IBPA Publishing University 2025

IBPA Publishing University 2025

Kristin Donnan

Rockin Dog Studio

Owner

Hill City, SD

Find me on

About me

I have been a freelance writer and editor forEVER, and have enjoyed helping author-clients publish their books—with the collaboration of professional designer pals. I've also been published as an author, and sometimes self-publish if that's the best way to go for particular projects. What I don't have expertise in is distribution / marketing / publicity, and my assumptions about all of that have always caused me to cringe.

Finally, I realized I need to find out what all of that really entails, so I joined your organization and signed up for this conference. Let's see what happens, and if my business is in for a paradigm shift...?

1:00pm CDT

Thursday Workshop 2: Grants, Funding, & Other Opportunities for Under-Resourced Indie Publishers Intercontinental - Governors II (lower level, below lobby)Joylynn M. Ross • Brandy M. Miller

5:30pm CDT

Welcome Reception - Literature & Libations Intercontinental - Great River Court (first level, above lobby)

8:00am CDT

Small Group Breakfasts (additional fee) Intercontinental - Minnesota Court (lower level, below lobby)

11:00am CDT

Welcome and Opening Keynote: The Pillars of Publishing – Copyright and Freedom of Expression Intercontinental - Great River Ballroom (first level, above lobby)Maria A. Pallante

12:00pm CDT

Lunch & Meet Our Sponsors Intercontinental - Great River Ballroom (first level, above lobby)

12:45pm CDT

Board Recognition Intercontinental - Great River Ballroom (first level, above lobby)

1:15pm CDT

Breakout 1 (Start Strong Independent Publishers) - Grant Writing, Fundraising, and Sponsorship Models Intercontinental - Kellogg II-III (lobby level)Joylynn M. Ross • Dr. Katherine Newburgh • Jared Kuritz Main Ballroom (During Breakout Session 1) - Ask the Experts and Meet our Sponsors! Intercontinental - Great River Ballroom (first level, above lobby)

2:15pm CDT

Friday Afternoon Snack and Meet Our Sponsors! Intercontinental - Great River Court (first level, above lobby)

3:00pm CDT

Breakout 2 (Author Publishers) - Consumer Marketing Intercontinental - Governors II (lower level, below lobby)Django De Gree, II • Juliet Wills • Andrea DeWerd Breakout 2 - (Established Independent Publishers) - Diversify Your Manufacturing Options in the Global Printing Market Intercontinental - Kellogg I (lobby level)Kurt Brackob • David Hetherington • Chris Hobbs • Keith Riegert • Dwight Vicks • Matt Baehr

4:15pm CDT

Friday Afternoon Keynote Panel: AI and Publishing - Opportunities, Challenges, and Transformation Intercontinental - Great River Ballroom (first level, above lobby)Mary Rasenberger • Trip Adler • Amanda Zila • Keith Riegert

8:30am CDT

Breakfast and Intentional Membership Intercontinental - Great River Ballroom (first level, above lobby)

9:15am CDT

Saturday Morning Keynote Panel: Re-Thinking Business Models Intercontinental - Great River Ballroom (first level, above lobby)Brooke Warner • Angela Engel • Jonathan Merkh • Dr. Ayo Sekai

10:40am CDT

Breakout 3 (Author Publishers) - Author to Thought Leader to Publicist-in-chief: You as a Speaker Intercontinental - Governors II (lower level, below lobby)Jeniffer Thompson • MaryCatherine Jones • Eryka Parker Breakout 3 (Start Strong Independent Publishers) - How to Successfully Partner With Your Distributor Intercontinental - Kellogg II-III (lobby level)Laura Stanfill • Jeff Tegge • Rachel Zugschwert • Keith Riegert

12:15pm CDT

Lunch and Meet Our Sponsors! Intercontinental - Great River Court (first level, above lobby)

1:40pm CDT

Breakout 4 (Author Publishers) - Data-Driven Decisions for Author Publishers Intercontinental - Governors II (lower level, below lobby)Vivaca Leburu • Leigh Pierce Breakout 4 - (Established Independent Publishers) - Accessing Global Markets Intercontinental - Kellogg I (lobby level)Edison Garcia

2:40pm CDT

Saturday Afternoon Snack and Meet Our Sponsors! Intercontinental - Great River Court (first level, above lobby)

3:30pm CDT

Breakout 5 - (Established Independent Publishers) - Succession Planning Intercontinental - Kellogg I (lobby level)Alexa Bigwarfe • Miriam Warren • Renita Bryant

4:40pm CDT

Closing Session and Raffle Intercontinental - Great River Ballroom (first level, above lobby)