“As we head into 2017, we can expect that our civic and cultural life will remain turbulent. In these times it is especially important to remember that as publishers we will always endeavor to give voice to a wide range of opinions and divergent viewpoints. We publish for many different and frequently conflicting audiences, and must be fully cognizant of our responsibility to resist censorship and stand unequivocally for freedom of speech, no matter how difficult that might be at times.”

—Carolyn Reidy, President and CEO of Simon & Schuster, in her “year-end message” to S&S staff around the world

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Carolyn Reidy is one of the highest ranking women in publishing, having been the President and CEO at Simon & Schuster Inc. since 2008. Reidy experienced many different jobs across the publishing industry; since 1976, she’s worked her way into becoming a subsidiary rights director, a president and publisher of imprints and trade divisions, and associate publisher to now being in charge of all domestic and international publishing operations for Simon & Schuster. Reidy also currently serves on the Boards of Directors of the Association of American Publishers, the National Book Foundation, and Literacy Partners, Inc. Reidy’s forward thinking and open-mindedness about important issues, ranging from how she thinks of gender in the workplace to the future of digital publishing, provide an exemplary platform for publishing hopefuls to consider when shaping how they want to one day impact the publishing industry.