Q: Can you describe the work you do at the University of Chicago?

I am the Direct-to-Consumer and Targeted Marketing Manager at the University of Chicago Press. I market books published by the University of Chicago Press and our Distributed Publishers to scholarly audiences and general readers. My work is primarily focused on engaging new and existing readers of these titles through email marketing, pay-per-click advertising, social media, and direct mail marketing with the goal of driving sales through our website. I also implement our strategy to improve our brand and title visibility through Amazon’s marketing vehicles. Additionally, I curate the Press’s three flagship promotions – our annual Sale Catalog, a collection of over 600 deeply discounted titles, our annual Reading catalog featuring new titles for general readers, and our summer 75% off ebook sale.

Q: What drew you to your current role?

I started at the University of Chicago Press in December of 2020 after working in a very similar role at Northwestern University Press. Having worked with the distribution arm of the press while at Northwestern, I was familiar with Chicago’s publishing program and inspired by the vast backlist and innovative frontlist titles. The University of Chicago Press is the largest university press in the country, and it’s exciting to play the role that I do at such a large and dynamic institution.

Q: What are some key considerations you keep in mind to successfully market a new book to readers?

The question I ask myself is: who is the primary audience for this book? Is this a book for general readers or is this a book for scholars? The answer will determine whether a book might get an email marketing campaign specifically geared toward professors looking to teach a text, or which academic conferences might be a good fit. If the book is for a general audience (or, as we call it in the business, “trade”), this might determine whether we do a paid marketing campaign, the type and breadth of rich content we put on our product pages, and how we might leverage any earned media attention in our direct marketing campaigns. How might we time any paid or email marketing to correspond with the book’s availability on bookstore shelves and at other online retailers so that a customer can buy a book through whatever channel suits their needs best? It’s also very important to consider what types of books are in the marketplace that are like this book. How can we position our book to compete with that book? Who is the author? Have they published any books before? If so, how can we use those existing customer bases? Finally, what is the book itself? What is the nature of the book as a physical object? Is it a 6” x 9”, 500-page hardcover book with no images, or is it a lavishly illustrated large-format book? Answering these questions can determine whether you want to focus on a visually compelling marketing campaign.

Q: Can you share more about a specific initiative you have implemented in the course of your work?

One thing that we’re working on that I’m particularly excited about is launching our new translation of The Odyssey. I’ve been handling our digital marketing campaigns and early lead generation campaigns for course adoptions. The press has a great tradition of publishing classic literature and our Odyssey translated by Daniel Mendelsohn is poised to become the new standard for academics and general readers.

Q: Can you give an example of a memorable experience during your time at the University?

In the fall of 2024, we published the 18th Edition of The Chicago Manual of Style. The manual is the industry standard style manual that guides anyone working in publishing in the US today. A new Manual doesn’t come out every day (or even every year) and getting to be a part of the collaborative effort to produce and market a book with that kind of legacy and importance in the publishing industry was an experience I won’t forget.

Q: You have had a great impact on the University, how has the University of Chicago impacted you?

Having a press on campus with the size and prestige of the University of Chicago Press is really unique and special. I really believe in the value that publishing brings to the University and the world and it’s great to work with people who care about advancing scholarship and bringing great books to readers.

Q: If you could choose one recent book from The Press to recommend to members of our UChicago community, what would it be?

I’m a big fan of our books that cover topics about Chicago history. Sun Ra’s Chicago was particularly fascinating because it explores 20th-century Black migration to Chicago and how the city influenced Sun Ra’s later Afrofuturist work.

Though not exclusively Chicago-focused, Lost Subways is a visual history of transit systems that were either never built or dismantled, so that’s also a great book.

Q: Is there anything else you would like to share with our UChicago community, such as a fun fact about yourself or personal project?

In my free time, I train for triathlons and did my first Ironman in October 2024 in Sacramento. When the weather is nice, you’ll find me riding my bike like a maniac around the greater metro area.