Staff

Carl Lennertz, Executive Director

Carl has held executive positions at several publishing houses and non-profits. He was VP of Marketing, Knopf for 10 years and held marketing positions at HarperCollins and Little Brown. He helped organize over 2,000 national author tours and oversaw bestselling book campaigns as well as debut launches. He published a book with Random House, has edited over 25 books, and taught book marketing at the University of Denver Publishing Institute for 11 years. His non-profit and association work includes the ABA (working on a national campaign for independent bookstores), World Book Night US (where 250,000 free books were given to people in need each year on April 23), and now as the CBC and Every Child a Reader Executive Director for nine years. He has lived in upstate NY’s Adirondacks since 2018. Favorite non-work things: Liverpool FC, chocolate, and gardening. 

Shaina Birkhead, Associate Executive Director

Just having celebrated her 12th anniversary at Every Child a Reader, Shaina’s focus is on creating, growing, and maintaining programs and partnerships that support the work of the CBC’s member publishers, increase awareness of children’s books, and address important topics affecting the industry at large. Her main responsibilities include the coordination of the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature program and of the national Children’s Book Week, facilitating the CBC Mid-Level Career Committee, and staff mentorship. Before her work at the CBC and Every Child a Reader, Shaina received a BFA in Dance from UNC-Greensboro and had an exciting career in restaurant service and management. Shaina’s fascination with and adoration of creators in many disciplines fuels her own passion for books and for making things with her hands. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and two little readers, Theo and Ruby. Favorite non-work things: Gardening, woodworking, and any project that involves making something with her hands.

Laura Peraza, Head of Digital Media Design & Content

Laura is a curious designer, communicator, and strategic thinker with experience in innovative visual content, digital technologies, copywriting, and project management. She conducts the organization’s digital media design and supports her fellow co-workers in all things visual and Oxford comma-related. She has overseen the redesign of CBC’s websites and the restructuring of CBC’s Award processes. She previously worked at World Book Night US, Vintage Español, Open Road, and a law firm. She is a chronic lifelong learner with studies in law, journalism, advertising, publishing, and digital media. Fluent in English and Spanish, with some French, she currently resides in Miami. Favorite non-work things: drawing, museums, and triathlons.

Sommer Wissner, Program Coordinator

Sommer’s love of children’s literature peaked after finding a copy of the Grimm’s Book of Fairytales with the text block bound upside down! She received a BA in English with a specialty in Writing and Editing at Auburn University while working at NewSouth Books. She attended the Denver Publishing Institute and then made the move to New York, where she interned for the CBC. A move home to Houston and then to Denver followed, and now she begins as Marketing Assistant in January 2022, tasked with helping coordinate CBC’s many programs.  Favorite non-work things: karaoke, video games, and trivia.

Paulina Ramirez, Associate Program Coordinator

Paulina found her passion for writing at a very young age. She received a BA in Creative Writing from the University of Texas at El Paso and studied abroad in Northern England, learning about the life and poetry of William Wordsworth. Paulina worked in the service industry for seven years, as well as tutoring elementary students in reading and writing, before she landed at the CBC. As Associate Program Coordinator, Paulina currently works the CBC Diversity Committee and the Early Career Committee. She also oversees the CBC and Every Child a Reader social media pages, and has recently began working closely with CBC Associate Members. She currently resides in Texas with her two lovely dogs. Favorite non-work things: cooking, practicing yoga, and going on walks with her dog Fiona.

Brooke S. Pisarsky, Marketing Assistant

Brooke is a fierce book advocate and lifelong children’s book enthusiast. With a BA in English/Creative Writing from Colby College, as well as a certificate from the Denver Publishing Institute, she has built her life around stories—professionally as a bookseller and library assistant, and personally as a passionate reader who’s almost always juggling multiple books at once. Her love for children’s literature deepened when she became a mother, gaining a profound appreciation for the craft behind kids’ books and the transformative impact reading can have on a child’s life. At the Children’s Book Council, Brooke curates the monthly Hot Off the Press list, the quarterly themed Showcase collections, and the Celebration of Culture & Heritage lists that spotlight books representing marginalized and underrepresented communities. She’s proud to support the CBC’s mission and honored to contribute to its work.

Brooke currently resides in a bustling, coastal Maine town with her family, where she can often be found dabbling in graphic design, playing mom-taxi to her two kids, and trying to find some zen in a tumultuous world. Favorite non-work things: sewing, baking all the things, and reading, reading, reading.

John McCormack, Freelance Social Media

John maintains CBC’s social media platforms. He received a BA in Creative Writing and Film from the University of Central Florida. He then went on to the University of Denver for both the Denver Publishing Institute and his MA in Professional Dramatic Writing. He works at a comic bookstore in Florida and compiled CBC’s Pride Month graphic novel list.  On staff Zoom calls, he cuddles his sweet dog, Indiana “Indy” Bones. Favorite non-work things: cold brew, the Broncos, and Broadway.

Nick Rodriguez, Intern

Nick coordinates the Goddard CBC Social Justice Prize and handles book sorting. He is also a supervisor at a NYC coffee shop. His book passions run from both adult and children’s books about history to graphic novels and Syfy/fantasy. His favorite books are Stamped and Dune. Favorite non-work things: Manga, poetry, and cooking.