2026 KCU Pitchfest Judges:

Adam Wallenta

Senior Editor

(one-on-ones will be available)

Adam is a veteran author, illustrator, editor, publisher and educator with over 30 years of experience in comics. His award-winning Punk Taco graphic novel series, has earned multiple honors, including the 2019 Ringo Award for “Best Kids Comic or Graphic Novel” and the Kids Comics Award for “Best Sci-Fi or Fantasy Book”. Adam is currently an editor at Papercutz overseeing a variety of books, including The Smurfs, Flash Gordon Adventures, Herobear and the Kid, Three Thieves, among many others.

About Papercutz:

Papercutz is dedicated to publishing great graphic novels for all ages. Popular with reluctant readers and gifted readers alike, Papercutz graphic novels for kids, tweens, and teens include a wide range of genres, including humor, action adventure, mystery, horror, and favorite characters. We work every day to introduce young readers to the imaginative wonders waiting to be discovered in comics.

Recent Books:

Alexandra Weiss

Literary Agent

(one-on-ones will be available)

Alexandra Weiss joined the world of publishing in 2016, focusing on book publicity and marketing, but quickly fell in love with agenting. In 2021, she joined Azantian Literary Agency where she represents fiction and nonfiction picture books, middle grade, young adult, graphic novels, and select adult fiction and nonfiction. Prior to publishing, she earned her BFA in creative writing and publishing from Columbia College Chicago.

About Azantian Literary Agency

"Founded in 2014, Azantian Literary is committed to guiding the careers of both new and established voices in fiction and nonfiction, particularly those who have been historically underrepresented.
Whether a heart-warming contemporary, a moving true story, or a grand epic fantasy, we look for the universal truths in our stories that connect us all."

Recent Books:

  • REEL LIFE by Kane Lynch
  • TEAMO PRIMO (2027) by Joshua Cenyaotl Herron
  • MI TIO HERNAN (2028) by Alondra Araujo

Andrea Colvin

President

(one-on-ones will be available)

Andrea Colvin founded Andrea Colvin Creative Agency in 2025 after three decades in a variety of editorial leadership roles. She is best known for having acquired and published the graphic memoir Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe, one of the most banned books in the US for the past half decade, and for her development role in Jerry Craft’s New Kid, the first graphic novel to win the prestigious Newbery Award.

About Andrea Colvin Creative Agency:

Andrea Colvin Creative Agency focuses on books and illustration for young people, from picture books through new adult. ACCA is open to submissions, and is especially looking to represent illustrators, middle-grade and YA prose authors, and creative nonfiction aimed at kids.

Recent Books:

Angelica Busanet

Assistant Editor

(one-on-ones will be available)

Angelica Busanet is an Assistant Editor at Abrams Books. With a passion for graphic novels, she has worked with award-winning graphic novel writers and illustrators. She continues to expand her list with a focus on graphic novels across ages and genres. When she doesn’t have her nose in a comic, Angie can be found creating zines and mini comics, starting up another Spotify playlist, or watching wrestling.

About Abrams:

Make some noise for Abrams Fanfare, the home to the biggest, brightest, and best comics for kids of all ages, from early readers to middle grade and young adult. The list—inspired by a love of comics, and inspiring the next generation of comics readers—features award-winning and critically acclaimed creators, popular series, compelling nonfiction, and original stories from fan-favorite brands.

Recent Books:

Celina Sun

Associate Editor

(one-on-ones will be available)

Celina Sun is an Associate Editor at Penguin Workshop, where she works on picture books through YA, including graphic novels. She aims to champion joyful, escapist stories by underrepresented voices. In the graphic novel space, she’s looking for works that take full advantage of their format in the contemporary realistic, fantasy, and speculative spaces. She’d love to see fresh takes on beloved tropes, irresistible characters, and well-placed page turns.

About Penguin Workshop:

At Penguin Workshop, we make great books for every kind of reader, from birth through teen. Here, you’ll find unique board books, beautiful picture books, laugh-out-loud chapter books, the New York Times Best-Selling Who HQ series, Mad Libs, and Penguin’s award-winning leveled reader program. We make readers laugh. We make readers feel accomplished. We make readers.

Recent Books:

Cynthia (Cindy) Harris

Editorial Assistant

(one-on-ones will be available)

Cindy Harris joined AMP in 2022. Before that, she worked freelance on graphic novels and comics for publishers such as HarperCollins, Random House Graphic, and WEBTOON. Outside of work, books, and comics, Cindy loves gaming, tabletop RPGs, baking pan dulce, and spoiling her cat, Nutmeg.

About Andrew McMeel Universal:

Andrews McMeel Universal is a Kansas City-based global media company that partners with a world-class roster of creative and diverse talent. Through publishing, syndication, entertainment, and interactive experiences, we connect audiences to universal messages of truth, humor, and hope that have the power to connect people and change lives.

Recent Books:

Emily Daluga

Editor

(one-on-ones will be available)

Emily Daluga (she/her) is an editor at Chronicle Books who works on middle-grade novels and graphic novels for kids of all ages. She enjoys both heartfelt contemporary fiction and funky genre fiction and is most drawn to stories that feature a diverse cast of queer characters, monsters of any kind, unexpected twists, and tug-at-your-heartstrings emotions. When not working, she enjoys writing in cozy coffee shops, seeing musicals with her partner, and overanalyzing bad horror movies.

About Chronicle Books

Chronicle Books is an independent publisher based in San Francisco that has been making things since the Summer of Love. We are inspired by the enduring magic of books, and by sparking the passions of others. We believe in partnering with artists, writers, and organizations that represent the diversity of our world, and we are committed to an inclusive company culture that respects and uplifts people of diverse backgrounds and points of view.

Recent Books:

Erica Rand Silverman

Senior Literary Agent

Erica Rand Silverman is a senior literary agent at Stimola Literary Studio. She is known for building a shelf of exceptional illustrated books for children that combine kid appeal with deep respect for the book as object. Some of her clients in the graphic novel space include Eisner nominated Mika Song, and indie bestsellers Dan & Jason. She is a tireless advocate for her clients and proud to work with a team of people who are so thoughtfully entertaining young hearts and minds.

Stimola Literary Studio

Eclectic in taste but not in standards, the Stimola Literary Studio helps build careers for writers and artists of books for children and adults.

Recent Books:

Ginee Seo

VP, Editorial Director

Ginee Seo is VP, Editorial Director of Ten Speed Young Readers, a newly launched children's book imprint at Ten Speed/Crown. Previously she was Executive Publishing Director of Children’s Books at Chronicle Books; VP, Associate Publisher at Atheneum Books for Young Readers, where she also had her own eponymous imprint; and VP, Editorial Director at Harper Trophy. She has edited and published many award-winning, best-selling children’s books, from board books and picture books to middle grade and YA novels, graphic novels, and YA fiction, nonfiction, and memoir.

About Ten Speed Young Readers:

Ten Speed Young Readers publishes bold and imaginative fiction and nonfiction with a distinctive aesthetic and fresh perspective—stories ranging from the provocative to the profound to the seriously fun. From board books, picture books, and graphic novels to middle grade fiction and nonfiction, our books deliver stories from acclaimed and emerging voices that create readers for life.

Recent Books:

Ivan Taurisano

Associate Editor

(one-on-ones will be available)

Ivan Taurisano is an Associate Editor at First Second Books, where he’s on the lookout for commercial, laugh-out-loud stories with quirky characters. He holds an MA in Children’s Literature and an MFA in Writing for Children, and worked across every corner of children’s publishing—from board books and picture books to middle grade and graphic novels. Ivan has collaborated with beloved brands and series, including How to Catch, Sesame Street, Disney, Marvel, tokidoki, and Pokémon.

About First Second:

First Second is a graphic novel publisher located in New York City. We publish graphic novels in every genre and for readers of all ages. Our graphic novels are available online, in libraries, in comic book shops, and wherever books are sold. Led by Editorial & Creative Director Mark Siegel, Editorial Director Calista Brill, and Creative Director Kirk Benshoff, each of our graphic novels is the work of an army of creators, editors, designers, and editorial staff.

Jane Chun

Literary Agent

(one-on-ones will be available)

Jane Chun is a literary agent at Transatlantic Agency. She joined Transatlantic in 2023 after four years at Janklow & Nesbit Associates. Prior to her time at J&N, she worked on a freelance project for HG Literary and interned at Writers House and Maximum Films & Management. Jane represents writers and writer-illustrators across middle grade, YA, and adult. To see more information on what she's looking for and how to query her, please refer to her MSWL: https://jane-chun.com/mswl.

About Transatlantic Agency:

Founded 30 years ago, Transatlantic Agency offers a full spectrum of representation to authors, illustrators, and storytellers across all genres and formats for books, screenplays, speaking engagements, and film/TV rights. Our agents are based in cities across North America, and we represent adult and children's clients across the globe. Our clients regularly appear on prestigious bestseller and award lists such as the New York Times, National Book Award, Newbery Medal, and Giller Prize.

Jenniea Carter

Literary Manager

(one-on-ones will be available)

Jenniea champions stories that invite readers to learn, laugh, and feel deeply. She’s especially drawn to projects that hold space for healing generational trauma, often through the power of love, joy, and resilience. Jenniea champions stories that invite readers to learn, laugh, and feel deeply. She’s especially drawn to projects that hold space for healing generational trauma, often through the power of love, joy, and resilience. To learn more about her visit www.jennieacarter.com

About New Leaf Literary and Media:

New Leaf Literary & Media is a full service management and representation firm.

Recent Books:

Jas Perry

Agent

(one-on-ones will be available)

Jas Perry is an agent with Looking Glass Literary & Media representing authors and illustrators; she has a particular passion for comics and illustrated projects. Jas has a background in PB/MG/YA/GN editorial at Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine Books and Levine Querido, and began building her list as an agent in 2020 at KT Literary. She’s genre agnostic but has a particular fondness for the unsettling, the horrifying, and the absurd.

About Looking Glass Literary & Media:

Looking Glass Literary & Media is a boutique agency with a full-service team of fierce advocates who support all facets of our clients' careers. Our priority is championing authors and books that reflect the diverse world around us. The books we work with leave lasting impressions that inspire growth, thought, and joy in the world.

Recent Books:

Jemiscoe Chambers-Black

Founder + Agent

(one-on-ones will be available)

Jemiscoe Chambers-Black is a co-founder of Starling Literary + Media and a literary agent who loves championing storytellers across age categories. Her love of reading started in a very on-brand way: with pizza. At seven, her school handed out personal pan pizza coupons for every book read, and Jem was instantly hooked. Pretty soon, she wanted the stories more than the slices.

Before becoming an agent, Jem spent over a decade as an Assistant Director in film and television, where she learned how character, tension, and timing make a story work, skills she brings to her work with creators every day. She later shifted her focus to publishing, joining the Andrea Brown Literary Agency and ultimately co-founding Starling Literary + Media in 2025 with her colleagues and friends, Paige Terlip and Jennifer March Soloway. She also serves on the board of the Association of American Literary Agents. A true generalist, she represents authors and illustrators creating picture books, chapter books, middle grade, YA, adult fiction, and graphic novels.

About Starling Literary + Media:

Starling Literary + Media represents bestselling and award-winning creators, as well as debuts. Regardless of where clients are in their careers, our goal is to help create enduring legacies through our strategic guidance, editorial savvy, and innovative business tactics.

Recent Books:

Jenna Lettice

Senior Editor

Jenna Lettice is the editor of the Magic Tree House Graphic Novels, Jennifer L. Holm's and Matthew Holm's The Big Adventures of Babymouse, and the forthcoming Squirrel Lock Holmes series, an early reader graphic novel by Ashley Belote (Spring 2026). She is a true generalist, working on everything from early reader through YA, but her specialty lies in books for early elementary schoolers (ages 6-10). The more laugh-out-loud humor and friendship, the better!

About Random House Graphic:

Random House Graphic is a dedicated graphic novel imprint producing comics for emerging readers through young adults.

Recent Books:

Josh Sippie

Editor

(one-on-ones will be available)

Josh Sippie is an editor of comics and manga for all ages at HarperAlley. He loves stories that reach even the most reluctant readers in inventive ways, from bonkers humor to frightful scares.

About Harper Alley:

HarperAlley is a collaborative, creator-focused publisher of graphic novels that connect with readers of all ages.

Recent Books:

Lydia Nguyen

Assistant Editor

(one-on-ones will be available)

Lydia Nguyen is an Assistant Editor at Abrams ComicArts, where she acquires adult graphic novels and occasionally works on MG and YA graphic novels. She has previously worked in M&P at Oni Press and early reader graphic novel editorial at TOON Books, and she teaches Manga History at the School of Visual Arts.

About Abrams ComicArts:

Abrams ComicArts is an adult graphic novel imprint founded by Charles Kochman, the editor of DIARY OF A WIMPY KID. We are committed to the art of graphic novels, and our list consists of literary adaptations, innovative nonfiction, memoir, and fiction series from comics industry powerhouses such as Marjorie Liu and Brian Michael Bendis.

Recent Books:

Susan Hawk

Literary Agent

Susan Hawk is an agent at Upstart Crow Literary, a boutique literary agency she joined after twenty-five years working across many areas of the children’s book world. She represents writers and illustrators of books for kids and teens. Her clients include NYT Bestseller S.E. Grove (Mapmakers trilogy / Viking), Autumn Krause (Before the Devil Knows You’re Here / Peachtree), Rachel Elliott (The Real Riley Mayes / Harper), and Ruth Spiro, author of over thirty picture books.

About Upstart Crow Literary:

We are a New York City based literary agency passionate about finding and representing the finest creators of adult fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books. Among our clients are #1 New York Times bestsellers, National Book Award finalists, winners of state reading awards and American Library Association prizes, and much more.

Recent Books: