Meet our new Executive Director and Publisher, Margot Atwell!
The Feminist Press at CUNY board of directors and staff are proud to announce that Margot Atwell has been selected as the Press’s next Executive Director and Publisher.
“We’re very excited to have Margot Atwell join our gifted staff,” said Linda Villarosa, Board Chair of the Feminist Press. “Margot’s experience, vision, and talent will allow FP to continue to celebrate our more than fifty-year legacy in publishing, and support and elevate a diverse roster of insurgent writers.” Former Executive Director and Publisher Jamia Wilson added, “Margot possesses the ideal global vision, exceptional talents, and expertise to lead the Press into an exciting new chapter. I deeply respect her literary citizenship and innovative leadership in the publishing community and beyond.”
Margot Atwell is a writer, editor, publisher, and community funding expert. Most recently she served as Director of Outreach and International for Kickstarter. Previously, she was Publisher of Beaufort Books, an independent book publisher based in New York, where she published four national bestsellers. She also founded and ran the micropress Gutpunch Press. In 2019 Margot created and led The Next Page conference, Kickstarter’s free digital conference focused on the publishing, comics, and journalism fields. She is the coauthor of The Insider’s Guide to Book Publishing Success (Beaufort Books) and Derby Life: A Crash Course in the Incredible Sport of Roller Derby (Gutpunch Press).
As Publisher, Atwell plans to build on the Press’s mission of centering marginalized voices by lifting up stories from BIPOC and LGBTQ+ authors. “Part of creating good representation is publishing a broad range of different stories so one writer or one story doesn’t have to do all the heavy lifting to speak to an entire community’s experience,” said Atwell. During her tenure, Atwell also aims to publish books about economic justice written in accessible language, feminist speculative fiction that explores the human condition, and novels and nonfiction by queer, trans, disabled, and neurodivergent writers. “I’m eager to bring what I’ve learned about the publishing field to the team to find ways to serve the Press’s mission and readership in the future.”
With industry knowledge and passion for FP’s mission, Atwell brings renewed energy and fresh perspectives to fuel the Press’s vision of creating a world where everyone sees themselves in a book.
Please join us in welcoming her to the FP team!
“Margot Atwell is the real deal... She understands the publishing world, and has always done the work to uplift marginalized writers and organizations that support them.”
—Saraciea J. Fennell, The Bronx is Reading Founder & CEO
"Margot has been a champion of independent literary publishers, fostering community and providing guidance, professional support, and creative solutions to capacity building. Her commitment to writers, publishing, and the literary field at large is truly impressive."
—Mary Gannon, Executive Director of the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses
“I know Margot to be a very gifted rising star who brings keen intelligence, informed intuition, and tireless dedication to everything she does."
—George Knotek, copublisher of Copper Canyon Press
