Gita Manaktala Named Executive Director of Columbia University Press

Photo credit: Gretchen Ertl

Columbia University has appointed Gita Manaktala as Executive Director of Columbia University Press.

Manaktala joins Columbia following a distinguished career at Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press, where she spent more than three decades helping to shape one of the world’s leading academic publishing programs. Most recently, she served as executive editor at large, following her tenure as editorial director. She led the strategic growth of the Press’s publishing portfolio, expanded its trade publishing program, advanced innovative approaches to open-access scholarship, and strengthened its reputation for publishing work that bridges academic excellence and public impact.

Following a national search by a committee of several faculty and administrative leaders and co-chaired by Sarah Cole, Dean of the School of the Arts and Parr Professor of English and Comparative Literature, and Ann Thornton, Vice Provost and University Librarian, Manaktala emerged as an exceptional choice to lead Columbia University Press into its next chapter.

“Gita is an accomplished publishing leader whose career has been defined by intellectual curiosity, editorial excellence, and a deep commitment to expanding access to knowledge,” said Angela V. Olinto, Provost and Rutherfurd Professor of Astronomy and Professor of Physics.

“Throughout her career, Gita has demonstrated an ability to expand the reach and impact of academic work while upholding the highest standards of intellectual rigor. At a time when universities play an increasingly important role in advancing knowledge and informing public understanding, I am confident that she will build on Columbia University Press’s extraordinary legacy and help shape its future with creativity, ambition, and purpose.”

During her tenure at MIT Press, Manaktala helped expand the publishing program from approximately 200 to 300 titles annually, strengthened relationships with authors and scholarly communities, and pioneered innovative approaches to digital publishing and open access. She has also been a recognized leader within the broader publishing profession, serving on the board of directors of the Association of University Presses and advising several leading publishing organizations.

Commenting on her appointment, Manaktala said:

“I am honored to join Columbia University Press and to build upon its distinguished tradition of publishing scholarship that informs, challenges, and inspires. At a time when the world faces complex social, scientific, technological, and political questions, university presses play a vital role in bringing rigorous research into the public conversation. I look forward to working with the Press’s talented staff, authors, faculty partners, and supporters to champion exceptional scholarship and bring it to wider audiences around the globe.”

Olinto also expressed her gratitude to Jennifer Crewe, who led Columbia University Press with distinction for more than a decade.

“Jennifer’s leadership strengthened the Press’s reputation as one of the world’s leading university presses while expanding its scholarly impact and global reach. We are deeply grateful for her many contributions to the University and the broader publishing community. I would also like to recognize Brad Hebel for his steady leadership as Interim Director of Columbia University Press and for his assistance during this important period of transition.”

Manaktala will assume her new role as Executive Director of Columbia University Press on September 8, 2026.

Search Committee Members:

• Sarah Cole, Dean of the School of the Arts and Parr Professor of English and Comparative Literature
• Racquel Gates, Associate Professor of Film, School of the Arts
• Brad Hebel, Interim Director, Chief Operating Officer, Columbia University Press
• Sharon Marcus, Orlando Harriman Professor of English, Department of English and Comparative Literature
• Haruo Shirane, Shincho Professor of Japanese Literature, Vice Chair of the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, and Faculty Director of the Donald Keene Center
• Ann Thornton, Vice Provost and University Librarian, Columbia University Libraries
• Bruce Usher, Professor of Professional Practice and Elizabeth B. Strickler ’86 and Mark T. Gallogly ’86 Faculty Director of the Tamer Institute for Social Enterprise and Climate Change, Columbia Business School

About Columbia University Press

Founded in 1893, Columbia University Press is one of the nation’s oldest and most respected university presses. The Press publishes nearly 190 books annually and maintains a backlist of more than 5,500 active titles. Through rigorous editorial standards, production, and global distribution, it advances Columbia University’s mission by bringing influential scholarship and ideas to readers around the world.

Its distinguished publishing program spans climate science, critical theory, East Asian studies, film, history, politics, literature, sociology, social work, and business. Over its history, the Press has published numerous landmark works that have shaped academic disciplines and influenced public discourse, including The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sources of Chinese Tradition, Molecular Gastronomy, The Dark Delight of Being Strange, and Investing in the Era of Climate Change.

From its long-standing commitment to translating Asian classics and European critical thought to its growing programs in climate science and its partnership with Howard University on the Black Lives in the Diaspora series, the Press continues to champion diverse perspectives and foster scholarly exchange. Its books reach scholars, students, policy makers, librarians, booksellers, public intellectuals, and general readers worldwide.

For more than 130 years, Columbia University Press has published award-winning and widely reviewed works that deepen understanding, advance research, and inform public debate. As a vital extension of the University, the Press serves as an outward-facing expression of Columbia’s academic excellence, research mission, and global impact.