New York,
NY (November
21,
2005) --
Scholastic, the global children’s publishing and media company, today announced three key appointments in the Trade Publishing division.
Jazan Higgins is appointed Vice President, Cross-company Strategy and Special Projects;
Andrea Davis Pinkney joins Scholastic as Vice President, Publisher, Hardcover and Early Childhood; and
Catherine Daly joins Scholastic as Editorial Director, Paperbacks.
“These appointments underscore our goal of attracting great talent and leveraging that talent across Scholastic’s unique network of distribution channels,” said Lisa Holton, President, Trade Publishing and Book Fairs. “We are committed to providing a unique experience for the extraordinary authors and illustrators published by Scholastic. Our first goal is to provide authors and illustrators with a supportive, inspiring experience that enriches their creative process. Our second goal is to harness the collective powers of our amazing distribution network to get more books into more kids’ hands. Our third goal is to work with the entire industry to create more enthusiasm for the power and joy of reading. By committing dedicated resources to all three of these goals, we will strengthen our business and carry out our mission of helping children learn and love to read.”
Holton announced that
Jazan Higgins will step into the newly created position of Vice President, Cross-company Strategy and Special Projects, reporting to her. Ms. Higgins will be responsible for developing and executing strategies that leverage the power, reach, and scope of the company’s deep relationships with kids, teachers, parents, and librarians across all divisions. Ms. Higgins, currently Vice President, Publisher, Scholastic Trade, will capitalize on the respect she has earned and relationships she has fostered both within Scholastic and throughout the children’s book community to create cross-promotions that benefit all divisions of the company and improve its customers’ book-buying experience.
Holton said, “Jazan Higgins is one of the most respected names in children’s books and has built an incredible network of school and public librarians, elementary and middle school teachers, and children’s literature professors and booksellers – all of whom are critical partners with Scholastic to build our book publishing and distribution businesses in the future. Those partnerships, as well as her relationships within Scholastic, make Jazan the ideal person to oversee our cross-divisional initiatives.”
Andrea Davis Pinkney will be joining Scholastic on December 1 as Vice President, Publisher, Hardcover and Early Childhood. In her new role, Andrea will work closely with the editorial directors of the hardcover imprints in their ongoing mission to acquire, edit, and publish the very best books for children of all ages by supporting the talented authors and illustrators currently on the list as well as seeking out new writers and artists. She will also work closely with the sales, marketing, and operations departments, and with Book Clubs and Book Fairs, to shape Scholastic’s overall publishing program to bring the right books to the right markets.
Andrea Davis Pinkney was most recently Vice President, Publisher, Houghton Mifflin. During her tenure there, Houghton Mifflin received an unprecedented ten awards and citations from the American Library Association. She was responsible for launching a teen paperback imprint and developed a mass-market program driven by Houghton Mifflin’s classic properties
Curious George and
Polar Express. She also brought a rich array of talent to the house, including Toni Morrison, Venus and Serena Williams, and Newbery-Honor-winning poet Marilyn Nelson. Prior to joining Houghton Mifflin, Andrea served in a variety of prestigious editorial positions at Simon & Schuster and Hyperion Books for Children. She is the author of twenty books for children, including
Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters, which won the Coretta Scott King Honor Award in 2001.
“Andrea’s incredible market savvy, elegance, sense of humor, and deep knowledge of children’s books make her a great addition to the Scholastic family,” said Holton.
Lisa Holton also announced that
Catherine Daly will be joining Scholastic on December 5 as Editorial Director, Paperbacks. Ms. Daly will report to Craig Walker, who is promoted to Vice President, Senior Editorial Director, Paperbacks. In her new role, Ms. Daly will partner with Mr. Walker to acquire and develop new children’s series and oversee the day-to-day management of the paperback editorial group.
Catherine Daly has held senior editorial positions at Grosset & Dunlap, Harper Trophy, and Western, and has served as Editorial Director at The Jim Henson Company and Disney Press. During her tenure at Disney Press, Catherine doubled the revenues for the publishing program. She also worked closely with Gail Carson Levine to develop the newly launched world of Disney Fairies. Most recently, she was the Vice President, Editorial Director of Simon Spotlight.
Holton added, “Catherine is a talented and experienced editorial director who is passionate about publishing accessible, engaging books for children. She will be a great addition to the Scholastic publishing team.”
Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books and a leader in educational technology. Scholastic creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products for use in school and at home, including children's books, magazines, technology-based products, teacher materials, television programming, film, videos and toys. The Company distributes its products and services through a variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs, school-based book fairs, and school-based and direct-to-home continuity programs; retail stores, schools, libraries and television networks; and the Company's Internet site,
www.scholastic.com