July 7, 2022, 12:31pm
In June, award-winning indie publisher Graywolf Press announced the retirement of Fiona McCrae, who had served as Director and Publisher of the Minneapolis nonprofit for twenty-eight years.
Since then, the rest of the wolves have been on the lookout for a new pack leader, and it now appears that they’ve found one in Carmen Giménez.
The National Book Award finalist and founder of Noemi Press will join Graywolf Press as Executive Director and Publisher, beginning her tenure on August 8th.
Giménez, a queer Latinx poet and editor, is the author of six collections of poetry, including 2019’s Be Recorder, which was a finalist for the National Book Award in Poetry, the PEN Open Book Award, the Audre Lorde Award for Lesbian Poetry, and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.
“We are honored that Carmen Giménez will be Graywolf’s next Executive Director and Publisher,” said Kathleen Boe, Graywolf board member and chair of the search committee. “Carmen came forward through our broad, international search for a leader whose experience and passion for publishing would expand Graywolf’s strong reputation in new and exciting directions. As we got to know her, it seemed to us that Carmen has been preparing for this role her whole life. We found her vision for the future of Graywolf compelling and are excited to begin working with her.”
“I’m thrilled to be joining the team at Graywolf,” said Giménez. “The press has been a vital force in literature and as a mission-driven organization led by the transformative Fiona McCrae. I hope that we will build on that legacy while continuing to evolve, taking risks, engaging directly with the current moment, and serving our local, national, and international community of readers and writers.”
We wish Giménez, and all of Graywolf’s literary lupines, the very best of luck as they embark upon this new chapter.