Kathleen Schmidt has joined Empire Literary as an agent focusing on commercial non-fiction and select women’s fiction.
Schmidt joins Empire from her most recent post as associate publisher of Rodale Books where she played helped develop the Rodale Books publishing program, and worked on books including: Run Fast. Eat Slow. by Elyse Kopecky and Shalane Flanagan and Thug Kitchen 101.
Prior to joining Rodale, Schmidt served as vice president of marketing and publicity at Running Press, Weinstein Books and Atria. In that role, she worked on promotions for bestsellers You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero, Finding Me by Cleveland kidnapping victim Michelle Knight and The Haunting of Sunshine Girl by Paige McKenzie. In addition, she helped launch the international bestseller The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, and worked with bestselling authors Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Weiner.
Schmidt has also led her own PR & Marketing firm, KMSPR.