What are you reading and talking about these days?

I’m a romance girly. I actually have two books open right now: Crash: Love in Scrubs by C. Monet and Bright Lights and Summer Nights by Kat Singleton. 

Did you always want to work in the publishing industry? What was your first job in publishing?

No, I didn’t always want to work in publishing. I graduated from Temple University with a degree in journalism. I thought I was going to go into magazine writing — my concentration was in article writing with a minor in political science. I was really interested in Washington politics and long-form magazine editing.

I had several interviews with magazine publishers but no offers. I worked at Temple University Press, and my boss at the time told me, “You should really try book publishing.” I immediately started getting a ton of interviews and was hired right out of college by the Association of University Presses as an exhibit assistant, representing all the university presses.

I missed being at an actual publishing house, though. I stayed there about a year and a half and then was hired at HarperCollins.

Why did you join the NAB² Advisory Board?

Honestly, the simple reason is Kevin asked me. He asked me during Black Lit Weekend. I love serving others, and when there’s an opportunity to support something meaningful, I’m always open to it.

If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be and why?

I’d love to see more equality and transparency in how everything operates. Booksellers don’t always understand what publishers go through, and publishers don’t always understand booksellers. Authors often don’t understand either side.

I really want people to better understand how the business actually works and feel that’s my calling.  

What moment are you most proud of in your publishing career?

I’m currently the Senior Sales Director for ABA Indie, Libraries, and Cultural Channels for HarperCollins Christian Publishing and HarperCollins Focus. I oversee a sales team of 14 people.

Over the last 10 years, we’ve consistently met our sales goals — and I’m proud of that. I have a relentless passion for books and sales. I’m constantly advocating for my channels and bringing culturally relevant opportunities to the company. That advocacy is one of the most rewarding parts of my job.

What is a day in the life of a Senior Sales Director?

A lot of emails and a lot of meetings! I spend time helping reps sell books, answering questions about product availability, handling shipping issues, and problem-solving for both reps and accounts. I catch order mistakes, oversee our budget, and make sure we’re hitting our numbers daily.

I also spend a lot of time representing bookstores and libraries internally, making sure their needs are heard in company meetings. A big part of my job is being their voice inside the organization.