Simone Roberts-Payne, Assistant Editor

Simone Roberts-Payne (she/her) is an Assistant Editor at G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers. She came to PYR in 2021, after previously working for Jacqueline Woodson as a research assistant. Simone has assisted on YA projects by Sabaa Tahir, J. Elle, Jessica Goodman, and Sloan Harlow. She has always loved books from a teen…

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Polo Orozco, Editor

Polo Orozco is an Editor at G. P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group. He acquires YA, middle grade, and graphic novels, and he’s drawn to stories that are highly entertaining, remarkably imaginative, and wholly human. At Putnam, Polo works with authors including Aislinn Brophy, Kyla Zhao, and #1 New York Times…

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Amy Sun, Senior Editor

Amy Sun (she/her/hers) acquires nonfiction across a range of subjects, including memoir, narrative nonfiction, health, wellness, psychology, spirituality, religion, relationships, fashion, pop culture, and beauty. She looks for books that connect ideas across disciplines and that help us live more meaningful, thoughtful lives. She also acquires literary fiction that is smart, funny, profound, with an original voice or perspective, or that has a speculative element. Amy’s current and forthcoming list includes books by Stanford University professor and MacArthur Fellow Jennifer L. Eberhardt, PhD; New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Ella Frances Sanders; journalist and deputy editor at The Atlantic Joe Fassler; social worker, tarot reader, writer, and teacher Jessica Dore; and journalist and executive editor at Refinery29 Connie Wang.

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Margaux Weisman, Editor

Margaux Weisman (she/her/hers) acquires nonfiction in the wellness, self-help, and personal development spaces. She is particularly interested in mental health, the intersection between wellness and feminism, inspirational memoir, and books that give us tools to live healthier, more mindful, more productive, and more contented lives. She also publishes a diverse and eclectic range of fiction, including upmarket commercial fiction with stylish prose, bold and ambitious literary fiction, and genre fiction that challenges conventions. Margaux’s current and forthcoming list includes books by the National Indie bestselling author Kathleen Rooney; global bestseller Juno Dawson; O’Henry Prize–winner Brenda Peynado; founder of Dear Grown Ass Women® Cyndie Spiegel; and author, professor, and clinical psychologist Dr. Ramani Durvasula.

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Meriam Metoui, Assistant Editor

Meriam Metoui is an Assistant Editor who joined Viking Children’s Books in 2019 after several years in School & Library marketing (PYR) and adult editorial (Hachette). After graduating from the University of Michigan, she moved to New York and received a master’s degree in English literature from Hunter College. She considers herself a serial hobbyist…

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Elizabeth Vogt, Associate Editor

Elizabeth (she/her) joined Penguin Classics in 2016 after brief stints in magazines and academic publishing. A life-long lover of classic literature (and life-long Penguin Classics superfan), Elizabeth has played a key role in bringing new contemporary voices to Penguin Classics, including Elif Batuman, Claire Vaye Watkins, Brandon Taylor, Joy Harjo, Rachel Syme, Kate Bolick, and…

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Monique Sterling, Senior Designer

Monique Sterling, senior designer at Philomel Books, joined the team in 2019. She holds a BFA in graphic design from the Fashion Institute of Technology with a minor in communication design. Before making the pivot to children’s publishing, she worked as a freelancer and full-time designer in several industries, including print, online education, advertising, marketing/promo,…

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Rachael Kelly, Editor

Rachael Kelly is an Editor at Dutton acquiring commercial and upmarket/book club fiction across genres—stories that combine rapid pacing, nuanced character development, complex themes, and compelling hooks. She is building a list that prioritizes both voice and plot, and gravitates toward fiction that is romantic, escapist, suspenseful, mysterious, or psychological in nature, especially from authors…

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Joanna Ng, Editor

Joanna Ng joined TarcherPerigee in 2012, where she acquires and edits books in the areas of personal growth/self-help, popular psychology, creativity, and memoir. She enjoys working with a diverse range of authors who have compelling stories to tell and powerful insights to share—she is always learning something new from them.

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Gnesis Villar, Editorial Assistant

Editorial Assistant Gnesis Villar joined Kokila in June 2021. Previously, she wrote reviews for the children’s department at Publisher’s Weekly, in addition to interning at Macmillan, Laura Dail Literary Agency, and Dial Books for Young Readers. She is a native New Yorker raised on cartoons, unlimited Internet access, and R-rated horror movies. She graduated from…

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