Disney Publishing Worldwide Names Mary Ann Naples VP & Publisher of Disney Book Group
Glendale, CA – Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) announced today that Mary Ann Naples has been named vice president & publisher, Disney Book Group (DBG), effective March 14, 2016.
A 20-year publishing industry veteran, Ms. Naples most recently served as senior vice president, publisher, Rodale Books and Rodale Wellness, where she led trade publishing book operations and collaborated with Rodale Inc.’s award-winning brands, bringing their content to life across physical and digital books.
As vice president & publisher, DBG, Ms. Naples will provide strategic direction for the US-based book publishing division of DPW, serving as the industry representative to agents, talent, distributors, organizations and key accounts. She will also proactively lead a world-class team that collaborates with The Walt Disney Company synergy partners and works with best-selling authors to further expand the rich content opportunities, charting the course for the business’ future. Ms. Naples will report to Jeanne Mosure, senior vice president & group publisher, Disney Publishing Worldwide, and will be based in New York City.
“Disney Book Group has been incredibly successful over the years. We are a house that supports our authors and illustrators and, as a publishing arm of The Walt Disney Company, we extend the rich Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Lucas, Freeform and ABC franchises through our growing publishing imprints,” said Jeanne Mosure, senior vice president & group publisher, Disney Publishing Worldwide. “As a self-made entrepreneur and a Disney veteran, Mary Ann brings the right leadership capabilities to support the amazing team and talent we have, while implementing new strategic initiatives in the future.”
Disney Book Group has been creating stories that foster a love of reading, inspire a child’s natural curiosity, and excite families and fans for almost 90 years. The business has grown its collection of imprints including, Disney*Hyperion, Kingswell, Disney Press, Marvel Press, Freeform, Lucasfilm Press and more, to keep pace with rich content opportunities from across The Walt Disney Company (TWDC). The portfolio of content, which includes a roster of best-selling authors such as Rick Riordan, Mo Willems, Melissa de la Cruz, and Margaret Stohl, and 33 New York Times best-selling titles in FY 2016 alone, spans a mix of formats, genres, and play patterns that target a broad range of demographics—from children to adults.
“I am thrilled to join the Disney Book Group with its spectacular track record of success, its world-class brands, franchises, authors and illustrators, and its amazing team,” said Mary Ann Naples, vice president & publisher, Disney Book Group. “Disney has always been at the forefront of innovation and creativity, and I can’t wait to build on the great work already done in the book group.”
Ms. Naples, who has been with Rodale Inc. since 2013, oversaw all book publishing operations, while expanding the scope of the Rodale Books list into new areas. Prior to her tenure, Naples held various leadership positions including, chief of business development for Zola Books; vice president of Talent and Business Development at OpenSky, a social retail platform named one of the 50 most innovative companies in the world by Fast Company magazine; and she was co-founder of The Creative Culture, Inc., a boutique literary agency. She has also held various positions at Simon & Schuster, Hyperion and Doubleday.
Naples holds a BA from Cornell and an MA from University of Virginia. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.
About Disney Publishing Worldwide
Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) is the world’s largest publisher of children’s books, magazines, and apps, igniting imagination through storytelling in ever-inventive ways. DPW creates and publishes books and magazines both vertically in-house and through an extensive worldwide licensing structure. As a leader in digital products, DPW creates best-selling eBook titles and best-in-class original apps. DPW is also committed to the educational development of children around the world through Disney Learning, which includes Disney Imagicademy, as well as Disney English and other Disney-themed learning products. Headquartered in Glendale, California, DPW publishes books, magazines and digital products in 85 countries in 75 languages. For more information, visit www.disneypublishing.com.
