Experts List

Nadim Sadek is the Author of ‘Shimmer, don’t Shake – How Publishing can embrace AI’ and ‘Quiver, don’t Quake – How Creativity can Embrace AI‘.

Nadim is the Founder & CEO of Shimmr AI. An AI-native business, it focuses on publishing, making under-monetised titles more productive, improving publishers’ profitability, and bringing fulfilling books to psychologically-matched readers. Previously, Nadim was Founder & CEO of ProQuo AI, an AI-driven brand management platform, which proved a new sector in marketing technology. Earlier, he used his degree in Psychology to found and lead what became the world’s largest qualitative market research company, Sadek Wynberg Research. This was sold to WPP, and he led two of their global networks, Millward Brown Qualitative Network and Research International. He studied Pure Psychology (and Mental & Moral Science) at Trinity College, Dublin.

Publisher of BookCAMP magazine, which addresses authors and publishers' challenges of book publishing.

Olczak is a career-long publishing professional, Master's Degree in Marketing Management in Book and Magazine Publishing from New York University. His experience includes Independent Press Award, NYC Big Book Award; Publishers Weekly; National Business/Lifestyle Magazines (FORTUNE, Money, Delta, United, and 14 others); helped New York Magazine create its sister visitor publication IN-New York Magazine. Forecasting, budgeting, excellent sales, marketing and event track history. Motivated by "the challenge" & building businesses to succeed.

Brian has worked in book publishing, public relations, and marketing for three decades. He has helped thousands of authors, from first-time, self-published writers to New York Times best-selling authors, including Dr. Ruth, Stephen Covey, Ken Blanchard, Mark Victor Hansen, and Comedian George Wallace.

Brian O'Leary is the executive director of the Book Industry Study Group, which oversees standards and best practices for the book industry supply chain in the United States.

Becky Parker Geist is the Founder and CEO of Pro Audio Voices, a Portland-based company. They work with rights-holders who may feel challenged in navigating audiobook & podcast production, distribution and marketing, helping them create an exceptional audio experience, get it out there and reach more people, all while staying in control.

In 2023, Pro Audio Voices launched AMPlify Audiobooks—The Equitable Audiobook Platform—a game-changer in the industry. AMPlify Audiobooks provides authors with the high royalties and control they deserve but that other platforms fail to deliver. It also gives audiobook listeners a way to significantly increase their impact with their purchasing dollars and to connect with the creators.

Megan Sells, Acquisitions Manager and Developmental Editor at Atmosphere Press, helps authors navigate hybrid publishing contracts and shape their manuscripts into powerful, polished books ready for publication. They are excited to connect with authors who bring energy, originality, and heart to their work.

Is your book a movie? What steps do you need to take to make it so? In this session, seasoned veteran Eddie Garmarra, known for The Maze Runner (2014), Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018) and Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015), and Actress and writer Kate Orsini speak directly to process.

Former college professor, Dr. Eddie Gamarra now consults selling stories and building brands. He was VP, Literary Affairs at Nickelodeon & Awesomeness. Also a Literary Manager/Producer at The Gotham Group representing screenwriters, directors, animators, authors, illustrators, & publishers. Clients included NYT best-selling storytellers as well as Oscar, Emmy, Annie, Caldecott, Newbery, & Geisel winners/nominees. As Executive Producer, he worked on The Maze Runner trilogy which grossed almost $1 Billion dollars. He also EP'd Jerry Spinelli's iconic Stargirl for Disney+ and Henry Selick's Wendell & Wild with Jordan Peele for Netflix.

As the author of the novel "Bell Hammers," praised as "a hoot" by PW, Schaubert has published dozens of stories, hundreds of poems and essays.

A full voting member of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association, Schaubert edits "The Showbear Family Circus" and the anthology series "Of Gods and Globes." Schaubert believes art should change us for the better, motivating us to be true and good. My goal is to create work that fosters virtue in both myself and others.

Kate Orsini is a popular American actress and writer, and now screenwriter and consultant. The lady is known for her appearance in “NCIS: Los Angeles” and “Reality Queen!”. Kate bubbly and fun personality is just the beginning. Authors! Would your book be a killer film? Why pay someone else to write what you know best? Material Girl offers a unique consulting experience in page-to-screen adaptations. We actually read your novel first. We become experts on your voice. Then, through a series of check-ins, we help you nail screenplay structure, visual storytelling, and dialogue for film; to ensure that your content makes its transition from page to screen in your voice- and on your terms.

​​An accomplished actress, https://www.kateorsini.com/credits, Kate Orsini, on screen, she’s been, among other things, Maria Bello’s ex, Robert Patrick’s nemesis, Hank Azaria’s nemesis, Hayden Panettiere’s lawyer nemesis, Gina Rodriguez’ yuppie nemesis, Ed Begley Jr.’s angry daughter, Malcolm McDowell’s daughter...

Shakespeare on stage, Chekhov on film, and her own material, culminating in the zoom episodic she’s just co-written and starred in, “The Corona Dialogues,” for which she just won Best Actress at The Indie Fest Awards. Coming soon to a sofa near you (um, Hulu).

Tom is a NJ licensed clinical social worker and best-selling and award-winning children's book author. He has been featured by media outlets, such as CBS-Philly, South Jersey Magazine, and Gay Parent Magazine. Tom is a frequently invited guest on national podcasts, including the two-time People’s Choice Podcast Award winner, The Queer Family Podcast. Tom is committed to advancing stories that are inclusive of diverse families, which have been historically under-represented in children's books; Tom’s work helps to fill this representation gap.

Tom’s most recent project organized 100 authors from across the globe to publish the “Catalog of Diverse Kids Books” – a reference guide for parents and teachers to more than 150 children’s books focused on themes of diversity, tolerance, and acceptance.

Brian Jud is an author, book-marketing consultant, speaker, seminar leader, television host and president of Premium Book Company that sells books to non-bookstore buyers on a non-returnable, commission basis. Brian is the author of How to Make Real Money Selling Books (Without Worrying About Returns) This is the ultimate do-it-yourself guide to selling your books to non-bookstore buyers in large quantities, with no returns.

Returned to The NY Times Media Group to manage the book category of advertising in all Times properties (Book Review, the Daily, Magazine, e-newsletters, podcasts, etc.)
Recipient of the Chairman's Sales Excellence Award 2013

Co-Chair of multiple Employee Resource group working on diversity and inclusion SINCE 2012

Gloria Mindock is editor of Červená Barva Press. She is an award-winning author of six poetry collections, two translations into Romanian and Serbian, and three chapbooks. Her poems have been published and translated into twelve languages. Her recent book, Grief Touched the Sky at Night (Glass Lyre Press, 2023), won the NYC Big Book Award, and the Independent Press Award. The book went on to win five other awards besides being a finalist twice, long listed and a few honorable mentions.

Recently, Gloria received the Sam Cornish Award for contributions as an international publisher, activist, and poet whose unflinching eye bears witness to atrocities inflicted on people around the world, from the New England Poetry Club.

Gloria was the Poet Laureate in Somerville, MA in 2017 & 2018.

In her most recent role at Simon & Schuster, Mara was Publisher of Simon Pulse and Aladdin Books managing a large high performing team and over saw everything from the day-to-day operations, drove business development and provided strategy for long term growth. At OR/M, Mara led the Publishing team, managed and grew the catalog of titles and the partnerships on which OR/M first began. She also worked with Business Development to identify publishers to add to the Ignition program.

Sponsor of the Independent Press Award as well as the NYC Big Book Award for the past nine years, and journalist. Host of the www.theGABTALKS.com podcast show, which can be found on the YouTube channel

https://www.youtube.com/Independentpressawardspringnycbigbookawardfall as well as dozens of streaming services including, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Apple, Google, Amazon, Pandora, etc.

Jessica Powers is publisher of Catalyst Press (www.catalystpress.org), an independent traditional and hybrid publisher with three imprints--Catalyst, Flare, and Powers Squared. An award-winning author of 9 books for children and young adults, a freelance editor, and professor of writing in UTEP's MFA program, Powers has midwifed almost a thousand books for writers through a variety of publishing paths. She recently founded Maverick Independent Book Review (www.maverickindependentreview.com), a book reviews service for indie authors. She lives in Texas with her son.

Elizabeth Blake-Thomas is a British award-winning director and philanthropist based in Los Angeles. Elizabeth is the co-founder and resident director of entertainment company Mother & Daughter Entertainment. Her latest directing projects include wrapping up a TV episode of Sony AFFIRM's upcoming show Shadrach, as well as YA supernatural thriller Karma's A Bitch, starring a stellar ensemble cast including Once Upon A Time's Isabella Blake-Thomas, Candyman's Tony Todd, and Disney Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 3's Terry Hu and Pearce Joza.

Lee Woodman, known as an award-winning public radio producer at the Library of Congress, and a film and multimedia producer at the Smithsonian Institution, Woodman has used the power of words and images to educate and enlighten broad audiences.

She is the author of the “Scapes” poetry series and winner of 2023 IPA, Independent Press Award, for Distinguished Favorite in Poetry. Her other awards include: the 2020 William Meredith Prize for Poetry, the 2021 Atlantic Review International Poetry Competition Merit Award, and First Prize in Poetry and Prose Contest for Carve Magazine 2022. Her essays and poems have been published in Poet Lore, Tiferet Journal, Zócalo Public Square, Grey Sparrow Press, The Ekphrastic Review, vox poetica, The New Guard Review, The Concord Monitor, The Hill Rag, Naugatuck River Review, and The Broadkill Review. A Pushcart nominee, she received an Individual Poetry Fellowship from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities FY 2019 and FY 2020, and a Virginia Center for the Creative Arts Fellowship in March 2022. Her poetry collection, Mindscapes, was published by Poets’ Choice Publishing in 2020, Homescapes in 2020 by Finishing Line Press, Lifescapes by Kelsay Books in 2021, Artscapes by Shanti Arts in 2022, and Soulscapes by Shanti Arts in 2023. Woodman has been a featured guest on numerous radio shows and podcasts, including The Authors Show, Goodnews Broadcasting, Rodger Nichols, Steve Maggi, and Cyrus Webb. She has just signed her contract for her sixth poetry collection, Colorscapes.

Platform program on Roku TV for access on multiple streaming services, an independent press publisher with national distribution; provides expert authors with a hybrid / partner publisher model.

Strong marketing professional skilled in Copywriting, Web Content Writing, Publicity, Proofreading, and Editing.

Mark Gottlieb is an executive vice president and prominent literary agent working at book publishing’s leading literary agency Trident Media Group in New York City. He has ranked highly among literary agents across the industry for overall number of deals and other individual categories.

While at Trident Media Group, Mark Gottlieb has represented New York Times bestselling authors as well as major award-winning authors. He has optioned and sold numerous books to production companies and studios for film and TV adaptation. Mark Gottlieb greatly enjoys working with authors to help manage and grow their careers with the resources available at Trident Media Group.

In addition to having worked at the company’s Foreign Rights Department, he also ran the company’s Audiobook Department. Utilizing his drive and intuition for discovering talented writers, he is currently expanding his client list of authors. As a literary agent he looks forward to bringing authors to the largest possible audience.

Dave Sheets has spent almost 30 years in publishing working with many of the top book
publishers, distributors, and printers in the industry. He currently owns a publishing
services company primarily working with independent authors.

Every year, he works with hundreds of authors helping to create books that entertain
and inform readers across the globe, with services including ghost writing, coaching,
editing, design, interior layout, eBooks, and printing. Dave excels in helping clients by
listening well and providing resources for them to reach their highest levels of potential
every day.

Dave grew up in the Midwest and graduated from St. Cloud State University (MN) with a
BS in Mass Communications while playing on a football scholarship. Dave is married
with four adult kids, three grandsons, a dog named Buddy, and enjoys spending his free
time enjoying the Colorado outdoors.