About the IBPA Board of Directors
IBPA is governed by a voluntary board of directors that regularly meet to discuss and plan the association’s business. Board members reflect IBPA’s varied membership and serve two- to four-year terms during which time they serve on committees that represent
the best interests of the independent publishing association’s members.
READ IBPA’S BYLAWS
Officers of the IBPA Board
Names marked with an asterisk (*) are also members of the Executive Committee, and names marked with ^ are also members of Finance Committee.
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BOARD CHAIR
Tieshena Davis* is the CEO of Publish Your Gift®, a hybrid publishing firm specializing in author branding for leaders at the top of their field. She is a seasoned award-winning entrepreneur, author and board director with over 24 years’ experience in strategic management, growth leadership, and corporate training. Tieshena currently serves as an executive advisor at her consultancy Ekpansa, holds a certificate from MIT in Business Process Design and is a graduate of Yale University’s Book Publishing Executive Program.
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BOARD TREASURER
Paige Allen^* is the Director of IngramSpark and a brand and marketing strategist developing innovative channels for content delivery. She
partners with companies and executives to sharpen their professional operations, define their brand identity, and engage audiences for maximum conversion. Paige is passionate about helping people and connecting companies to their right
consumer. In addition to her extensive PR and marketing experience, Paige is a trained Sweet Adelines International a cappella barbershop singer and member of Metro Nashville Chorus.
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BOARD SECRETARY
Kathryn Sparks* is senior editor for the parent consumer line at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Prior to the AAP,
she worked as the assistant to the publisher at Sourcebooks, Inc. Past industry experience also includes part-time literary assistant at the Chicago-based Tina Purcell Agency, and part-time assistant to best-selling author Claudia Gray.
She has been an active member of SCBWI for the past 11 years. Her MG Novel, Reality Natalie, is published by Firedrake Books, Inc. |
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At-Large Members of the IBPA Board
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María Jesús Aguilo is the Rights and Contracts Director at Blue Star Press. She moved
to California from her native Spain in 1992, after receiving a Masters in Publishing from the University of Barcelona. In 1996, she joined the independently owned Berrett-Koehler Publishers, where she made several contributions over the
years, including building up their subsidiary rights program, spearheading the transition to digital publishing, and creating their in-house audiobook publishing program. |
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Dr. Kurt Brackob is editorial director for Histria Books, based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Kurt has worked for over 20 years in the publishing industry. He is a historian and
author of several books including Scanderbeg: A History of George Castriota and the Albanian Resistance to Islamic Expansion in Fifteenth Century Europe and Mircea the Old: Father of Wallachia, Grandfather of Dracula. |
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JuLee Brand is an award-winning graphic designer and publisher/owner for W. Brand Publishing, a hybrid boutique publisher specializing in memoirs, fiction, and
children’s books. Formerly, JuLee was Art Director at Hachette Books Nashville and television graphic designer and animator for High Five Entertainment. She is also a graphic design adjunct at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee
where she resides. |
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Alesha Brown is the Founder & CEO of Fruition Publishing Concierge Services™, a hybrid publisher devoted to helping authors find their voice,
monetize their expertise, and create profitable author platforms. Alesha’s work led to her receiving the 2019 Inside Business’ Entrepreneurial Excellence award. Her expertise has been featured in Publishers Weekly, Authority Magazine,
Huffington Post, Thrive Global, and iHeartRadio, just to name a few. Alesha is a renowned speaker at numerous author forums and publishing conferences in addition to being a best-selling author, copywriter, and magazine
editor-in-chief. |
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Renita Bryant* is the founder and CEO of Atlanta-based Mynd Matters Publishing. She is a Sundial Brands Fellow with two executive certifications from Dartmouth College
and a BS/MBA from Florida A&M University. She is the author of Yesterday Mourning, Rihanna’s Can-Do Adventures, and three collections of poetry.
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MJ Courchesne is the owner and principal consultant of Gryphon Publishing Consulting. She has over 25 years of experience in trade, academic,
and direct-response publishing, and specializes in licensing, subsidiary rights, and permissions. MJ served as adjunct professor for 16 years in The George Washington University’s Masters in Professional Studies in the Field of Publishing.
She currently serves on the Rights Committee of the Book Industry Study Group (BISG), as secretary for the board of directors for The Big Easy in Buffalo and is a member of the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators.
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David Dahl is National Accounts Manager in Sales at Publishers Group West and Ingram Publisher Services, where he has represented independent publishers to the book
trade for more than thirty years; to Amazon since 1998, and to Kindle and Apple Books since the inception of those platforms. David is a graduate of Reed College and received an M.A. from the University of California at Berkeley.
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Troy D. Johnson is the President of the African American Literature Book Club (AALBC). His primary platform, AALBC.com, is the oldest, largest, and most frequently
visited website dedicated to books by people of African descent. Johnson has 20 years of corporate experience in roles ranging from designing wide area networks to managing international projects for major corporations, including Goldman
Sachs and Deutsche Bank. As an educator, he taught information systems and web design at Baruch College’s Zicklin School of Business.
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Ashley Mireles-Guerrero* is director of sales and marketing at Familius Publishing working to help families be happy through the books she writes, creates, and sells.
She has authored several children’s books with Familius and hopes to continue creating more. Her collaborative sales efforts have helped Familius become one of the fastest growing independent publishers for four years in a row. |
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Keith Riegert is the CEO of the Brooklyn-based independent publishing companies Ulysses Press and VeloPress Books. Keith is also CEO of printing marketplace Perfect Bound and a co-founder of the book publicity and digital marketing firm, Pacific & Court. Keith is a member of the board of advisors at NYU’s School of Professional Studies in the Center
for Publishing where he also teaches Analytics and Consumer Insights. |
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Marc Visnick^ is the COO and Publisher for TOKYOPOP. He manages all North American operations including print, digital, editorial, marketing/PR, sales, and distribution.
As the comics, manga, and graphic novel markets continue to expand, Marc continues to develop strategies to drive growth and efficiency for the brand. A veteran of the publishing industry, Marc was previously VP of Sales and Business Development
for indie comics publisher, TKO Studios, where he managed worldwide distribution, marketing, PR, licensing, printing, and direct-to-consumer, e-commerce, trade, and independent retail channels.
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Previous Board Chairs
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Robert Price
Gatekeeper Press
(2017-2018) |
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Peter Goodman
Stone Bridge Press
(2015-2017) |
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Deltina Hay
Dalton Publishing
(2014-2015) |
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- Stephen Mettee, Quill Driver Books, Chair (2011-2014)
- Carlene Sippola, Whole Person Associates, Chair (2009-2011)
- Florrie Binford Kichler, Patria Press: Chair (2006-2009)
- Kent Sturgis, Epicenter Press: Chair (2004-2006)
- Donald Tubesing, Pfeifer-Hamilton: Chair (2002-2004)
- Linda Ligon, Interweave Press: Chair (2000-2002)
- Nicholas S. Weir-Williams, Continuum International: Chair (1998-2000)
- Curt Matthews, Chicago Review Press: Chair (1996-1998)
- Jerry Marino, The Marino Group: Chair (1994-1996)
- Leigh Cohn, Gürze Books: Chair (1992-1994)
- Robert (Bob) Erdmann, Columbine Communications: Chair (1990 – 1992)
- Howard Fisher, Fisher Books: Chair (1989-1990)
- Gary Moselle, Craftsman Book Company: Chair (1988-1989)
- Robert Alberti, Ph.D., Impact Publishers: Chair (1986-1988)
- Richard E. Bye: Board Chair (1983-1986)
About the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)
Founded in 1983 to support independent publishers nationwide, the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) leads and serves the independent publishing community through advocacy, education, and tools for success. With over 3,600 members, IBPA is
the largest publishing association in the U.S. Its vision is a world where every independent publisher has the access, knowledge, and tools needed to professionally engage in all aspects of an inclusive publishing industry. For more information, visit
ibpa-online.org.
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