2026 Rising Star shortlist announced
The Australian Publishers Association (APA) has announced the shortlist for its 2026 Rising Star award.
The shortlisted professionals, who each began their publishing careers in the past 10 years, are:
- Alisa Ahmed, managing editor, Ultimo Press
- Skye Cusack, marketing coordinator, Magabala Books
- Rachel Chopping, key accounts executive, Thames & Hudson
- Jaimi Kuster, specialist, program management, Pearson
- Caleb Vines, publishing operations manager, books for children and young adults, Allen & Unwin
- Annie Zhang, editor, Hachette Australia.
The shortlist was selected by a panel of publishing industry professionals comprising Alex Allan (Fremantle Press), Jane Curry (Simon & Schuster Australia), Nicola Evans (Copyright Agency) and Karen Hildebrandt (Taylor & Francis).
The judging panel said, “The 2026 Rising Star applicants are a brilliant representation of the emerging talent the Australian publishing industry has to offer. It was a joy to learn more about these outstanding applicants, and we look forward to seeing what they achieve over the next 10 years.
“The shortlisted candidates are stepping beyond the boundaries of their day-to-day roles, showing great initiative and enthusiasm in every aspect of their work. They are actively engaged in the wider publishing industry, making them excellent candidates for this Award. Judging this year’s submissions was quite challenging! There were so many talented candidates highly valued by their colleagues.”
The winner will be announced at the BookUp conference on Wednesday 22 July.
More information about the nominees and the Rising Star award is available on the APA website.
Category: Awards Local news
