IBPA Boot Camp: 2026 Staff of Indie Pubs: Full Schedule

9:00am PDT

Welcome and Opening CEO Keynote Discussion on the State of the Industry

Wednesday September 23, 2026 9:00am - 9:40am PDT

Welcome remarks from IBPA's CEO Andrea Fleck-Nisbet, followed by an opening CEO keynote discussion with Amy Barrett-Daffin (Publisher, C&T Publishing), Naren Aryal (CEO, Amplify Publishing Group), and Trena White (Co-founder and Co-CEO, Page Two).

Logged in attendees should see the "Open Zoom" button at the top of this session. If needed, the password to enter is:
IBPA

Speakers

Andrea Fleck-Nisbet

CEO, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)

Naren Aryal

CEO, Amplify Publishing Group

As CEO of Amplify Publishing Group, Naren Aryal advises industry experts and thought leaders on the opportunities and challenges that exist in the ever-evolving world of hybrid publishing. Naren’s visionary leadership has spearheaded a critical disruption of the publishing industry... Read More →

Amy Barrett-Daffin

Publisher, C&T Publishing

Amy Barrett-Daffin is a publishing professional with over 25 years of experience. She currently serves as Publisher at C&T Publishing, where she oversees the release of over 60 books and products annually. She is also one of the founders of The Publishers Cooperative, a buying and... Read More →

Trena White

co-CEO, Page Two

Trena White has built a company, and a life, that refuses the trade-off between ambition and everything else that matters. She is co-CEO of Page Two, the publishing company she launched in 2013 with Jesse Finkelstein. Page Two publishes non-fiction by entrepreneurs, leaders, and experts... Read More →

Wednesday September 23, 2026 9:00am - 9:40am PDT

Program

9:45am PDT

Session 1: The Future of Book Discovery (GEO’s Impact on Search)

Wednesday September 23, 2026 9:45am - 10:25am PDT

The future of book discovery: How AI search reads your metadata and how to sell more books because of it.

The core argument: Amazon's A10 update no longer rewards who bought a book, it rewards who it was genuinely right for. Many independent publishers aren’t aware this has happened, and their metadata isn't built for it. This session will help guide you on what you can do to position your book strongly.

Logged in attendees should see the "Open Zoom" button at the top of this session. If needed, the password to enter is:
IBPA

Speakers

Nigel Lopez-McBean

Narrative Muse

Nigel Lopez-McBean started his career selling books at Waterstones. He is an Emmy-nominated, Sundance-selected storyteller and founder whose work with Narrative Muse on algorithmic bias and gatekeeping in content discovery has been accepted for peer-reviewed publication through UNESCO IRCAI. He is based... Read More →

Wednesday September 23, 2026 9:45am - 10:25am PDT

Program

10:30am PDT

Session 2: Breaking the Silo: How Barefoot Books’ Editorial and Sales Teams Build Bold Books for the Market Together

Wednesday September 23, 2026 10:30am - 11:10am PDT

In this session, leaders from the Barefoot Books team will share how they have crafted a publishing process built on collaboration across departments to successfully develop distinct titles and product lines. From Barefoot Bilinguals – a collection of bestsellers in eleven languages – to America’s Founding Myths…And What REALLY Happened! – Barefoot’s unique contribution to America’s 250th anniversary – learn how the Barefoot Books editorial, design, sales, and marketing teams work together to create books designed to succeed in the market.

Logged in attendees should see the "Open Zoom" button at the top of this session. If needed, the password to enter is:
IBPA

Speakers

Helen Kissler

Chief Operating Officer, Barefoot Books

Helen Kissler is Chief Operating Officer at Barefoot Books, an independent children's book publisher based in Concord, MA. She oversees the company's commercial and operational functions, including contracts, IP and content acquisitions. Helen has spent over two decades with the company in the... Read More →

Kate DePalma

Creative Development Director, Barefoot Books

Kate DePalma is Creative Development Director at Barefoot Books, an award-winning, women-owned independent children’s book publisher based in Concord, MA. In her almost sixteen years with the publisher, she has worked closely with authors, illustrators, musicians, and other creators to develop... Read More →

Wednesday September 23, 2026 10:30am - 11:10am PDT

Program

11:15am PDT

Session 3: Operational AI: Four Ways to Build a Smarter, More Efficient Publishing Operation

Wednesday September 23, 2026 11:15am - 11:55am PDT

Alesha Brown will walk attendees through four ways established publishers can use AI to reduce repetitive work, strengthen internal systems, improve communication and decision-making, and extend your team’s capacity—while maintaining human oversight, ethical standards, and respect for intellectual property.

Logged in attendees should see the "Open Zoom" button at the top of this session. If needed, the password to enter is:
IBPA

Speakers

Alesha Brown

Founder & CEO, Fruition Publishing Concierge Services™

Wednesday September 23, 2026 11:15am - 11:55am PDT

Program

1:00pm PDT

Session 4: Maximizing Your IP

Wednesday September 23, 2026 1:00pm - 1:40pm PDT

Maria Kjoller, Director of Rights, Special Sales, and International Distribution at Lerner Publishing Group will present on how publishers can maximize their IP, covering translation rights and other licensing.

Logged in attendees should see the "Open Zoom" button at the top of this session. If needed, the password to enter is:
IBPA

Speakers

Maria Kjoller

Director of Rights, Special Sales and International Distribution, Lerner Publishing Group

bio to come.

Wednesday September 23, 2026 1:00pm - 1:40pm PDT

Program

1:45pm PDT

Session 5: Closing Keynote Panel: Where are Books Selling? (And what’s going on with the supply chain and returns right now?)

Wednesday September 23, 2026 1:45pm - 2:25pm PDT

Moderated by Keith Parent (Vice President, S&S Publisher Services) this panel discussion will include Jonathan Merkh (Co-Founder of Forefront Books), Nicole De Jackmo (Quirk Books, an imprint of Andrews McMeel Publishing), and Anne Fonteneau (Chief Sales Officer, Blackstone Publishing).

Logged in attendees should see the "Open Zoom" button at the top of this session. If needed, the password to enter is:
IBPA

Speakers

Keith Parent

Vice President, Simon & Schuster Publisher Services

Keith Parent is Vice President of Simon & Schuster Publisher Services, where he partners with independent publishers to drive growth through strategic sales channels, global distribution solutions, and effective supply chain management. With two decades of experience in publishing... Read More →

Anne Fonteneau

Chief Sales Officer, Blackstone Publishing

Anne Fonteneau is the Chief Sales Officer at Blackstone Publishing, where she has driven growth in both retail and digital sales since joining in 2001. She leads strategies that connect authors, partners, and readers in today’s evolving publishing landscape. Blackstone Publishing is one of the natio... Read More →