on elevating brand identity, and liaise with the UT Austin and University of Texas Systems public relations teams

Integrate title-by-title and holistic strategies across publicity, advertising, social media, direct mail, bookseller outreach, and exhibits.

Identify key audiences, markets, and media contacts. Develop and strengthen media relations on a local, national, and international level.

Work closely with editors, authors, and leadership team to identify and define goals, KPIs, and success markers.

Manage and supervise the creation of biannual seasonal catalogs as well as subject-area catalogs. Oversee deadlines, copywriting, routing, design, printing, and distribution.

Attend biweekly and monthly editorial meetings with acquisitions and senior press staff to examine and evaluate potential new titles, coordinate the pipeline of upcoming titles, analyze P&L statements and other financials, and launch new titles into the upcoming season.


University of Texas Press – Publicity & Communications Manager
June 2018 – September 2022

Craft editorials and features in collaboration with authors and media to promote ideas and expertise.

Draft and edit press releases, editorials, Q&A’s, and other promotional materials for frontlist books.

Liaise with national and local media—print, digital, and broadcast—to promote our books and garner coverage; interface at least twice a year with national media contacts in New York City and Washington D.C. to present new titles.

Plan and coordinate bookstore and other special events for authors.

Spearheaded the creation of a monthly meeting to revisit marketing and sales campaigns for books 12- and 24-months post-publication, including social, publicity, and sales analyses.

Directed the redesign, creation, and distribution of catalogs across twelve subject areas. Maintain yearly updates and reprintings.

Assisted with the hiring of several new team members and yearly fellows, including hiring, training, and promoting an assistant (now senior) publicist.

Managed successful publicity campaigns for titles across several subject areas, including one New York Times bestseller, and the memoir of a Grammy-nominated musician.
Supervisor to one direct report, who I interviewed and hired approximately eighteen months ago, and assisted with the hiring of one additional team member.


University of Texas Press – Senior Publicist
May 2017 – June 2018
 
Planned and executed publicity and marketing campaigns for approximately 50 books per year. Coordinated marketing strategy for assigned titles with four other colleagues.

Pitch new titles and liaise with media contacts in New York City and Washington D.C, as well as regional and other national media.

Worked with Publicity and Communications Manager to coordinate communications strategy with University Communications.

Attend biweekly and monthly editorial meetings with other senior staff.


University Press of Kentucky – Publicity & Direct Promotions Manager
November 2012 – May 2017

Planned and executed publicity and marketing campaigns for approximately 30 books per year.

Traveled twice a year to pitch new titles and liaise with media contacts in New York City and Washington D.C.

Direct social media strategy across the press’s blog, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram accounts.

Managed 3–6 inter-departmental interns each semester.

Planned, designed, and tracked the budget for advertising, promotional materials for authors, and other mailings as needed, including both print and online promotions.

Responsible for designing, printing, and distributing the seasonal catalog twice a year, the regional catalog once a year, and various subject catalogs as needed. Managed an in-house mailing list and compiled mailing lists from consortium members, state literary partners, and purchased lists from outside sources. Tracked all costs associated with printing, mailing, and list purchases, and worked to improve our ROI with regard to our budget.

 Managed multiple budget categories yearly and maintained up-to-date payments and documentation for all accounts payable. I also shared and coordinated a budget with another publicist, including budgeting for galleys, author promotions, and our review program.


Previous Positions Held at the University Press of Kentucky

Electronic Marketing Manager and Publicity Assistant
July 2011 – November 2012

Created and implemented a Press-wide social media strategy. Established Wordpress, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram accounts. Planned and created content and graphics and have grown the press’s social media presence from zero to more than 6,000 Twitter followers, more than 1,490 Facebook likes, 600 Instagram followers, and, in 2016, more than 21,880 views of our blog.

Marketing Assistant
July 2010–July 2011

Drafted marketing copy for catalogs as well as book jackets and other materials, including press releases.

Assisted with general office tasks.

Attended academic and trade exhibits as required.


Acquisitions Intern
October 2009–July 2010

Shadowed and worked with the director of the University Press of Kentucky on the recommendation of a previous internship with the Kentucky Women Writers Conference.