#NextUP at UGA Press

We’ve had a few new staff members (re)join us at The University of Georgia Press. In honor of UP Week’s theme this year, here’s a look at who is #NextUP at UGA Press and what excites them about the future of UGA Press, university presses, and the book industry.

Mary McKeon, Production Coordinator

1. What led you into publishing?
   I originally thought I would go into fabric design. However, in college, I found a passion for typography which ultimately led me to publishing and working for a textbook publisher, Appleton & Lange. I learned a great deal at that job; mainly designing covers and interior designs. Plus, I’ve always been a reader, therefore, publishing is a great fit for me!
   
2. What are you looking forward to either at UGA Press or in the publishing industry?
   I am so happy to be a part of UGA Press and look forward to learning more about the publishing process. Having spent most of my career on the design side of publishing, I am now enjoying the production side. 
   
3. Are there any book trends that you’re excited about?
   Open Access is a great trend I am very excited about. 
   
4. What’s up next on your to-read list?
   Next up, I am looking forward to reading Sum of Trifles by Julia Ridley Smith.

Caroline Schneider, Business Assistant

1. What led you into publishing?
   One of my classmates worked at University of North Carolina Press and highly recommended it. I eventually reached out to see what all the hype was about! I ended up working there for most of my undergraduate studies and loved it. This led me to decide to stay in the publishing realm at UGA Press while I continue my studies at UGA. 
   
2. What are you looking forward to either at UGA Press or in the publishing industry?
   I’m mainly looking forward to new titles being published surrounding Georgia history and culture. Having worked at UNC Press, most of the titles I previously worked with addressed the history of the Carolinas. I’m interested to see how UGA Press authors address the past and tell unique stories. 
   
3. Are there any book trends that you’re excited about?
   I’m most excited about Open Access. As a graduate student, I am involved in research at UGA. One of the biggest hang-ups is not being able to access a book or article. Open Access helps make previously inaccessible knowledge open to everyone. I hope to see this trend grow, especially in the academic publishing world.
4. What’s up next on your to-read list? 
   I will have to say Light Skin Gone to Waste. I have heard so many good things about it and Toni Ann Johnson. I’m very excited to start it!

Lea Johnson, Production Editor

1. What led you into publishing? 
   My grandparents encouraged me early on to be an avid reader, especially in poetry and Black diasporic literature. In grad school, I was able to develop my curiosity about books and book production through working with professors on their book projects and ultimately landing a fellowship to learn publishing through the Mellon Foundation. 
   
2. What are you looking forward to either at UGA Press or in the publishing industry? 
   I’m looking forward to learning more about the design of books and being a mentor to students interested in publishing.
   
3. Are there any book trends that you’re excited about? 
   I’m interested in the direction that environmental studies, black geography, and gender studies are taking as well as the impact that Open Access will have on international research. I’m also excited about the new creative works by Black, Indigenous, and POC authors, like Ocean Vuong. 
   
4. What’s up next on your to-read list?
   I’m looking forward to reading Ariana Benson’s Black Pastoral and Sancha Medwinter’s Ecology of Inequality: How Disaster Response Reconstitutes Race and Class Inequality.