POCKET BOOKS Hillary Schupf was appointed publicity director of the newly created Pocket Books department. Formerly director of publicity at Berkley and New American Library, she has worked on a spectrum of titles like The Drudge Manifesto, The Blair Witch Project and HBO's The Sopranos: A Family History.... Seale Ballenger, v-p and publicity director, will focus exclusively on the Atria and Washington Square imprints.

PROQUEST Alfred De Seta has been named president of ProQuest Education with responsibility for growth and expansion in the higher education and k-12 markets. Prior posts include group president at WRC Media Inc. and senior v-p of Primedia Inc., where he managed World Almanac, Weekly Reader, Facts on File News Services and Gareth Stevens Publishing.

PENGUIN BOOKS Jane von Mehren, editor-in-chief and associate publisher, has been named a vice-president.

ENTREPRENEUR PRESS Leanne Harvey has been named director of marketing. She was previously director of marketing at BowTie Press.

SHERIDAN BOOKS Bradley R. Maxey is representing Sheridan Books in Arizona, Southern California, Colorado, New Mexico and Southern Nevada. He can be reached at 702-839-1860; bmaxey@sheridanbooks.com.

MARTINGALE Tom Wierzbicki, formerly with Meredith Corp., has been appointed director of sales and marketing.... Deb Hanahan has been named national account manager.

SIMON & SCHUSTER Gary Urda has been appointed v-p, distributor sales and retail marketing for the sales and distribution division. Prior to directing publisher business development at Ingram's Lightning Source Inc., he was vice-president, direct sales at Pocket Books.

RUNNING PRESS Keltie Hawkins has been appointed an editor for Courage Books following positions at Counterpoint Press and the Brookings Institution Press and as a bookseller at Olsson's Books and Records.

MARY ANNE THOMPSON ASSOCIATES Noël Baca Castex, a former children's book editor at Editorial Atlantida, has been named to cover the children's book markets in the U.S. and Canada for the international scouting agency.

AMACOM BOOKS Adrienne Hickey, former executive editor, has been promoted to editorial director.... Jacquie Flynn, former senior acquisitions editor, has been named executive editor.... Christina McLaughlin has been promoted to acquisitions and development editor.

Compiled by Mary Ann Tennenhouse