The Open Field

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Overview


The Open Field is a publishing imprint with a mission and a purpose: to publish bestselling and award–winning books that rise above the noise and move humanity forward. Founded in 2021 by Peabody and Emmy Award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Maria Shriver in partnership with Penguin Life, The Open Field curates nonfiction titles that reflect Shriver’s passion for uplifting unifying voices and sharing hard-won wisdom. Inspired by the words of Rumi—“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.”—Shriver envisions The Open Field as a space beyond fear, shame, and judgment, where we connect over the most essential truths of the human experience: our shared longing for love, dignity, joy, safety, and belonging.

With a unique author collective built on collaboration and shared purpose, our books span emotional well-being, leadership, caregiving, spirituality, and science-based insight—offering readers inspiration, insight, and guidance as we take off our masks, recognize ourselves in one another, and move forward together into the open field of life. We’ll meet you there.

Meet the Team

Maria Shriver, Publisher

Maria Shriver is a mother and grandmother, a Peabody and Emmy Award-winning journalist and producer. She is the author of seven New York Times bestselling books, the former First Lady of California, an NBC News Special Anchor, founder of Shriver Media, The Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement, the brain health brand MOSH, and the publisher of The Open Field. When she’s not thinking or writing, she can be found hanging with her kids and grandkids.

Brian Tart, President and Publisher

Brian Tart was named president and publisher of Viking in January 2015, and Penguin Books in 2020. He started his career as an editorial assistant at Bantam Books before moving to Dutton in 1998 and eventually becoming the president and publisher of Dutton for nine years. Brian continues to edit both fiction and nonfiction, working with Ken Follett, John le Carré, Elizabeth George, Craig Johnson, Andrew Roberts, and Timothy Keller, among others.

Meg Leder, Editorial Director

Meg Leder (she/her/hers) publishes a wide range of wellness-inspired prescriptive nonfiction and voice-driven books. She is looking for projects in the wellness arena that contribute to larger cultural conversations and help readers live their lives in new ways, as well as nonfiction that delights, surprises, and entertains. Meg’s current and forthcoming list includes books by New York Times bestselling authors Keri Smith, Elaine Welteroth, Mari Andrew, Luvvie Ajayi Jones, and coloring book artist Johanna Basford, as well as poet Yrsa Daley-Ward, actress Zosia Mamet, board-certified psychiatrist Dr. Pooja Lakshmin, and thought leader Bozoma St. John.

Cassidy Graham, Editor

Cassidy M. Graham (she/her/hers) acquires empowering and accessible nonfiction in categories such as self-help, body/mind/spirit, health, psychology, religion, inspiration, creativity, and women’s issues. She looks for prescriptive, expert-driven, and platform-driven books with broader themes that help readers improve themselves and their world. She is particularly interested in books that highlight our interdependence as a species. Her current and forthcoming list includes books by New York Times bestselling authors Shannon Watts, Laura Berman, Miroslav Volf, and Ryan McAnnally-Linz; as well as journalist Stacey Lindsay; psychologist, couples therapist, and certified sex therapist Dr. Marina Rosenthal; licensed holistic psychologist Dr. Scott Lyons; family medicine physician and health advocate Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell; relationship coaches Aaron and Jocelyn Freeman, a.k.a. “The Freemans”; and more. 

Nina Rodríguez-Marty, Executive Editor

Nina Rodríguez-Marty (she/her/hers) joined Penguin Life in 2022 and publishes prescriptive and idea-driven nonfiction across self-help, personal development, psychology, and health. She gets excited about books that push traditional wellness scripts, especially by offering new takes on old problems. Her list includes brilliant experts and leaders in their field, including New York Times bestselling authors Ramani Durvasula, Martha Beck, and Kara Loewentheil, as well as forthcoming titles by fertility doctor Natalie Crawford, relationships expert Sabrina Zohar, child therapist Jess VanderWier, and home organization influencer Lisa Chun.

Amy Sun, Senior Editor

Amy Sun (she/her/hers) acquires nonfiction across a range of subjects, including memoir, narrative nonfiction, health, wellness, psychology, spirituality, religion, relationships, fashion, pop culture, and beauty. She looks for books that connect ideas across disciplines and that help us live more meaningful, thoughtful lives. She also acquires literary fiction that is smart, funny, profound, with an original voice or perspective, or that has a speculative element. Amy’s current and forthcoming list includes books by Stanford University professor and MacArthur Fellow Jennifer L. Eberhardt, PhD; New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Ella Frances Sanders; journalist and deputy editor at The Counter Joe Fassler; social worker, tarot reader, writer, and teacher Jessica Dore; and journalist and executive editor at Refinery29 Connie Wang.

Isabelle Alexander, Assistant Editor

Isabelle Alexander (she/her/hers) joined Penguin Life in January 2023 assisting Meg Leder and Amy Sun. She graduated with an International Relations B.A. from Tufts University. After working as an administrative assistant at a healthcare facility, she transitioned to the world of publishing and enjoys nonfiction books from diverse voices that interrogate the established systems of the world and give readers the tools to living a better life.

Shelby Meizlik, Executive Publicist

Since joining The Open Field in 2020, Shelby Meizlik has orchestrated numerous high-impact publicity campaigns for bestselling titles. Her work includes The Way of Integrity and Beyond Anxiety by Martha Beck; and I Am Maria by Maria Shriver; among others. Shelby is known for her strategic, author-focused approach that consistently lands major media coverage and drives strong sales. She also plays a key role and spearheads major publicity efforts for Viking and Penguin Life, collaborating with a diverse roster of high-profile authors such as Jen Sincero, Dr. Pooja Lakshmin, Dr. Uché Blackstock, Eckhart Tolle, Robert Greene, and many more.