We are delighted to share the news that Brianna Schofield will be joining Authors Alliance as our new Executive Director, effective February 1, 2017. “Brianna Schofield is ideally positioned to provide both broad vision and individual assistance to authors who need to manage their rights and reach their readers in the digital age,” says Authors Alliance co-founder Molly Van Houweling. Schofield is a copyright attorney licensed to practice in California, and has extensive experience in working on our core issues thanks to her leadership at the Samuelson Law, Technology, and Public Policy Clinic at UC Berkeley Law. She is co-author of our handbooks on rights reversion and open access, and is a knowledgeable and passionate advocate for authors’ rights, fair use, and other key issues of importance to our community. In addition to her legal and policy expertise, she brings a wealth of business management experience to her new role.

“Over the past two years, I have had the great privilege of partnering with Authors Alliance to develop resources that advance the mission of the organization,” Schofield says. “In working on these projects, I have been inspired by the devotion of Authors Alliance members and leadership to the shared goal of promoting widespread access to knowledge and creativity. As the new Executive Director, I am incredibly excited to expand upon this work and to continue to support authors who want to share their works broadly.”

The Authors Alliance board and core staff are excited to welcome Schofield on board and to introduce her to our community. “Having worked with Ms. Schofield on our rights reversion and open access guides, I know she shares the values and understands the mission of Authors Alliance,” says Authors Alliance president Pamela Samuelson. “With her experience as a professional photographer, as well as her legal training and expertise in copyright law, she is an exceptionally well qualified person to succeed our current (wonderful) Executive Director Michael Wolfe. We are delighted that she will soon come on board as our ED.”

Please join us in welcoming Brianna to her new position. As our organization continues to grow in scope and reach, we are thrilled to have such a talented candidate to lead Authors Alliance into 2017 and beyond.