2025 Programs & Speakers
Publishing CEOs on an Industry Writing Its Future in Real Time
In an industry shaped by shifting consumer behaviors, rapid technological evolution, and cultural transformation, today’s publishing leaders must move faster and think deeper than ever before. Join a powerhouse panel of CEOs as they share how they’re navigating the breakneck pace of change—balancing innovation with tradition, strategy with instinct, and disruption with resilience. This timely conversation explores what it takes to lead in today’s publishing landscape with clarity, agility, and vision.
Jon Karp, President and CEO, Simon and Schuster
David Shelley, CEO, Hachette Book Group and Hachette UK
Jon Yaged, CEO, Macmillan Publishers
Moderator: Nikhil Deogun, CEO of the Americas, The Brunswick Group
The Creator Economy
As creators with massive followings turn into author-entrepreneurs, the lines between platform and publishing continue to blur. This panel will examine the rise of creator-authors through the lens of opportunity: what agents and editors should look for when assessing creator-driven proposals, how followings on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Spotify and Substack translate into book sales, and which categories are ripe for growth. We’ll explore what makes a creator truly “book ready,” the tools fueling their reach, and how publishing professionals can adapt their acquisition and development strategies to stay ahead in a platform-powered market
Scott Dickey, CEO, Podium Entertainment
Oriana Leckert, Head of Publishing, Kickstarter
Christina Loff, Head of Lifestyle, Partnerships, Substack
Colleen Prendergast, Associate Director of Licensing, and Publishing, Spotify
Moderator: Jacob Bronstein, EVP Head of Content, Qcode Media
The Global Marketplace
Expand your horizons with this panel of professionals who will discuss the global marketplace for book publishing. Understand what genres are selling in various territories and which ones are most interested in American properties. Learn about Spanish language publishing within the United States and how international publishers are helping further that goal. The panel will provide insider perspectives into the effect of geopolitical events and social trends on the demand for books and what “global publishing” means and how agents and editors can strategically position books for international success.
Catherine Clarke, Managing Director and Literary Agent, Felicity Bryan Associates (UK)
Michelle Herrera Mulligan, VP and Associate Publisher, Primero Sueño Press
Jean McGinley, SVP, Rights and Permissions, HarperCollins
Doug Wallace, Managing Director, Andrew Nurnberg Associates International
Moderator: Kelly Farber, Owner/President, KF Literary Scouting
Building Your List: Strategy, Taste, and Marketability
At the heart of every agent or editor’s career is their list—a curated body of work that reflects taste, conviction, strategy, and sometimes, serendipity. A good list reflects your taste; a great list builds your career—and drives revenue. In this candid, strategy-focused session, a mix of experienced and newer agents and editors share how they balance personal conviction, market forces, and internal advocacy to build a list that sells. They will also discuss the role of mentorship in creating decision-making frameworks and the habits that help build a successful list, and how collaboration and feedback factor into shaping a list that wins support—internally and in the marketplace.
Cara Bedick, Executive Editor, Little, Brown Spark
Sarah Fisk, Literary Agent, Tobias Literary Agency
Rakesh Satyal, Executive Editor, The HarperOne Group
Marietta B. Zacker, Co-owner and Agent, Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency
Moderator: Mary Ann Naples, COO and Publisher, Publishers Marketplace
The Year in Publishing
Catch up on the biggest stories in book publishing. Learn what you need to know from an esteemed panel of experts who will highlight recent headlines, court decisions and legislation, providing analysis and nuance about developments in the use (and misuse) of AI, copyright protection for creative work, the surge in censorship, book bans and more.
Jane Friedman, The Bottom Line newsletter
Mary Rasenberger, CEO, Author’s Guild
David Walter, Executive Director, Circana Books
Jaime Wolf, General Counsel, Association of American Literary Agents
Moderator: Gabrielle Gambrell, Senior Vice President & Chief Communications Officer, Hachette Book Group
The Invisible Weight: Agents, Editors, and the Unseen Labor Behind Author Success
The roles of agents and editors have evolved far beyond contract negotiations and manuscript edits. Today’s publishing professionals are career advisors, idea generators, platform development coaches, social media consultants, crisis managers, and emotional anchors. Author expectations have grown, but internal resources, compensation models, and business structures haven’t kept pace—placing immense pressure on those who work behind the scenes. How do we maintain healthy boundaries, advocate for support, and collaborate across the aisle to create a sustainable path forward? And how can we care for ourselves and each other while still offering authors the thoughtful, career-spanning attention they deserve?
Georgia Bodnar, Founder and Agent, Noyan Literary
Michelle Brower, Co-Founder, Trellis Literary Management
Chris Jackson, EVP, Publisher, & Editor-in-Chief, One World, Penguin Random House
Christy Ottaviano, Vice President and Publisher of Christy Ottaviano Books, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers/Hachette Book Group
Moderator: Sean deLone, Editor, Atria Books
Margins, Missions and Markets: How Financial Leaders Are Steering the Next Chapter
This rare conversation showcases how editorial ambition requires financial leadership. As macroeconomic forces, from inflation and global supply chain pressures to evolving market channels and consumer behavior, reshape the media business, organizations must navigate uncertainty while laying the groundwork for sustainable growth and innovation. Panelists examine the critical relationship between finance and content in a data-driven, digitally dynamic world.
Brian Carlesimo, Senior Vice President, Finance, Dow Jones
Katie Ziga, SVP & Director, Strategy & Finance, Penguin Publishing Group
Christina Sullivan, CFO, Pushkin Industries
Moderator: Tara Parker-Pope, Chief Content Officer, Thrive Global
Auction Confidential: The Battle for the Book
Behind every splashy deal announcement is a carefully choreographed exchange—one where agents and editors move in step, guided by instinct, timing, and a shared belief in the book. The auction process may appear fast-paced from the outside, but beneath the surface lies a nuanced dance of strategy and collaboration. Join top agents and acquiring editors as they reveal how coordination, craft, and conviction drive auction outcomes—and why the most pivotal moves are rarely public. Learn how agents position manuscripts for maximum impact, how editors advocate internally, and how both sides navigate the critical decisions that shape a book’s path from submission to sale. You’ll leave with a deeper understanding of the relationships, rhythms, and real-time choices that define the auction process.
Helen Atsma, VP, Publisher, Ecco
Brandi Bowles, Agent, United Talent Agency
Amar Deol, Executive Editor, Grand Central
Marc Gerald, Founder, Europa Content
Dan Mandel, President, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates, Inc.
Jamia Wilson, VP, Executive Editor, Random House
Moderator: Andrew Miller, President, Publisher, Henry Holt & Co.
Book-to-Screen Adaptations
As the appetite for book adaptations continues to surge across film, television, and streaming, understanding how Hollywood sources, evaluates, and transforms IP has never been more critical. This panel brings together top-tier producers, screenwriters, and studio executives behind big hits to offer a behind-the-scenes look at what drives acquisition decisions, how book properties get greenlit, and what makes a project truly “adaptation-ready.” Agents and editors will gain insight into how to better position their titles for screen potential, the evolving role of packaging, and how to build long-term relationships in an increasingly rights-savvy marketplace.
Simon Kinberg, Writer/Producer, The Martian, Xmen, Founder of Genre Films
Sofia Alvarez, Screenwriter, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
Alana Mayo, Head, Orion Pictures
Moderator: Franklin Leonard, Founder & CEO, The Black List
The Freedom to Read
The closing session features the exclusive New York City screening of the powerful documentary The Librarians in advance of its theatrical run in 30+ U.S cities. Called “a different kind of superhero movie” (The Hollywood Reporter) and “a gripping story of what is at stake when curiosity and thinking are endangered” (Variety), the film focuses on the unprecedented wave of book banning in Texas, Florida, and beyond and librarians who have emerged as first responders in the fight for democracy and our First Amendment rights as they face harassment, threats, and laws aimed at criminalizing their work. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the film makers and publishing professionals about how we as an industry can and should meet this challenge.
Kim A. Snyder, Director/Producer, The Librarians
Janique L. Robillard, Producer, The Librarians
Skip Dye, SVP, Library Sales & Digital Strategy; SVP, Sales Operations; Chair, PRH Intellectual Freedom Taskforce
Special Guest: Martha Hickson, The Librarians film participant, Freedom Fighter & Retired NJ School Librarian
Moderator: Mary Van Akin, Executive Director of School and Library Marketing, Macmillan Publishers