BOARD MEMBERS
ANNE KUBEK — President
Anne Kubek has nearly 30 years of experience in the book industry. Anne is currently the Chief Operating Officer of ReUp Education, an edtech firm based in San Francisco. ReUp partners with universities to bring dropout students back to school and helps them graduate. Anne’s prior role was as Executive Vice President of the San Francisco-based technology company INscribe Digital. Anne led a team specializing in eBook distribution, print solutions, and marketing and analytics for a wide range of publishers. Prior to moving to the Bay Area, Anne held executive positions at Borders Group Inc., including SVP of Stores and EVP of Merchandising and Marketing. Anne was formerly the Board Chair for the Book Industry Charitable Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to helping Booksellers in times of crisis. Anne is passionate about the training, professional development, and mentoring of women in the workplace. Anne has a BA from The University of Michigan in English Language and Literature, and an MBA, also from UofM. In addition to her role as President, Anne chairs the Nomination and Governance Committees.
KATY BEEHLER — Vice President, Robin Seaman Award Committee Chair
Katy Beehler (she/her) is a Product Manager at the tech for social good non-profit, Benetech. She works on Bookshare, a software application for the world's largest digital library for people with print reading disabilities. Katy has over 15 years of experience in the book industry, previously working for Independent Publishers Group, INscribe Digital, and Borders Group Inc. As a native Michigander, she can often be spotted at BAWiP events talking about Michigan football, the Detroit Red Wings hockey team, and pop (not soda). She earned her BA from University of Michigan and her MA in Jewish Art and Visual Culture from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. In addition to her role as Vice President, Katy chairs the Robin Seaman Award Task Force and works on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
GUILLIAN HETZLER — Treasurer and Social Events Chair
Guillian Hetzler is Director of Content Acquisitions at Benetech, a nonprofit that runs Bookshare, a global digital library for people with print disabilities. Previously, Guillian worked in client services at INscribe Digital and editorial at Simon & Schuster and Entangled Publishing. She is a graduate of Harvard College and the Columbia Publishing Course and is always on the lookout for her next great read.
ALEX HENDERSON — Secretary
Alex Henderson joined Labyrinth Learning four years ago as an Editorial Assistant and is now an Editor, overseeing the creation, release and upgrading of the company’s online courses and multimedia products, and also its internal processes. Alex graduated from San Francisco State University with a B.A. in Creative Writing, and interned at the California Film Institute and Avalon Travel. She is a member of BAWiP's Education Committee.
MAUREEN FORYS — Mentorship Task Force Co-Chair
Maureen Forys (she/her) has more than 25 years of experience working in book publishing and graphic design, specializing in long document publishing, book design, and production automation. As the director of Happenstance Type-O-Rama, an Oakland, CA book packaging and design firm, she is a respected and often called upon expert in the development and use of macros, transformation scenarios, and scripting to automate book production. Maureen holds a B.A. in Creative and Professional Writing from the University of Redlands and spends her free time training in art of bookmaking at the San Francisco Center for the Book.
KRISTEN FRANTZ — Communications Chair
Kristen Frantz (she/her) is Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Berrett Koehler Publishers, where she has worked since 1992. She currently oversees the areas of sales to US trade bookstores, corporations, associations and authors, plus promotion through publicity and marketing. Kristen has worked in nonfiction publishing since 1989, previously working for McGraw-Hill in their textbook division, and Bull Publishing, a health, fitness, and nutrition book publisher. Kristen enjoys being the Communications Chair because it gives her an opportunity to hang out with smart, fun women, and help educate others about the industry. She also enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, and striking yoga poses.
RACHEL NEUMANN — Membership Chair
Rachel Neumann (she/her/they) is the Director of Strategic Partnerships and a senior literary agent at Idea Architects, a visionary book developer and literary agency. She brings 20 years of experience to leading successful independent publishing houses in both New York and California. She specializes in narrative adult nonfiction and children’s fiction, with an emphasis on reaching new and diverse audiences, expanding the base for experienced authors, and working collaboratively to develop new ideas and platforms. For ten years, Rachel served as the Publisher and Editorial Director of Parallax Press and led Parallax’s transformation from a small non-profit publisher into a multi-million-dollar trade powerhouse. Rachel is based in the Bay Area and speaks and teaches regularly around the country.
ROCHON PERRY — BIPOC Womxn in Publishing Committee, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and Co-Chair, Education Events Committee
Rochon Perry is co-founder of WRTB, LLC, which consists of Cedar Grove Publishing (book company) and Articulate Fish Media Group (digital marketing and media), along with her partners Rebecca Sims-Nichols and Gloria Davenport-Wilson. With the tagline Every Book is Somebody's Story, Cedar Grove Publishing's books celebrate diversity, and being true to yourself while overcoming adversity to achieve success. Previously, Rochon was an Art Director for a local San Francisco television station. She also worked on the White House Access to Capital for Small Business campaign, Bishop Desmond Tutu's first tour upon his release from prison, and has helped independent comic book companies and non-profits launch new marketing and publicity campaigns, curated cartoon exhibitions and been an Eisner Award judge. Rochon is a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association, Institute for Comic Studies, CALIBA, Bay Area Independent Book Publishers Association, People of Color in Publishing, the Children's Book Council and the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. She is also the recipient of several awards, including an award for news content from the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).
KELLY PETERSON — Professional Development and Education Co-Chair
Kelly Peterson is Director of Client Services at INscribe Digital, and brings 20 years of marketing and merchandising experience to her current role, helping major trade publishers, university presses, independent publishers, agents and authors maximize their eBook sales and marketing efforts at the major retailers. Prior to INscribe, Kelly worked at Borders Group, Inc. for 14 years, initially at Waldenbooks and later running the eBook program. Kelly currently chairs BAWiP's Education Committee. She is also a board member of Independent Book Publishers' Association, and serves on the Member Benefits Committee. She sees every nominated Oscar film annually (59 last year alone!) and is always ready with a book or movie recommendation. She believes each of us have the ability to change the world.
EDEN JULIA SUGAY — Communications Committee, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and Leader of BIPOC and Queer Affinity Groups
Eden Julia Sugay (she/her) is Publishing Sales Manager at VIZ Media and Poetry Editor for Apricity Press. She earned her B.A. in Creative Writing with an emphasis in Poetry from Mills College. She is a member of BAWiP's Communications Committee, the Diversity and Inclusion Committee and leads the BIPOC and Queer Affinity Groups.
JOHANNA VONDELING — Diversity and Inclusion Chair, Mentorship Task Force Co-Chair
Johanna Vondeling is President and Publisher at Berrett-Koehler Publishers. She previously served as Vice President for International Sales and Business Development and as Vice President for Editorial and Digital, after joining the company in 2004. Before that, she worked for Jossey-Bass (a Wiley imprint), W.W. Norton, and Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. She received her BA from Yale University and her PhD in literature from the University of Texas at Austin.