Overview
Books are my life. I have worked with them in some form or another since I was a teenager, starting out working in an independent children's bookstore and studying under the illustrator Susan Roth, then spending my adulthood building my career first as a children's book editor, then transitioning to children's book design about 12 years ago. During that time, I worked for HarperCollins Children's Books, Disney-Hyperion Books for Children, and Running Press. I have designed more than 15 New York Times bestselling books.
I started my freelance business in 2016 and my clients include Penguin Random House, Disney-Hyperion, Bloomsbury, and Sesame Workshop, to name a few. When designing a book, one of my favorite aspects is collaborating with authors, editors, and art directors. I feel that a partnership is essential in the book making process. I love walking new authors through the entire book making process. Most importantly, my goal is to honor the author's vision for the book.
I specialize in children's books, including picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, and YA. I design the covers as well as interiors and create print-ready files with the specifications for each printer / publisher I am working with. I am also interested in working on adult covers!
Services
Fiction
Non-Fiction
Languages
Certifications
- Certificate, Graphic Design Basic Core, Parsons, The New School
- Post-graduate coursework, The Cooper Union and School of Visual Arts
- Certificate, Summer Publishing Institute, New York University
Work experience
Union Square & Co
Oversaw the design of all books published by Union Square Kids, which included picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, graphic novels, and YA novels, as well as the Mo Willems book program. Managed a team of 3 in-house designers as well as freelance designers throughout entire book design process and personally design a selection of lead titles from each list. Presented children’s covers at weekly editorial and cover meetings; maintained ongoing cross-departmental communications and schedules to ensure timely execution of book production; collaborated with Creative Director to establish best practices and strategies to optimize workflow under extremely tight deadlines; discovered, hired, and art directed illustrators.
WAM Design
Design picture books, YA and middle grade covers and interiors, logos/branding, and marketing/promotional materials. Hire and art direct illustrators. Meet with clients to determine design vision, scope of work, and schedule. Clients include Penguin Random House, Macmillan Children’s Publishing, Disney-Hyperion Books for Children, Bloomsbury Publishing, and Sesame Workshop.
HarperCollins Children's Books
Led the development of and designed 25–30 picture books and middle grade novels annually including New York Times best-selling Frazzled and River Rose and the Magical Lullaby. Created striking covers and interiors; manage project status and due dates through collaboration with editors, managing editorial, illustrators, and freelancers. Coordinated cover photoshoots. Created and released mechanicals and proofs under tight deadlines. Oversaw in-house and out-of-house freelancers. Curated department’s shared online galleries of cover trends, illustrators, designers, and hand letterers.
Disney-Hyperion Books for Children
Designed 25-30 picture books, middle grade novels and YA novels yearly including New York Times best-selling Starbound series, Code Name Verity, and Every Last Word. Designed covers and interiors; managed project status and due dates. Coordinated photoshoots including castings and fittings with seamstresses and stylists. Conceived of custom series branding.
Running Press
Designed seasonal catalogs and all marketing materials. Managed revitalization and redesign of catalog by introducing new layout, typography, design elements, and distinctive covers. Designed, art directed, and launched the series of “Running Press Cooks” catalogs which featured the cookbook list. Designed select titles on YA and children’s lists. Member of children’s acquisitions committee: evaluated and provided feedback on all YA and children’s acquisitions.
HarperCollins Children's Books
Managed Shel Silverstein, Margaret Wise Brown, and Emily Post book programs. Developed 20 picture books and novels annually including four New York Times best-sellers. Negotiated offers, landed profitable acquisitions, cultivated new illustrators and authors, worked closely with designers. Corporate committee member to rebrand E.B. White program.
Portfolio
