UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State University Press welcomes Abby Naqvi and Katie Luu as the newest members of its Sales and Marketing Department.
Naqvi, former director of marketing and sales at Teachers College Press, has been named sales and marketing director of Penn State University Press, effective Jan. 12.
In the recently expanded role, Naqvi will oversee sales, marketing and publicity initiatives for both books and journals programs at the Press, coordinating a team of six full-time staff.
“Abby brings a rare combination of strategic vision, data-driven insight and deep experience across the scholarly and trade publishing landscapes. We are thrilled to welcome her to Penn State University Press, where her leadership will be central to strengthening our partnerships, elevating our authors and expanding the reach of our publishing programs,” said David Aycock, executive director.
Naqvi has had an extensive career in publishing. She held various positions at the Continuum International Publishing Group, including marketing and sales manager, before working as marketing manager of open access, humanities and social sciences at Palgrave Macmillan and head of academic marketing at Bloomsbury Academic.
“It’s an honor to join Penn State University Press and its storied publishing program. The Press’s commitment to impactful humanities and social science scholarship has long exemplified the highest standards of scholarly publishing, and I’m excited to contribute in support of its authors and mission,” said Naqvi.
Luu, former program analyst for Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, has been named journals marketing specialist of Penn State University Press, effective Nov. 17, 2025.
Luu has had a broad career in communications. She began as a publicity assistant at MIT Press and held multiple positions during her tenure there, including journals promotions coordinator and journals marketing specialist. She then served as the journals marketing manager at Penn State University Press before working as a communications specialist for Changeis Inc.
“I’m thrilled to return to both scholarly publishing and Penn State University Press to support its vibrant journals program. It’s an honor to have the opportunity to reenter the world of journals publishing — it feels like a homecoming. I look forward to reestablishing old connections and nurturing new ones across the Press, its journal editorial offices and the AUPresses community and to connecting readers with accessible, high-quality scholarship across the Press’s journals program,” Luu said.
“Katie’s background makes her an exceptional fit for this moment," said Janice North, digital marketing manager, former interim sales and marketing director, and the hiring manager for the position. "She was part of the MIT Press team when journals marketing was integrated into the books unit, and she brings firsthand knowledge of how to make that model succeed. Her past experience at Penn State University Press is an added advantage — she is familiar with our program and the values that guide our work. Katie is deeply committed to championing scholarship, and I’m excited to partner with her as we build a truly unified marketing team."
As a vital component of the University community, Penn State University Press reflects many of the University’s academic strengths in the liberal arts. Overall, the press publishes about 90 books and 80 journal titles — approximately 175 issues — annually. Titles published under the Penn State University Press imprint include academic publications by researchers around the world in a number of fields and disciplines for a global readership. Those under the Eisenbrauns imprint include academic books about the languages, archaeology and history of the ancient Near East. The Graphic Mundi imprint includes graphic novels for popular audiences that speak to social, environmental and contemporary cultural issues.
The press also recognizes its special responsibility to develop publications about Pennsylvania, both scholarly and popular, that enhance interest in the region and spread awareness of the commonwealth’s history, culture and environment.