Lerner Publishing Group has announced that Patricia Stockland, editorial director of the Lerner Publications imprint for the past year, has been named editor-in chief for the Minneapolis children’s publisher. She replaces Mary Rodgers, who left the company in November after serving as LPG’s editor-in-chief since 1999. Stockland will continue to manage Lerner Publications, while also overseeing the publishing and production strategies for 11 of LPG’s 13 fiction and nonfiction imprints for the children’s school, library, and trade markets: Lerner Publications, Carolrhoda Books, Carolrhoda Lab, Darby Creek, Millbrook Press, 21st Century Books, ediciones Lerner, Graphic Universe, Lerner Classroom, First Avenue Editions, and Kar-Ben Books.

In a statement, Adam Lerner, LPG president and publisher, said, “Patricia will be an important leader and architect of Lerner’s multi-genre fiction and nonfiction list. She will oversee all our acquisitions, broaden our cadre of authors, and provide direction to our editors.”

Prior to joining LPG one year ago, Strickland, the author of approximately 60 children’s and YA books, worked for six years at Red Line Editorial as managing director and as editorial director. She also spent four years at Capstone Publishing Group, editing books for both their Picture Window Books and Compass Point Books imprints.

LPG also announced on Monday that Carolrhoda Books and Darby Creek editorial director Andrew Karre and Millbrook Press editorial director Carol Hinz have been appointed as interim co-directors for the Graphic Universe imprint, replacing Carol Burrell, who was the imprint’s editorial director from 2007 until she left the company in December to join Abrams. LPG will close down its New York City office, opened in January 2006, when Graphic Universe’s operations move from there to the company’s Minneapolis headquarters at the end of January. According to LPG, after a period of reassessment, it plans to hire a permanent editorial director for the imprint this spring.