Meet the Editors

Jenni Fry

Originally from a rural area of Ohio (near Rosewood), I now live with my husband, Phil, and my son, James (Jamie), in downtown Chicago. We share our condo with an extra-needy cat named Gracie.

My work life in a nutshell: six years at the University of Chicago Press as a manuscript editor; two years at the Great Books Foundation as a production editor; one year as a freelance copy editor and proofreader; one year as managing editor for ALA Editions; now an acquisitions editor for ALA Editions.

Random facts about me:

• This spring, after five years of part-time study, I will finally graduate from UIUC with an MSLIS.
• I am an ABL (all but license) private pilot—which means that I wasn’t up for doing the solo flight requirement, but I’m a great copilot.
• My three siblings are twelve, fourteen, and fifteen years older than me, which means I have both youngest child and only child characteristics—a challenging combination for those who know me.
• I know how to call pigs.

LibraryThing: jennifry; Flickr: Jenni Fry; Second Life: Ariane Arnot

Now reading: Arthur and George, by Julian Barnes

Now listening (my Pandora “stations”): Mose Allison, Billy Bragg, Johnny Cash, Ella Fitzgerald, Green Day, Billie Holiday, Jack Johnson, Leo Kottke, Lenny Kravitz, Morphine, John Prine, Art Tatum

Patrick Hogan

A Chicago native, I now live in the western suburbs of Chicago, with my wife Christine, a school librarian, and two YAs, John and Clare. I’ve become an avid walker. I log a good six miles each weekday with walks to and from train station and dog-walk or two thrown in. I’ve gotten to be really into shoes in the process.

I’m a publisher by trade. Here at ALA, I manage the editorial operations for ALA Editions. I started as an acquisitions editor in 1995. One of my earliest jobs boasted my best job title, travel research editor for Mobil Travel Guide. I neither traveled nor researched though. In the late eighties, I was a sales rep for Addison-Wesley’s General Publishing Group. At Dearborn Publishing, I acquired books for the real estate profession, as well as consumer business titles. It’s amazing how much ports over.

In high school, I was a big on math and science, and for some reason switched over to be an English major despite low test scores. I’m looking for my inner quant jock by educating myself in investing and assisting my son with his fantasy baseball team. I like sports—baseball on the radio, youth soccer, high school basketball, the Bears.

Laura Pelehach

Like Jenni, I’m an Ohio native. Grew up on the lovely shores of Lake Erie, not too far from Cedar Point amusement park. (My first job was selling frozen chocolate bananas at said park). After graduating from THE Ohio State University with a degree in business administration and a minor in English, I moved to the north side of Chicago, which has been home ever since (yes, that means yay Cubs, boo Sox).

I’ve been part of the Chicago publishing scene most of my career. After a short stint in Columbus working for a weekly business newspaper, I moved to Chicago, where I landed a job as a production editor for a medical textbook publishing company. I then to work for a monthly medical journal as a managing editor and writer. I further honed my skills writing, discovering new authors, strategizing, and developing new content (including online) for a business-to-business publication before becoming acquisitions editor at ALA Editions.

I’m a big fan of Chicago Blues music, OSU football, the New Yorker, and books by P.G. Wodehouse. Back in the day, I traveled all over the country…Memphis, New Orleans, Helena Arkansas…for a great music festival. Today, a wonderful bottle of red, a good bit of cheese, and the symphony at Chicago’s beautiful Millennium Park suits me fine.

Eugenia Chun

Although some might not call it “Chicago,” I was raised in Wilmette, a northern suburb. I attended the infamous New Trier High School where I learned modern dance, played the violin, tried to study hard and then, with good fortune, ended up at Cornell University. I loved my time in Ithaca but looking back, I also semi-regret some things.  I never went gorge jumping (illegally jumping off a cliff into a deep gorge below), visited only one waterfall in the area, and did not take nearly enough advantage of the ridiculously good food. Just for the record, Cornell has fabulous food and I should have taken every opportunity to gain my college 30. But alas, I graduated in too short of a time with an English degree and returned to Wilmette, IL.

After graduating, I joined ALA and have been gaining insight into the editing and publishing world ever since. I’ve been thoroughly enjoying every step and process. As the editorial assistant, I feel privy to all the aspects, from the contractual agreement, manuscript delivery, managing editing, and (my favorite), receiving the newly published book in the mail!

Outside of ALA, I try to keep up my dancing and get involved in the community. Like most English majors, I like to read and write and be creative by picking up a new artsy hobby…but who has time for that anyways? ;).