Our Staff - RockyNook
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Scott Cowlin

Scott is the Managing Director and Publisher at Rocky Nook, where he is able to utilize his passions for publishing, marketing, reading and photography on a daily basis, while also working with some of the most talented professional photographers in the business. A life long bay area native, Scott has masterfully built a career in publishing that combines his passions. He often gets a silly smirk on his face when he realizes that people are paying him to play with cameras and read books, many of them about photography.

If you ask him about it, he’ll likely give you a witty yet well thought out reply, which is where he brings in another of his passions for humor (sarcasm is a specialty). When Scott isn’t dreaming up an amazing marketing plan for his latest product or playing with his latest gadget, he’s likely hanging out with his wife and daughters. No matter what they’re doing, there’s a good chance you’ll find a camera, a book or ten, and a lot of smiles all around.

Ted Waitt

Ted came to Rocky Nook in 2015 as Associate Publisher, having worked in the publishing industry for over 10 years. He revels in the creative process and art of bookmaking—from building the foundation of the author relationship to the title concept to the craft of writing, editing, and holding the printed piece in hand.

Ted is an avid photographer who enjoys capturing city scenes while exploring the streets of San Francisco. He and his wife enjoy international travel while sharing the goal to continue to seek out and experience more sights of the world.

Lisa Brazieal

Lisa joined the team at Rocky Nook in 2016, with 25 years of experience in the publishing industry. In her role as Project Manager, she plays a vital part in the production and publication of each and every book that Rocky Nook produces, overseeing everything from the initial book schedule to the choice of paper, cover stock, and printer. And she does it all with a smile on her face and a song in her heart. It is pure bliss to work with Lisa.

When she’s not coaxing, cajoling, or coaching authors and colleagues for the #1 photography book publisher, you will most likely find Lisa riding the highways and byways of California on her motorcycle, hitting the links on a local golf course (her latest obsession), or spending time with her amazing husband.

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Damon Hampson

Damon has close to 25 years of global sales, marketing and business development experience in the publishing and education technology sectors. He is in his professional “happy place” when he is helping to build new relationships with customers and partners. Over the course of his career, he has worked closely with key strategic partners such as Apple, Adobe and Amazon.

 

Damon currently resides in the historic market town of Knutsford in the UK with his wife and son. He is a passionate photographer (www.damonhampsonphotography.com) and has recently taken up half marathon running.

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Kelly Reed

Kelly Reed joined Rocky Nook in May 2019 as executive editor and is working with the team to develop new book ideas and author opportunities. She has worked in the Bay Area publishing industry for over ten years, most recently at Insight Editions where she spearheaded a number of pop culture projects including the smash hit parody A Die Hard Christmas and cookbooks such as The Godfather Corleone Family Cookbook and the forthcoming Official Supernatural Cookbook. Before that she was a senior acquisitions editor at Ulysses Press in Berkeley where she acquired a number of books in the fields of health, humor, fitness, and cooking. She was born and raised in Northern California and graduated from Chico State with a degree in journalism and English. She lives in the Petaluma area with her husband and enjoys exploring Bay Area backroads and restaurants.

Maggie Yates

Maggie Yates is a writer, editor, theatre artist, and succulent enthusiast. She began editing for Rocky Nook in 2013 after earning her MFA in writing from the University of San Francisco in 2012.

By night, she works for Out of the Box Theatre Company in Santa Barbara, and hosts Theatrix, a bi-monthly podcast about Santa Barbara theatre, arts, and culture. She is a theatre critic and arts writer for Broadwayworld.com and the Santa Barbara Independent. She is a proud member of the Santa Barbara Cactus and Succulent Society, and is steadily growing her collection of plants.

Jocelyn Howell

Jocelyn has been an editor for Rocky Nook since 2010. She is grateful for the opportunity to work with amazing photographers who are excited to share their experiences and expertise with other photographers around the world. Jocelyn lives in Santa Barbara, California, with her husband and two kids. Outside of editing photography books, she enjoys running, hiking, camping, and playing in the great outdoors with her family.

Sylvester

I live to help our customers except for Tweety Bird. I hate Tweety Bird!