WaterBrook Multnomah, a division of the Crown Publishing Group, has announced several recent changes among its staff, including the promotion of Laura Barker to vice president and editorial director.

A 12-year veteran of the company, Barker served in several management roles for WaterBrook from 1998 to 2004, including managing editor and editorial director, before doing freelance work for a season.

Returning to the company in 2009 as editorial director, she has helped lead Multnomah’s editorial team with a high level of professionalism and expertise. In addition, she has acquired and edited some of Multnomah’s most important authors, including Kay Arthur, Liz Curtis Higgs and Joanna Weaver. She has established herself as an integral part of my management team and has become a trusted colleague in helping me in my transition here.

Susan Tjaden has been promoted to editor, continuing to report to Barker. Since joining the staff in March 2012, Tjaden has worked on such titles as Shaunti Feldhahn’s The Surprising Secrets of Highly Happy Marriages and the forthcoming Unafraid by Susie Davis. Her recent acquisitions of promising authors like Joshua Becker, Elisa Pulliam and Becky Thompson showcase her publishing instincts.

Kendall Davis has been promoted to assistant editor. Since joining WaterBrook Multnomah in July 2012, Davis has provided support to the editorial team and to our authors and agents. Her professional demeanor, commitment to excellence and creative problem solving have made her an invaluable member of the Multnomah team.

Debbie Mitchell has been promoted to vice president/director of operations. Mitchell’s role is a widely varied one. In addition to her responsibilities directing production, as well as managing editorial, inventory management and the art departments, she oversees all office operations in Colorado Springs.

In connection to Tina Constable’s announcement that the position of associate publisher for WaterBrook Multnomah, Convergent and Image has been eliminated, Crown Publishing is announcing new leadership for the WaterBrook Multnomah publicity and marketing departments. 

Beverly Rykerd has been promoted to publicity director. Rykerd has been the publicity manager for WaterBrook Multnomah since 2011. She has directed publicity campaigns for dozens of our high-profile titles, many of them New York Times best-sellers, including Be the Message by Kerry and Chris Shook, Fearless by Eric Blehm, To Heaven and Back by Dr. Mary Neal, Bad Girls of the Bible by Liz Curtis Higgs, Greater and Crash the Chatterbox by Steven Furtick, Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World by Joanna Weaver, and The Winnowing Season and other novels by Cindy Woodsmall.

Ginia Hairston will be joining the company on April 6 as vice president/director of marketing, An accomplished and creative marketing professional with more than 20 years of experience in Christian publishing, Hairston joins Multnomah from David C Cook, she most recently served as vice president of marketing. Previously, she served as program services director for HopeChest and as vice president of marketing for trade books at Zondervan.

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