Norfolk, VA — The Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) announces Michelle Aielli as executive director, effective July 1, 2025. Aielli has served as interim executive director since September 2024.
The AWP Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve Aielli’s appointment. Chair January Gill O’Neil says, “Michelle has shown outstanding leadership, skill, and commitment throughout her time as interim director and her service on the board of directors. I’m excited for the new path forward under her guidance.”
Aielli is a book-publishing veteran with more than twenty-five years of experience. Most recently she was vice president and publishing director of Hachette Books at Hachette Book Group. Previously, she served as director of publicity for Little, Brown and Company, among other roles within Hachette Book Group and other publishing houses. She has been a guest speaker at several publishing courses, including the NYU Summer Publishing Institute and Harvard Business School. Throughout her career, Aielli has managed high-profile campaigns for—and championed the work of—many bestselling and critically acclaimed authors, including Nikita Gill, Jonathan Safran Foer, Elin Hilderbrand, James Patterson, Keith Richards, J. K. Rowling, Donna Tartt, Lindy West, and others.
Aielli says, “It has been an honor to work as interim director alongside AWP’s staff and board of directors, a small but mighty team committed to advancing the literary arts. As we navigate a rapidly shifting cultural, political, and technological landscape, I am dedicated to ensuring AWP remains a source of support and connection for writers, writing programs, and the broader literary community.”
For more information on AWP, please visit AWPwriter.org.