July 13, 2015 – The Executive Committee of the Society for Scholarly Publishing (SSP) is pleased to announce that Melanie Dolechek has been named the organization’s Executive Director. Dolechek most recently served as Director of Publishing and Marketing of Allen Press and co-chaired the SSP annual meeting in Crystal City in May 2015.
“Melanie brings a strong vision, tremendous enthusiasm, and years of industry experience to this position,” said Ann Michael, SSP President. “She is the right person to drive the SSP’s growth moving forward.”
The position of Executive Director will provide leadership and strategic vision during a period of expansion for the Society. For the past several years, the SSP’s membership has grown, the participation of its volunteers is at an all-time high, annual meeting attendance has increased, and the Society’s blog, The Scholarly Kitchen, continues to be recognized as the preeminent forum for issues related to scholarly publishing.
Dolechek will bring dedicated strategic management experience to the Society as well a cohesive vision for its committees, programming, and outreach. At Allen Press, Dolechek’s experience included marketing, communications, strategic planning, financial management, product development, project management, and operations management. Dolechek was also responsible for the strategic direction of the organization’s publishing program. She has a record of service within the SSP and, with co-chair Mary Beth Barilla, introduced a number of innovations to this year’s annual meeting, including 45-minute sessions, speed networking, and a graphic recorder. Dolechek holds a Master of Science in Management degree from Baker University.
“I’m looking forward to my new role with the SSP,” Dolechek said. “The organization is at an exciting crossroads in its history and I hope to ensure that the SSP expands its role as a trusted resource for all those who care about scholarly communication.”
Ann Mehan Crosse, of the Kellen Company, will serve as the Deputy Executive Director of the SSP. Ann’s excellent work overseeing day-to-day operations for the SSP over the past eight years and her depth of experience in association management will provide a strong foundation for Dolechek’s leadership in the years ahead.
Dolechek will assume her new role on August 10.
About SSP – The Society for Scholarly Publishing (SSP), founded in 1978, is a nonprofit organization formed to promote and advance communication among all sectors of the scholarly publication community through networking, information dissemination, and facilitation of new developments in the field. – See more at: https://www.sspnet.org
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