Meet Our Running Press Team

Shannon Connors Fabricant (she/her) is the Publisher of Running Press and is based in Hachette’s New York office. She first joined Running Press as an Editor in 2016 and now oversees strategy and vision for RP Adult, RP Kids, and RP Studio, which she helped launch in 2018. She has always been passionate about the intersection of written content and perfect packaging and can’t believe her great fortune to have landed at Running Press—where thinking about formats and working in tandem across editorial, design, and manufacturing is the norm. Shannon acquires books and decks selectively in art, lifestyle, body/mind/spirit, and memoir and is drawn to projects with distinct aesthetic visions, unique and authoritative voices, and a strong sense of place. She is proud to have worked with authors like Florence Fabricant (Salty, Not Sweet), Sandra Boynton and Devin C.B. McEwan (Extremely Happy Holidays), Ash + Chess (Queer Tarot), Sophie Strand (The Body Is a Doorway), Perdita Finn (Take Back the Magic), Nikki Van De Car (Practical Magic), Danielle Krysa (A Big Important Art Book [Now with Women]), and Sara and Rich Combs (At Home in Joshua Tree). Prior to joining Running Press, Shannon was part of the editorial team at Abbeville Press, where she edited books on fine art, photography, and cocktails. 

Frances Soo Ping Chow (she/her) is VP and Creative Director at Running Press, where she manages and art directs the creative content for all its imprints. Frances joined Running Press over three decades ago and has collaborated with numerous bestselling authors and illustrators, contributing to the company’s creative legacy. She actively designs and oversees a team of talented designers, developing content from a wide array of diverse licensing properties in addition to home-grown projects—all interpreted through the unique lens of Running Press. Some of her recent favorites include Sugar in Milk by New York Times bestselling author Thirty Umrigar, illustrated by Khoa Le; The Color of Dance by TaKiyah Wallace-McMillian; Make Your Own Rainbow by Lil Miss Hot Mess and illustrated by Olga de Dios; and Elvira’s First Book of Monsters illustrated by Pintachan. When she’s not designing and art directing, Frances can be found singing or relaxing with her clowder of (2) cats. books on fine art, photography, and cocktails. 

Jennifer Leczkowski (she/her) is Director of RP Minis and Licensing at Running Press and is based in the Philadelphia office. Jennifer joined the company two decades ago and has enjoyed a variety of editorial positions over the years, ranging from Associate Editor to Managing Editor to Director of our unique RP Minis line. Jennifer oversees the development and growth of the RP Minis list and of our licensing programs across the RP Minis, RP Adult, RP Kids, and RP Studio imprints.

Allison Cohen (she/her) is a Senior Editor at Running Press Kids based in the Philadelphia office. She acquires fiction and nonfiction in the picture book and young adult space, in addition to select middle grade nonfiction. Her acquisitions include Ellen Poe: The Forgotten Lore by Diana Peterfreund; 13 Days of Summer by Stephanie Kate Strohm; The Invisible Wild by Nikki Van De Car; I Affirm Me by Nyasha Williams; The Monster Manual by Sarah Glenn Marsh; and, the officially licensed Care Bears 5-Minute Stories, to name a few. Prior to joining Running Press Kids, she was a literary agent and represented both adult and children’s fiction and nonfiction.

Kate Anderson (she/her) is an Editor at Running Press based in the New York office working across RP Adult, Studio, and Minis, with a particular focus on the RP Inspires and Studio lists. She acquires adult nonfiction books and book-plus titles in art, design, lifestyle, wellness, body/mind/spirit, and personal and creative development. She is drawn to projects with an authentic voice and fresh perspective—especially those that weave a personal narrative with a broader message—and has a committed interest in works that address women’s issues and champion underrepresented voices. She is also excited by projects that blur the lines between the categories in which she acquires, such as self-development guides for artists or lifestyle books with a touch of wellness. Across categories and formats, she is passionate about the interplay of content and package. Her forthcoming titles include Fortunate Frogs by Devon Short, Tarot for the Wild Soul and Soul Tarot by Lindsay Mack, Ancient Myths and Legends Without Men by Mara Gold, and Real Artists Wear Black by Danielle Krysa. Before joining Running Press, Kate was part of the team at Tanenbaum International Literary Agency, where she worked with authors on art/illustrated, nonfiction, fiction, and children’s books. 

Jenni Zellner (she/her) is an Editor at Running Press based in the New York office working across the RP Adult, Studio, Inspires, and Mini lists. She acquires visually driven adult nonfiction, licensed titles, and non-traditional formats across art, comics, cooking, design, lifestyle, photography, pop culture, travel, and gaming categories. She is especially drawn to art-forward projects that celebrate cultural (and countercultural) movements, wisdom traditions, and personal narratives, particularly from BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ voices. She is also excited by projects that blur the lines between categories and/or take an unexpected approach to a traditional subject. Prior to joining Running Press, she held editorial roles at Lonely Planet, Clarkson Potter, and Crown. At present, she is overseeing officially licensed gift product with the #1 New York Times bestselling author Rachel Gillig, as well as Welcome, Boils & Ghouls: The Definitive Oral History of Tales from the Crypt by Kristen Lopez, Hollywood Horsepower: A History of Cars on Film by Brian Darwas in partnership with Turner Classic Movies, and Luke’s Diner Mini Mug, a licensed mini kit with the hit WB series, Gilmore Girls. Recent acquisitions include: The Houseplant Reality Check by Paige Tailynn and Hell Hath No Fury: 
Dangerous Women in Myth, Folklore, and Legend by Dr. Karen Stollznow. 

Maria Lourdes Riillo (she/her/ella) is an Associate Editor at Running Press based in the Philadelphia office. She acquires adult nonfiction with a primary focus on pop culture with an emphasis on film, music, theater, humor, and licensed properties. She also works on lifestyle and personal growth. She seeks inventive formats, interesting entertainment stories, bold voices, and original takes, and as a proud Latina, she is always looking for ways to increase diversity in publishing and expand access for underacknowledged peoples. Recent titles include Muévelo: The Enduring Legacy of Latin Music Across Borders; Mattel’s American Girl: The Official Cookbook by Tara McNamara; History Hiding Around Broadway by Teale Dvornik; and Christmas with Nat King Cole by Allison McGevna.

Anna Shura (she/her) is an Assistant Editor at Running Press based in the New York office. She works across nonfiction adult titles, licensed properties, fiction children’s titles, and ancillary products. Anna is building a list of art/entertainment, lifestyle, food and drink, and licensed titles. As a foodie, musician, and frequenter of art museums, she is excited by projects which inspire new passions and put a twist on beloved subjects through creative perspectives and packaging. She is also interested in personal growth/self-help titles from diverse underrepresented voices, particularly in the LGBTQIA+ space. Anna is proud to have recently earned her MS in Publishing from NYU, and prior to joining Running Press, she interned with editorial, marketing, and publicity teams at W.W. Norton, Hachette Books and Hachette Go, and DeFiore & Company Literary Agency.

Julianna Holshue (she/they) is the Editorial Assistant at Running Press based in the Philadelphia office. She works across nonfiction adult titles, licensed properties, fiction children’s titles, and RP Minis. She is assisting Editorial Director Cindy Sipala with developing a successful publishing partnership with Fangoria, the leading horror publication. She is interested in horror nonfiction, amusing and informative gift titles, licensed-driven craft/activity books, and children’s fiction from historically underrepresented voices. She is thoughtfully building her list and her most recent acquisitions include the adult non-fiction title, Women Running from Houses, and the YA fiction title, In the Company of Thieves. Prior to joining Running Press, she was a bookseller at Inkwood Books in Haddonfield, NJ, and she still co-moderates their horror book club.