(Credits: Beowulf Sheehan, courtesy of Anke Steinecke)
New York, NY—July 9, 2025—Poets & Writers, the national service organization for writers, has elected Christina Baker Kline and Anke Steinecke to its Board of Directors. Amy Berkower and Willys Schneider Kals have been elected to the Emeritus Board.
“We are thrilled to welcome Christina Baker Kline and Anke Steinecke to the Poets & Writers Board,” said Board President Madeline McIntosh, CEO of the independent publisher Authors Equity. “Christina brings a deep understanding of the writer’s life, knowledge gained through a remarkable literary career that has resonated with readers around the world. Anke’s expertise in publishing and the law—especially as related to the First Amendment and intellectual property—will be invaluable as we navigate an evolving landscape for writers and readers alike. Both are passionate advocates for literature, and we’re honored to have them join us.”
Christina Baker Kline is a No. 1 New York Times best-selling author of nine novels, including The Exiles, Orphan Train, A Piece of the World, and the forthcoming The Foursome. Her novels are published in forty countries and have received the New England Prize for Fiction, the Maine Literary Award, the Inter-Allied Union Prize of the Cercle Interallié (Paris), and a Barnes & Noble Discover Award, among other prizes, and have been chosen by hundreds of communities, universities, and schools as “One Book, One Read” selections. Her essays, articles, and reviews have appeared in publications such as the New York Times and the New York Times Book Review, the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, the San Francisco Chronicle, Literary Hub, Psychology Today, and Slate.
Anke Steinecke, a recognized expert in First Amendment and intellectual property law, is Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of Penguin Random House. In addition to leading the PRH legal team in the United States, she advises and provides legal support across territories with an emphasis on a pragmatic, collaborative, and productive approach to legal matters. She and her team counsel on all aspects of the publishing process, prepublication and content review, litigation, material transactions, including corporate and commercial contracts and M&A, licensing and intellectual property matters, finance, data protection and privacy, and general corporate matters.
Election to the Poets & Writers Emeritus Board is an honor reserved for Board members who have made extraordinary contributions to Poets & Writers and who continue to be active in supporting the organization. Amy Berkower, chair of the literary agency Writers House, was a member of the Poets & Writers Board of Directors for nineteen years and served as President from 2018 to 2022. Willys Schneider Kals, a retired partner with the law firm Arnold & Porter, was on the Board for fourteen years, serving as Treasurer from 2014 to 2022, and as President from 2022 to 2023.
About Poets & Writers
Founded in 1970, Poets & Writers has been the primary source of trustworthy information, professional guidance, support, and inspiration for writers for fifty-five years. Our work is rooted in the belief that literature is vital to sustaining a vibrant culture, and we focus on nurturing literature’s source: creative writers. Our mission is to foster the professional development of poets and writers, to promote communication throughout the literary community, and to help create an environment in which literature can be appreciated by the widest possible public.
We advance this mission through our flagship publication, Poets & Writers Magazine; pw.org, a website that offers writers information, inspiration, and a lively online community; and programs that provide professional development opportunities, financial support, and validation for writers. We sponsor the Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award and the Jackson Poetry Prize. Our work is guided by our core values: service, inclusivity, integrity, and excellence, and by our commitment to becoming an antiracist organization. Learn more at pw.org.
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CONTACT:
Rachel Schuder
Director of Development & Communications
Poets & Writers, Inc.
(212) 226-3586 x201
rschuder@pw.org