Candlewick Press in Somerville, Mass., today announced significant changes to its roster. Former Walker Books Group managing director Karen Lotz is taking on the role of Candlewick publishing director-at-large. Senior executive editor Katie Cunningham will now serve as Candlewick senior v-p, editorial, and associate publisher, overseeing the editorial department and steering the publishing program.
Lotz, who has been president and publisher of Candlewick since 1999 and in 2011 became managing director of the Walker Books Group (including Candlewick, Walker UK, and Walker Australia), “has stepped down from all of her Group-wide roles,” a spokesperson told PW. “Group leadership duties have been redistributed, with experienced leaders across WBG taking on more responsibility and working directly with the co-chairs of the Group Board.”
Cunningham, who came to Candlewick as an editorial assistant in 2003 and has edited for imprints including Big Picture Press and Candlewick Studio, said in a statement that she and her team welcome “our opportunity to create new and world-expanding reading experiences for young people. Now, as ever, we are honored to collaborate with one another and with all of our talented creators, both old and new, as we continue our commitment to the crucial work of publishing the best books for children and young readers.”
In Candlewick’s editorial department, Mary Lee Donovan has been promoted to executive editorial director; Kate Fletcher has been promoted to editorial director; Sarah Ketchersid has been promoted to editorial director; Andrea Tompa has been promoted to senior executive editor; Kaylan Adair has been promoted to senior executive editor and director of editorial operations; Carter Hasegawa has been promoted to senior editor; and Miriam Newman has been promoted to senior editor. They will continue working with senior executive editor Hilary Van Dusen, who edits the MIT Kids and MITeen Press imprints, and Walker Books executive editorial editor Susan Van Metre.
“Collectively, this group of editors has logged more than 150 years of experience at Candlewick,” the release stated. “Books they have acquired and edited have been recognized with the industry’s highest accolades, including three Newbery Medals, multiple Caldecott Honors, multiple National Book Award Finalists,” and other recognitions.
