New York City, January 3, 2012—PEN is pleased to announce the appointment of Paul Morris as Director of Membership, Marketing, and Literary Awards, and the promotion of Jasmine Davey to Coordinator of Membership, Literary Awards, and Writers’ Fund.

Morris replaces Alena Graedon, who will spend the next several months working on a novel with the support of writer fellowships and residencies. Morris will begin work in mid-February; Davey’s promotion will take effect immediately.

Morris comes to us from BOMB Magazine, where he has worked since 2004, most recently as General Manager, Digital Media, and Marketing. He brings to PEN a solid combination of managerial, editorial and literary energy and experience, as well as commitment to PEN’s values and purposes. His time at BOMB shows an entrepreneurial spirit of engagement, marketing, and electronic agility in the nonprofit world of publishing and beyond, in addition to cultivating a younger generation we seek to bring more fully into PEN’s membership and activities. Following the important change in PEN’s membership criteria we have seen evidence of new levels of interest—there have been 246 new professional members since the start of 2011, and we want to broaden and capitalize upon this by fully embracing the literary community of writers and professionals and bring them into the circle of PEN’s identity and work.

Morris will work closely with our committees—the Membership Committee, chaired by John Oakes and the Literary Awards Committee, chaired by Alice Quinn—and with all our staff and programs, to build upon our accomplishments and help PEN attain new strength and recognition.

Davey, who began at PEN as a Festival intern, and has served as Associate of Membership, Literary Awards, and Writers’ Fund since last May, has distinguished herself through exceptionally thoughtful, purposeful, and reliable work. In her new role, she will put a major emphasis on Literary Awards and will be an able partner for Morris in their mutual endeavors. She will continue serving the Writers’ Fund with A.M. Homes, the Committee Chair, and Robyn DesHotel, our Finance and Administration Director. She will also oversee all volunteers at the World Voices Festival.

This is a strong start to our 90th year, which promises to be an excellent one, supported by a new team and a strengthened commitment to all aspects of membership—the foundation of PEN—and to our literary awards, which in tandem with our work in defense of free expression, signal our devotion to the celebration of literature.
 

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Paul Morris has served as the General Manager, Digital Media and Marketing at BOMB Magazine since 2009. Before that, he served as the Director of Marketing and Special Projects at BOMB from 2004 until 2008. He has worked in publishing in several capacities, as Associate Editor at Viking Penguin, Managing Editor at Tricycle Magazine, Associate Editor at Entertainment Weekly, and publishing consultant, freelance editor, and new media strategist for several magazines and book publishers. He graduated from Hampshire College in 1995.

Jasmine Davey has been PEN American Center’s Membership, Literary Awards, and Writers’ Fund Associate since May 2011, previously serving as a PEN Festival and Public Programs intern. Davey previously worked as manager at an independent bookstore in Spokane, WA, and in New York as a Director’s Assistant at the 92nd Street Y. She studied English and French at the University of Vermont and Eastern Washington University.

Emma Connolly, (212) 334-1660 ext. 105, [email protected]