Elizabeth Demers has joined Michigan State University Press as director, completing a full-circle journey in publishing that brings her back to where she started her career as a graduate assistant.
Demers comes to MSU from the University of Michigan Press, where she had been editorial director since 2019. She also previously held positions at Johns Hopkins University Press, Quarto Publishing, and Potomac Books.
Demers received undergraduate degrees in English and French and a master’s in comparative literature at MSU, as well as a doctorate in U.S. history. In addition to her education at MSU, she obtained a Master of Business Administration at the University of Maryland.
Demers said she is enthusiastic about the opportunity to lead MSU Press and is excited to see MSU expand opportunities in the growing field of open access and foster additional digital projects.
“Having the opportunity to return to my alma mater is a dream come true. As a longtime publishing professional and Michigan native, I am thrilled to be a part of MSU Press’s tradition of outstanding scholarship and community engagement. The press has one of the most talented publishing teams in North America, and I can’t wait to work together with them and with our colleagues in the library and the university to expand our outreach more widely.”
The press is a division of MSU Libraries. It is overseen by Senior Associate Dean for Scholarly Communication and Faculty Affairs Arlene Weismantel, who acted as interim director of the press in recent months. Weismantel shared her excitement about Demers’s appointment to the role.
“I am pleased to welcome Elizabeth Demers to the role of press director at Michigan State University Press. Her leadership skills, publishing experience and dedication to MSU Press make her an asset to this position and the university community.”
MSU Libraries Dean Neil Romanosky welcomed Demers to the library team, saying, “Elizabeth brings an extensive amount of publishing and leadership experience to the MSU Press. I’m looking forward to working with her in upholding the press’s strong publishing history, exploring new avenues for growth, and amplifying synergies with the Libraries in scholarly communications.”
On top of her professional accomplishments, Demers is a national club curling champion and USA Senior Women’s Curling Silver Medalist (2022 and 2023), curling out of the Detroit Curling Club in Ferndale, Michigan.
Demers joined the press on October 17, 2023. You can learn more about the press by visiting https://msupress.org/