The University of California Press has announced changes to three primary positions--editorial director, marketing director, and deputy director--resulting in promotions for long-time staff members.
Kim Robinson has been named editorial director at the scholarly house; she had been publisher for humanities and social sciences. Robinson has been with the press since 2009 and, when the previous director retired three years ago, took on a wider management role. She has also been instrumental in reshaping the press’s book acquisitions program.
“Kim will now assume full responsibility for the U.C. Press book publishing program,” said Lorraine Weston, associate director of publicity for the press.
Deb Nasitka, who also joined the press in 2009, has been promoted to marketing director. “Deb has spent the last few years building the product marketing group, and led the way toward a more digital and customer-oriented strategy for UC Press,” Weston said. Nasitka will now handle overall marketing strategy across all products and major market channels.
The third staff promotion is for Rebekah Darksmith, who has been bumped up to deputy director. Since joining UC Press 15 years ago, Darksmith has held a number of positions, most recently as sales and marketing director. She will now partner closely with director Alison Mudditt to develop the press’s future growth strategies, and will also be responsible for developing fundraising and donor strategies for the UC Press Foundation.
No one was replaced or laid off as a result of the promotions, which are designed to build a management team in those core areas to help Mudditt. “The team is in place now,” Weston said, “and will strengthen the press as a whole.” In March the press moved its offices from Berkeley to Oakland. “Our staff of 93 had outgrown the former space,” said Weston. “We’re settling in nicely.”
