Rise X Team

Penguin: Because Reading Matters

Rae Peckman, Designer

Rae is a Philadelphia based designer with a love for thoughtful and intentional design. They believe that good design should bring joy, clarity and hope to others. Rae holds a BFA in Graphic and Interactive Design from Tyler School of Art at Temple University. Prior to joining the RISE team in 2022, they worked at Running…

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Nicole Fox, Editor

Cecily Kaiser joined Penguin in 2019 with a mission to create engaging, empowering, and elegant books for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. She has previously worked with major contributors to this category such as Norman Bridwell, Caroline Jayne Church, Barney Saltzberg, Jean Jullien, Leslie Patricelli, Chris Raschka, and Lotta Nieminen, and looks forward to continuing to publish groundbreaking talent for the youngest readers.

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Maria Elias, Senior Art Director

Maria joined Penguin Young Readers in 2019, and previously designed for Random House, Disney Hyperion, and Workman Publishing. Before falling in love with book design, she worked in news and magazine. Maria’s work has been recognized by AIGA 50 Books/50Covers, the Type Directors Club, and the New York Book Show. She is also a member of the LatinX in publishing community and supports diversity in books.

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Cecily Kaiser, Vice President & Publisher

Cecily Kaiser joined Penguin in 2019 with a mission to create engaging, empowering, and elegant books for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. She has previously worked with major contributors to this category such as Norman Bridwell, Caroline Jayne Church, Barney Saltzberg, Jean Jullien, Leslie Patricelli, Chris Raschka, and Lotta Nieminen, and looks forward to continuing to publish groundbreaking talent for the youngest readers.

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