For Immediate Release — June 25, 2025

ECPA PUBU ONLINE PROGRAM AND LEADERSHIP ANNOUNCED FOR 2025

Customized training in six tracks, Oct. 31 to Nov. 14

“Brain Trust” of industry’s leaders to develop tracks

ONLINE FORMAT > ALL ACCESS PASS > ONE LOW PRICE

JUNE 25, 2025 – ECPA’s annual fall training program – ECPA PubU – will be presented online in 2025, delivering expert training and networking for publishing practitioners through daily webinars offered from October 31 to November 14.

“We offer PubU as an online conference every other year in order to make it more accessible and affordable to a broader group of professionals,” explains ECPA president Jeff Crosby. “For one low price, attendees have access to all webinars, live sessions, and recordings – so it’s a great opportunity to connect and learn across disciplines.”

PubU Online will include nearly 40 webinars, master classes, and networking sessions. Six publishing tracks will meet live, once a day, for five days:

EDITORIAL TRACK
MARKETING & PUBLICITY TRACK
PRODUCTION & OPERATIONS TRACK
RIGHTS & LICENSING TRACK
SALES TRACK
CHILDREN’S BOOK SUMMIT

Debuting this year is a track of sessions devoted to SALES for the industry’s sales professionals. Track leader David Almack, Director of Sales, Marketing and Acquisitions at P&R Publishing, is planning to invite experts to speak to event planning and management, international sales opportunities, direct to consumer strategies, and creating a sales culture within companies.

A committee of industry leaders, forming the event’s Brain Trust, are assigned to develop each track’s topics and secure speakers. The 2025 Brain Trust is led by Jerri Helms, Senior VP of Marketing at HarperCollins Christian Publishers, and includes:

> CHILDREN’S BOOK SUMMIT: Shannon Marchese, VP and Publisher of Tommy Nelson, the children’s imprint for Thomas Nelson; and Mary Manz Simon, author, educator and speaker

> EDITORIAL TRACK: Katara Washington Patton, Executive Editor, VOICES Collection, Our Daily Bread Publishing

> MARKETING & PUBLICITY TRACK: Bob Gaudet, Executive VP of Marketing and Publicity, Baker Publishing Group

> PRODUCTION & OPERATIONS TRACK: Jennifer Butenschoen, Director of Production & Digital Content, Harvest House Publishers

> RIGHTS TRACK: Tim Thornborough, founder and Publishing Director, The Good Book Company

> SALES TRACK: David Almack, Director of Sales, Marketing and Acquisitions, P&R Publishing

> EMERGING LEADER PROGRAM: Deborah Sáenz, Acquisitions and Developmental Editor, NavPress

On leading the committee’s efforts, Jerri states: “Having had the immense privilege of leading many facets of ECPA PubU over the past several years, I eagerly welcome the opportunity to once again collaborate with such a tremendous group of industry leaders. ECPA PubU truly embodies the collaborative spirit and shared purpose that defines Christian publishing. It truly is an event FOR the industry, BY the industry.”

ECPA will continue its Emerging Leader mentorship program, offering PubU scholarships to up-and-coming industry leaders, with an emphasis on under-represented voices in the industry. Each recipient will be matched with an industry mentor for a year-long mentorship program that will be coordinated by NavPress editor Deborah Sáenz. Nominations are due September 19.

ECPA will open early bird registration in the coming weeks. For more information about the program, Brain Trust, and to sign up for program updates, visit ECPAPubU.org.

ECPA (Evangelical Christian Publishers Association) is an international non-profit trade organization comprised of member companies that are involved in the publishing and distribution of Christian content worldwide. Since 1974, ECPA has strengthened Christian publishing by building networking, information, and advocacy opportunities within the industry and throughout multiple channels so that our members can more effectively produce and deliver transformational Christian content. ECPA.org

ECPA PubU has delivered training, connection, networking and inspiration to the industry’s frontline practitioners since 2004. Industry leaders develop the program to invest in the expertise of their colleagues, and train up the next generation of leaders. ECPAPubU.org

Media contacts:
Jeff Crosby, ECPA president, jcrosby@ecpa.org, 480-966-3998 ext. 802
Sheri Toomb, communications manager, stoomb@ecpa.org, 480-966-3998 ext. 805

Submit a News Item

Submit industry related news releases to rushtopress @ecpa .org for consideration. Rush to Press is sent every Monday and eligible releases must be received by end of day Friday prior to the Monday’s publication.

Career Posts

To announce a job opening in Rush to Press, post it first at the ECPA Career Center and your announcement will appear in the next issue.

To receive Rush to Press, along with other industry updates from ECPA, please follow the instructions here to create or modify your ECPA community profile. To subscribe to Rush to Press without using a profile, subscribe here.

Unsubscribe

If you would like to be removed from the Rush to Press distribution list, please edit your ECPA profile preferences or email info @ecpa .org.

Advertise

If you would like to reach over 3,300 industry subscribers and media contacts each week, consider advertising in Rush to Press. Contact sponsorship @ecpa .org for more information.