PAVE Publishing House appoints Kerri Kolen as vice-president

PAVE Publishing House, the independent print and audiobook publishing division of PAVE Studios, has announced the hire of Kerri Kolen as vice-president. Kolen will report directly to Max Cutler, founder of PAVE Studios. She will oversee the development of compelling new titles, working with both emerging and established creators.

Kolen has 20 years of experience in the industry, and most recently served as vice-president and head of audiobooks at Pushkin Industries, following her tenure as creative executive at Audible, where she worked to create Audible Originals. She began her publishing career with boutique literary agencies before joining Simon & Schuster, where she rose to the position of senior editor. She later held executive editor roles at Hyperion, an imprint of Disney’s adult publishing programme, and Putnam, an imprint of Penguin Random House, before shifting her focus to the audio space.

Cutler said: "Kerri’s deep expertise across both print and digital formats, combined with her deep understanding of the evolving media landscape, makes her the perfect fit for PAVE Publishing House. Her proven track record of working with top-tier talent and her ability to adapt to the changing ways audiences consume content will be invaluable as we continue to innovate and push the boundaries of traditional publishing."

She has collaborated with a wide range of authors and storytellers, including Jamie Lee Curtis, Carrie Fisher, Kate Winslet, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hoda Kotb, Malcolm Gladwell, Whitney Cummings, Joel McHale, Saroo Brierley, Sophia Amoruso, Amanda Montell, Sasha Sagan, Kelly Osbourne, Gail Simmons and Neil Pasricha.

Kolen said: "The ways in which book lovers read, watch and listen to stories are constantly evolving. It’s increasingly important for producers, editors and publishers to evolve with their audience, and that’s exactly what PAVE Studios is doing. I could not be more excited to help shepherd books of all kinds into a future that embraces this opportunity and creates innovative new offerings for creators and consumers alike."