A number of publishing job changes were announced this week.
Dan Smetanka will serve as executive editor at Counterpoint Press. Prior to this, he held the position of editor-at-large. As an editor, he acquires both fiction and nonfiction manuscripts for the Counterpoint and Soft Skull imprints.
Mahesh Veerina has been appointed chief operating officer. He will begin in his new role in overseeing all NOOK Media operations starting October 7th. Doug Carlson has been made executive vice president of digital content and marketing. He will manage the digital content of NOOK Press™, NOOK Marketing, and NOOK Media Creative Services.
Rachel Rokicki has been made associate director of publicity for three Random House imprints: Crown, Hogarth, and Broadway Books. Lauren Cook joins Crown as a publicist for the Harmony Books titles.
The Scholastic team welcomes three new hires. Nancy Mercado will leave Roaring Brook Press and take on the editorial director position. Alexis Lunsford moves from Penguin Young Readers Group and is now national accounts manager for Barnes & Noble/NOOK. Michael Barrett makes his exit at Discovery and will work as a senior publicist at the corporate communications department.
The company also celebrates two promotions. April Chorba has been named product director for the Klutz art department. Just prior, she served as a designer and art director. Eva Steele-Saccio is now product director for the Klutz editorial department. Before, she worked as a project manager and editor.