President: Rachel Slaiman
Rachel Slaiman is a reader, writer, and editor with over a decade of experience as a freelancer within the publishing industry. She has published several articles on various topics across multiple platforms and performed editorial work for aspiring author’s manuscripts.
During her tenure, Rachel has held the role of co-recording secretary as well as a committee chair for Brooklyn Book Festival, reader for the Great Group Reads Committee, and help facilitate Query Roulette. She holds an M.S. in Publishing from Pace University.
In her spare time, Rachel enjoys reading, cooking, traveling, and writing short stories. She lives in New Jersey.
Immediate Past President: Laurel Stokes
Laurel Stokes is a Backlist Director at Hachette Book Group and works across the organization to optimize Backlist sales and marketing opportunities. Previously Laurel was a National Account Manager at HarperCollins Publishers working with the adult imprints, Harper, William Morrow & Harlequin, to resolve any sales and operations issues with Amazon. Laurel also has experience as a Client Support Associate Manager for Penguin Random House Publisher Services. During her time there she was responsible for supporting several Client Publishers, and specialized in project management and solving operational issues. Laurel has a Masters in Library and Information Studies from McGill University, and a Bachelor of Arts from Mount Holyoke College. She lives in New York City and enjoys cooking, reading, exploring the city on foot, and playing with her cat.
Interim Programming: Susan Knopf
Susan Knopf is founder of Scout Books & Media Inc, an award-winning company that specializes in adult nonfiction and children’s books of all kinds. Scout develops books with individuals, publishers, brands, corporations, and institutions. Prior to establishing Scout Books & Media in 2011, Susan worked in leadership roles in publishing, including at Penguin Books where she launched Disney’s MouseWorks imprint, and at HarperCollins, where her 40th Anniversary campaign to revitalize the Caedmon spoken audio imprint earned the company a Peabody Award. She is the author of several cookbooks, as well as children’s books Ick! Grossest Science Ever (Scholastic), eebee’s adventure’s: clean-up time and almost bedtime (Sterling), and Armadillos: Dynamite Diggers (Scholastic). Susan’s hobbies include reading, baking, playing tennis, and learning to play bridge.
Treasurer: Sherring Dartiguenave
Sherring Dartiguenave is an editorial professional with over fifteen years of experience in book, magazine, and online publishing. She earned a BA in Writing, Literature & Publishing from Emerson College in Boston, and an MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing from The New School University in New York City. Read some of her musings on justsherring.com. She lives in Brooklyn.
Membership Chairperson: Open Position
Secretary: Roberta Slaiman
Roberta Slaiman is an avid reader mostly of historical fiction, fiction, biographies, self-help, and do it yourself crafts. She loves to travel and cook. She has to admit her cookbook collection consisting of a plethora of cuisines is almost equal to her book collection. A favorite quote is from the English photographer David Bailey, “The best advice I ever got was that knowledge is power and to keep reading”.
