At the September 15 New York City program with PublisHer at New York University. Image PublisHer
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
Al Qasimi: ‘An Essential Part of Our Vision’
For a second time, the PublisHer program held an event in New York City, expanding the reach of the international network created during London Book Fair in 2019 to bring together professional women in book publishing. Last week’s event was staged in collaboration with the New York University (NYU) School of Professional Studies‘ Center for Publishing, Writing, and Media, and with the UN Publications office.
Topics of this Stateside gathering of interested women in publish included artificial intelligence and “the power of global networks to drive enduring positive change.” There were keynote commentaries, panels, and networking in Monday evening’s event (September 15), drawing senior professionals, newer talent, and students interested in contributing to book publishing’s evolution.
Speakers included Lisa Lyons Johnston, NYU’s Andrea Chambers, and a panel of publishing leaders from North America and elsewhere.
Bodour Al Qasimi. Image: Nabs Ahmedi
As Publishing Perspectives readers know, the founder of the PublisHer movement is the United Arab Emirates‘ Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, the immediate past president of the International Publishers Association (IPA); the founder of the Sharjah-based Kalimat Group; and president of the American University at Sharjah.
In a video address, Al Qasimi told the attendees, “We are here to build lasting relationships, to create meaningful opportunities for exchange, and to ensure women in publishing everywhere can learn from one another and rise together.
“With every event, our community grows stronger,’ she said, “confirming that North America is an essential part of our global vision.
“These conversations allow us not only to share experiences but also to listen, learn, and grow together.”
Pallante: A Community ‘We Always Needed’
At the September 15 New York City PublisHer gathering at NYU. Image: PublisHer
The gathering highlighted PublisHer’s growing footprint in North America, with consensus on the need for stronger cross-regional collaboration, mentorship, and training opportunities to close leadership gaps and support women at every stage of their careers.
Maria A. Pallante
Maria A. Pallante, president and CEO of the Association of American Publishers (AAP), a sponsor of the event, told the group, “In just a few short years, I’ve watched PublisHer grow from a discussion over lunch to a vibrant international organization.
“It seems this community was always meant to be, one we always needed, but for the right leader. Thank you, Bodour and team.
“I’m so proud to support such an incredible network of talent and to recognize the thousands of women who help make publishing so impressive and impactful on an international scale.”
Elements of the meeting included a panel on innovation, leadership, and developments in the publishing ecosystem. There was also a presentation from the sponsoring vendor Shimmr.ai. Collaborators in the program included included Bologna Children’s Book Fair, NYU Women’s Leadership Forum, Frankfurter Buchmesse (October 15 to 19), and Supadü.
Speaking during the NYU PublisHer event on September 15 are, from left, Authors’ Equity’s Madeline McIntosh; HarperCollins’ Chantal Restivo-Alessi; and Sourcebooks’ Dominque Raccah. Image: PublisHer
Programming Notes
The “PublisHer Lounge” is to make its Frankfurt debut, October 15 to 19, with its own programming aboard and more, with the support of Frankfurt’s organizers. The Publisher Lounge program was premiered in Europe in March at Bologna Children’s Book Fair. Prior to that, it had been seen at the Sharjah Booksellers Conference and Sharjah Publishers Conference.
Andrea Chambers
At Frankfurt in October, PublisHer is expected to announce its third round of the still-young PublisHer Excellence Awards, and the PublisHer appearance this year is made possible, in part, by a partnership with Frankfurter Buchmesse.
Some of the highlights planned for PublisHer’s presence include the following:
October 15, Frankfurt Wednesday
Starting at 1 p.m.
Center Stage, Hall 4.1
A welcome speech with PublisHer managing director Zhora Qureshi is followed by a panel, The Invisible Women of Publishing.
“Exploring why such women’s work is undervalued and discussing how we can elevate and celebrate every contribution that powers the industry.”
With Bologna Children’s Book Fair (April 13 to 16) director Elena Pasoli; Copyright Clearance Center president and CEO Tracey Armstrong; Agamee Parkashani’s executive director Mitia Osman; and BookCareers’ Suzanne Collier.
More events include a workshop on Designing Your Publishing Career Roadmap; a professional photoshoot opportunity; mentor sessions; more panel sessions including Beyond Tokenism: Women in Executive Leadership; a workshop session for AI tools for women in the business; a panel on Women Publishing the Future: Voices From Emerging Markets; a workshop on Authentic Visibility: Mastering the Art of Self-Promotion Without Feeling Fake with Publishing Perspectives’ Erin L. Cox; and more.
A confirmed Frankfurt event schedule should be posted soon at the PublisHer site here.
More on PublisHer and women in publishing is here, more on the upcoming Frankfurter Buchmesse is here, more on NYU’s programming led by Andrea Chambers is here, and more on gender in publishing is here.
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