IBPA Publishing University 2025: Full Schedule

9:00am CDT

IBPA Think Tank for Established Publishers - at Open Book in Minneapolis

Thursday May 15, 2025 9:00am - 4:30pm CDT

IBPA Think Tank for Established Publishers
A day of expert-level peer-to-peer discussions with tailored tracks for:
Executives
Editorial/Production Key Staff
Marketing/Sales Key Staff

Details here. Separate registration required, which you can do here.

Thursday May 15, 2025 9:00am - 4:30pm CDT
Open Book 1011 Washington Ave S., Minneapolis, MN 55415

IBPA Think Tank

Audience For This Session Established Independent Publishers, Executives and Key Staff

5:30pm CDT

Welcome Reception - Literature & Libations

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:30pm - 7:30pm CDT

Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront

Free reception for all conference attendees, as well as our MBPR and MIPA friends.

Come with a recommendation for an indie published book (published by someone else)!

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:30pm - 7:30pm CDT
Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront 11 E Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55101

Community Building

Audience For This Session Everyone, Author Publishers (A.K.A. Self-Published Authors), Established Independent Publishers, Start Strong Independent Publishers, Executives and Key Staff

8:00am CDT

Small Group Breakfasts (additional fee)

Friday May 16, 2025 8:00am - 9:45am CDT

Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront

Come and join your peers for interactive small group breakfast meetups around topics you have a shared interest in!

List your top 3 topics when you sign up and get ready to make new friends. When you arrive, you can choose the table you'd like to sit at—and move around—according to topics posted at the various tables! (Be sure to bring business cards and/or be ready to share your contact information.)

We'll shuffle the room seating so you'll have the opportunity to join three different group discussions over the hour and 45 minutes.

While we wish we could offer this event for free, there is an additional fee of $65 to register for a small group breakfast, which only partly offsets the cost of food. (The breakfast buffet will have vegan options as well as gluten-free options.) You can sign up for the small group breakfast here.

Friday May 16, 2025 8:00am - 9:45am CDT
Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront 11 E Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55101

Community Building

Audience For This Session Author Publishers (A.K.A. Self-Published Authors), Everyone, Established Independent Publishers, Start Strong Independent Publishers

11:00am CDT

Welcome and Opening Keynote: The Pillars of Publishing – Copyright and Freedom of Expression

Friday May 16, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm CDT

Our program begins!

Andrea Fleck-Nisbet, IBPA's CEO, will welcome everyone and introduce Maria A. Pallante for our opening keynote:

The Pillars of Publishing – Copyright and Freedom of Expression
The legal framework that supports the publishing industry has never been more important. Maria A. Pallante, President and CEO of the Association of American Publishers, will discuss the bedrock principles that underpin the global publishing ecosystem: copyright and freedom of expression. The discussion will explore the landscape of copyright law and regulation, with a particular focus on exclusive rights of authors and publishers in their creative works, as well as the crucial role of freedom of speech and freedom to publish to our democracy and an informed citizenry.

Speakers

Maria A. Pallante

President and CEO, Association of American Publishers

Maria A. Pallante leads AAP’s strategic agenda and public policy portfolio, working with her talented team to advance and protect the laws that incentivize and protect creative and intellectual authorship. From 2011 to 2016, she served as Register of Copyrights and Director of the... Read More →

Friday May 16, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm CDT

Plenary

Audience For This Session Everyone, Start Strong Independent Publishers, Established Independent Publishers, Author Publishers (A.K.A. Self-Published Authors)

12:00pm CDT

Lunch & Meet Our Sponsors

Friday May 16, 2025 12:00pm - 12:45pm CDT

Grab lunch and meet our sponsors!

Friday May 16, 2025 12:00pm - 12:45pm CDT

Community Building

Audience For This Session Everyone, Start Strong Independent Publishers, Established Independent Publishers, Author Publishers (A.K.A. Self-Published Authors)

12:45pm CDT

Board Recognition

Friday May 16, 2025 12:45pm - 1:00pm CDT

Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront

Join us to thank our outgoing – and welcome our incoming – members of the IBPA Board of Directors.

Friday May 16, 2025 12:45pm - 1:00pm CDT
Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront 11 E Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55101

Community Building

Audience For This Session Everyone, Start Strong Independent Publishers, Established Independent Publishers, Author Publishers (A.K.A. Self-Published Authors)

1:15pm CDT

Breakout 1 - (Established Independent Publishers) - Non-English Content for the US Market

Friday May 16, 2025 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT

Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront

Details to be announced.

The Established Publisher breakout sessions are intended for independent publishers who have an established business and experience in the industry, and are looking to successfully grow and scale their publishing company. (Generally you will have been in the publishing industry for at least four years, and have published more than ten titles.) Please note that if you are just starting out and you attend an Established Independent Publisher session you are auditing the class, and we ask that you not take up session time with beginner-level questions.

Speakers

Wiley Barnes

Director, Chickasaw Press

Wiley Barnes, Chickasaw, has spent twenty-four years forging a career in publishing, writing, printing, photography, and graphic design, with the last seventeen years at the Chickasaw Nation. During that time, he has had the pleasure of working on a number of projects that promote... Read More →

Arthur A. Levine

President and Editor-in-Chief, Levine Querido

Arthur A. Levine is the President and Editor-in-Chief of Levine Querido, a new independent publisher dedicated to finding and publishing brilliantly illustrated and written books from a diverse spectrum of creators across the United States and around the world including Printz and... Read More →

Ashley Mireles-Guerrero

Director of Sales & Marketing/Founder CEO, Familius/Judging by the Cover: A Bookstore

Ashley Marie Mireles-Guerrero is the Director of Sales and Marketing for Familius Publishing and the author of over 13 books, including 100 First Words for Little Californians and Proud to Be Latino: Food/Comida. A 2022 Publishers Weekly Star Watch Finalist and 2024 BookCamp Forty... Read More →

Icy Smith

Publisher, East West Discovery Press LLC

Icy Smith is the founder of East West Discovery Press, a publisher and distributor of multicultural and bilingual books in many different languages, with the mission of promoting understanding among people of different racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. Smith has written award-winning... Read More →

Friday May 16, 2025 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT
Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront 11 E Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55101

Breakout Sessions + Ask the Experts

Audience For This Session Established Independent Publishers

3:00pm CDT

Breakout 2 - (Established Independent Publishers) - Diversify Your Manufacturing Options in the Global Printing Market

Friday May 16, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront

Diversify Your Manufacturing Options in the Global Printing Market
Faculty and Details to be announced.

The Established Publisher breakout sessions are intended for independent publishers who have an established business and experience in the industry, and are looking to successfully grow and scale their publishing company. (Generally you will have been in the publishing industry for at least four years, and have published more than ten titles.) Please note that if you are just starting out and you attend an Established Independent Publisher session you are auditing the class, and we ask that you not take up session time with beginner-level questions.

Speakers

Matt Baehr

Executive Director, Book Manufacturers' Institute

Matt Baehr is the Executive Director of the Book Manufacturers' Institute (BMI). He’s been the chief executive of the association since 2017. Matt has a long career in association management, primarily working with trade associations. He holds an undergraduate degree from the Catholic... Read More →

Kurt Brackob

Director, Histria Books

Dr. Kurt Brackob is editorial director for Histria Books, based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Kurt has worked for over 20 years in the publishing industry. He is a historian and author of several books including Scanderbeg: A History of George Castriota and the Albanian Resistance to Islamic Expansion in Fifteenth Century Europe and Mircea t... Read More →

Keith Riegert

President / CEO, The Stable Book Group / Perfect Bound

Keith Riegert is the CEO of the SaaS platform, Perfect Bound, as well as the president of The Stable Book Group. He serves on the Board of Advisors for the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) and is a member of the Board of Advisors and an adjunct professor at NYU’s Masters... Read More →

Dwight Vicks

President, Vicks Print & Distribution

Dwight Vicks is President of Vicks Print & Distribution, a company founded by his grandfather in 1918. What began as a letterpress operation, Vicks has evolved into a digital print and distribution company serving niche publishers. The company employs 90 professionals and has two... Read More →

Friday May 16, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront 11 E Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55101

Breakout Sessions + Ask the Experts

Audience For This Session Established Independent Publishers

4:15pm CDT

Friday Afternoon Keynote Panel: AI and Publishing - Opportunities, Challenges, and Transformation

Friday May 16, 2025 4:15pm - 5:30pm CDT

Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront

In this panel discussion moderated by Keith Riegert (President of the Stable Book Group and CEO of Perfect Bound), Mary Rasenberger (CEO of the Authors Guild), Amanda Zila, PhD (Co-Founder of Inkbloom), and Trip Adler (Founder and CEO of Created by Humans) will address the various opportunities, challenges, and transformations happening as AI impacts the publishing landscape.

Topics will include:

Acquisition management
Copyright protection
Fair use and ethical considerations
Licensing opportunities
Editorial, production, and marketing tools

These industry experts will provide their insights into the emerging technologies that are rapidly changing our industry. With ample time for Q&A, the audience will also have the opportunity to share and engage on these topics.

Speakers

Mary Rasenberger

CEO, The Authors Guild

Mary Rasenberger is the Chief Executive Officer of the Authors Guild. Prior to joining the Guild in November 2014, Mary practiced law for over 25 years in the areas of intellectual property, media and technology, with special expertise in copyright law. Most recently, Mary was a partner... Read More →

Trip Adler

Co-Founder & CEO, Created by Humans

Trip Adler is an entrepreneur and executive who has spent his career at the intersection of publishing and technology. He is the co-founder and CEO of Created by Humans, an AI Rights licensing platform that connects creators and AI companies. The company is dedicated to preserving... Read More →

Amanda Zila

Co-Founder & CEO, Inkbloom

Amanda Zila, PhD is the CEO and Co-Founder of Inkbloom, an AI software platform helping publishers make more efficient acquisition, editing, and marketing decisions. Her previous experience includes innovation consulting, technology transfer, and neuroscience research. In her free... Read More →

Keith Riegert

President / CEO, The Stable Book Group / Perfect Bound

Friday May 16, 2025 4:15pm - 5:30pm CDT
Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront 11 E Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55101

Plenary

Audience For This Session Everyone, Start Strong Independent Publishers, Established Independent Publishers, Author Publishers (A.K.A. Self-Published Authors)

8:30am CDT

Breakfast and Intentional Membership

Saturday May 17, 2025 8:30am - 9:00am CDT

Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront

Grab a yummy breakfast and learn about IBPA's committees, board, and volunteer opportunities.

Saturday May 17, 2025 8:30am - 9:00am CDT
Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront 11 E Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55101

Community Building

Audience For This Session Everyone, Start Strong Independent Publishers, Established Independent Publishers, Author Publishers (A.K.A. Self-Published Authors)

9:15am CDT

Saturday Morning Keynote Panel: Re-Thinking Business Models

Saturday May 17, 2025 9:15am - 10:30am CDT

Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront

Brooke Warner, Publisher of She Writes Press, in conversation with Jonathan Merkh (President and Publisher of Forefront Books), Angela Engel (Publisher and Founder of The Collective Book Studio), and Dr. Ayo Sekai (Founder, CEO, and Publisher of Universal Write Publications) about rethinking business models, what to do with business models that straddle more than one category, and issues like co-opting business model terms to the point of dilution. The panelists will talk about how they think about their own models, how they're changing with the times, and how they position themselves relative to traditional publishing and other models.

Speakers

Brooke Warner

Publisher, She Writes Press

Brooke Warner is publisher of She Writes Press and SparkPress, president of Warner Coaching Inc., and author of Write On, Sisters!, Green-light Your Book, What's Your Book?, and three books on memoir. Brooke teaches memoir intensives online and in person, and publishes around 50 memoirs... Read More →

Angela Engel

Publisher & Founder, The Collective Book Studio

Angela Engel is the visionary founder of The Collective Book Studio, a publishing company committed to honoring the author’s voice throughout the entire creative process. With a rich background in traditional publishing, Angela has a keen eye for bringing beautifully crafted books... Read More →

Jonathan Merkh

President & Publisher, Forefront Books

Jonathan Merkh is a seasoned publishing executive with over 30 years of experience in the book industry. Throughout his career, he has worked with a diverse range of authors, including Brad Paisley, Glenn Beck, Dave Ramsey, and the Robertson family from Duck Dynasty, helping to turn... Read More →

Dr. Ayo Sekai

Founder, CEO & Publisher, Universal Write Publications

Dr. Ayo Sekai stands as a force in academia, championing equity, intellectual rigor, and the amplification of Black scholarship. With over 20 years of groundbreaking leadership in publishing, she is the visionary Founder, CEO, and Publisher of Universal Write Publications, LLC (UWP... Read More →

Saturday May 17, 2025 9:15am - 10:30am CDT
Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront 11 E Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55101

Plenary

Audience For This Session Everyone, Author Publishers (A.K.A. Self-Published Authors), Start Strong Independent Publishers, Established Independent Publishers

10:40am CDT

Breakout 3 - (Established Independent Publishers) - Revitalizing Your Backlist (Newly Acquired or Not)

Saturday May 17, 2025 10:40am - 12:10pm CDT

Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront

Revitalizing Your Backlist (Newly Acquired or Not)
Faculty and Details to be announced.

The Established Publisher breakout sessions are intended for independent publishers who have an established business and experience in the industry, and are looking to successfully grow and scale their publishing company. (Generally you will have been in the publishing industry for at least four years, and have published more than ten titles.) Please note that if you are just starting out and you attend an Established Independent Publisher session you are auditing the class, and we ask that you not take up session time with beginner-level questions.

Speakers

Keri-Rae Barnum

CEO, New Shelves Books

Keri-Rae Barnum is an international speaker and marketing expert who has empowered hundreds of authors to launch their writing careers with confidence and success. She specializes in platform building, dynamic book launches, and innovative marketing strategies that have propelled... Read More →

Kurt Brackob

Director, Histria Books

Jared Kuritz

President and CMO, STRATEGIES PR and Zoundy

Jared Kuritz is the President & CEO of STRATEGIES Public Relations, a firm that works with domestic and international clients on literary and publishing development, business modeling, and public relations and marketing. Jared is also the CSO/CMO of Zoundy, an innovative audiobook... Read More →

Saturday May 17, 2025 10:40am - 12:10pm CDT
Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront 11 E Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55101

Breakout Sessions + Ask the Experts

Audience For This Session Established Independent Publishers

12:15pm CDT

Lunch and Meet Our Sponsors!

Saturday May 17, 2025 12:15pm - 1:30pm CDT

Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront

Grab some food, meet a few sponsors, and connect with your community!

Saturday May 17, 2025 12:15pm - 1:30pm CDT
Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront 11 E Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55101

Community Building

Audience For This Session Everyone, Start Strong Independent Publishers, Established Independent Publishers, Author Publishers (A.K.A. Self-Published Authors)

12:30pm CDT

Diversity in Publishing Roundtable Discussion

Saturday May 17, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT

Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront

Grab your food and join this candid discussion with room for everyone to contribute. We'll talk and share about how we are all impacted in an industry and culture that is pulling back from diversity commitments, and generate ideas for how we move forward by building trust, authenticity, and mutual learning within the publishing community to help diverse books reach the readers who need them.

Saturday May 17, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront 11 E Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55101

Community Building

Audience For This Session Everyone, Start Strong Independent Publishers, Established Independent Publishers, Author Publishers (A.K.A. Self-Published Authors)

1:40pm CDT

Breakout 4 - (Established Independent Publishers) - Accessing Global Markets

Saturday May 17, 2025 1:40pm - 2:40pm CDT

Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront

Accessing Global Markets
With Edison Garcia
Details to be announced.

The Established Publisher breakout sessions are intended for independent publishers who have an established business and experience in the industry, and are looking to successfully grow and scale their publishing company. (Generally you will have been in the publishing industry for at least four years, and have published more than ten titles.) Please note that if you are just starting out and you attend an Established Independent Publisher session you are auditing the class, and we ask that you not take up session time with beginner-level questions.

Speakers

Edison Garcia

Sr. Manager, Ingram Content Group

Edison Garcia is the Senior Manager of International Sales at Ingram Content Group, where he oversees sales across all regions outside of the UK and Europe.Edison holds a BA in Spanish Literature from the City College of New York. He began his publishing journey in the managing editorial... Read More →

Saturday May 17, 2025 1:40pm - 2:40pm CDT
Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront 11 E Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55101

Breakout Sessions + Ask the Experts

Audience For This Session Established Independent Publishers

3:30pm CDT

Breakout 5 - (Established Independent Publishers) - Succession Planning

Saturday May 17, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT

Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront

Succession Planning

Faculty and details to be announced.

The Established Publisher breakout sessions are intended for independent publishers who have an established business and experience in the industry, and are looking to successfully grow and scale their publishing company. (Generally you will have been in the publishing industry for at least four years, and have published more than ten titles.) Please note that if you are just starting out and you attend an Established Independent Publisher session you are auditing the class, and we ask that you not take up session time with beginner-level questions.

Speakers

Alexa Bigwarfe

CEO & Founder, Write.Publish.Sell

Alexa Bigwarfe is the founder and CEO of Write|Publish|Sell, a company dedicated to helping authors professionally self-publish and market their books. She is also the founder and host of the Women in Publishing Summit and owns two hybrid publishing houses. A recent near-brush with... Read More →

Miriam Warren

Director, The Fisher Company

Miriam Warren, a Director of the Fisher Company, brings experience in academic, association, and trade publishing with extensive knowledge of print production, editing, design, operations and distribution at for-profit and mission-based houses. Miriam has a comprehensive knowledge... Read More →

Saturday May 17, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront 11 E Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55101

Breakout Sessions + Ask the Experts

Audience For This Session Established Independent Publishers

4:40pm CDT

Closing Session and Raffle

Saturday May 17, 2025 4:40pm - 5:30pm CDT

Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront

Don't miss our closing session of raffle prizes and rapid-fire takeaways!

Saturday May 17, 2025 4:40pm - 5:30pm CDT
Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront 11 E Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55101

Community Building

Audience For This Session Everyone, Start Strong Independent Publishers, Established Independent Publishers, Author Publishers (A.K.A. Self-Published Authors)