About
No Starch Press publishes the finest in geek entertainment — bestsellers like Python Crash Course, Python for Kids, How Linux Works, and Hacking: The Art of Exploitation. We focus on computer programming, security, hacking, alternative operating systems, STEM, and LEGO. Our titles have personality, our authors are passionate, and we read and edit everything we publish. Readers appreciate our straightforward presentation, fearless approach to the complex world of technology, and support of the global hacking community. No Starch Press titles have been included in the prestigious Communication Arts Design Annual and STEP inside 100 competition, and have won the Independent Publisher Book Award (the "IPPYs") from Independent Publisher magazine.
San Francisco-based No Starch Press was founded in 1994 by Bill Pollock, who brings more than 30 years of publishing industry experience to the company. Prior to launching No Starch Press, Pollock worked in professional reference, scientific, college and trade publishing, and was a co-founder of computer book publisher APress.
A graduate of Amherst College with a Political Science degree ("I wrote my papers on a VAX when not playing Zork,") Pollock prefers to think of himself as a would-be Biology major. After three years helping run a family wedding gown business Pollock left for a premed program at University of Pennsylvania thinking he'd be learning science. He dropped out of that program and joined Springer-Verlag in 1987 where he rewrote the occasional medical book, attempted to teach people how to use a PC XT, and sold medical books at conferences. Subsequent stints in book publishing included textbook publishing (Wadsworth, sales meetings were a blast), scientific and technical publishing (W. H. Freeman where he tried to develop a software-based molecular modeling kit way back in 1990). After being fired from Freeman Pollock left New York for Osborne/McGraw-Hill where he published some big and boring manuals, computer game books (fun, in the early days of Maxis and Sierra Online), and books about things like SoundBlaster. His managers would pull books out of his hands because he kept working on them. After being fired from Osborne, Pollock founded No Starch Press where he remains an active editor and works closely with many of our authors.
Bill Pollock, Founder, President (He/him/his) Essential Job Functions: Runs the place. State of Residence: California What I like to do when not working: Cook, eat, take long walks, tend to my orchids, dream of playing my acoustic piano, turn up the death metal. Learn.
Jill Franklin, Managing Editor (She/Her) Essential Job Functions: Acquisitions and developmental editing. State of Residence: Missouri What I like to do when not working: Throwing pottery, gardening, reading, skiing.
Frances Saux, Editor (She/Her/Hers) Essential Job Functions: I provide developmental feedback to our authors and acquire new projects. I most often work on books about hacking, computer security, and Python programming. State of Residence: Illinois What I like to do when not working: Read philosophy papers, take walks, and hang out with my jumping spider.
Nathan Heidelberger, Editor (He/him/his) Essential Job Functions: Acquisitions and developmental editing. State of Residence: New York What I like to do when not working: Play the piano, cook, and spoil my two dogs.
Eva Morrow, Associate Editor (She/Her/Hers) Essential Job Functions: Acquisitions and developmental editing. State of Residence: Washington What I like to do when not working: Spend time with my pups and husband; Crochet; Read; Paint; DIY anything and everything.
Sabrina Plomitallo-González, Production Manager (She/Her/Hers) Essential Job Functions: Manage the production team and book manufacturing; scheduling extraordinaire. State of Residence: Washington What I like to do when not working: Hanging by the campfire, getting lost in bookstores, cooking and baking new recipes, knitting too many blankets for my cat.
Jennifer Kepler, Senior Production Editor (She/her/hers) Essential Job Functions: Manage the production of books, mentor junior production editors, quality check e-products, and fill in for the production manager. State of Residence: Oregon What I like to do when not working: Hike, camp, backpack, ski, travel, and take photos.
Miles Bond, Associate Production Editor (He/him/his) Essential Job Functions: Manages books through production; develops and maintains LaTeX workflow and templates; provides technical production-related support; updates eProducts and published errata. State of Residence: Massachusetts What I like to do when not working: Try out new hiking trails, go mountain biking, and get bossed around by my several cats.
Sydney Cromwell, Production Editor (She/Her/Hers) Essential Job Functions: Managing book production; proofing State of Residence: Maine What I like to do when not working: Aerial silks, knitting, sewing, hanging out with my husband and our very talkative cat.
Allison Felus, Production Editor (She/Her/Hers) Essential Job Functions: Keeping books moving the through the editing, layout, and printing processes State of Residence: Illinois What I like to do when not working: Making music with my band; interviewing guests for my podcast; painting my nails; endlessly tinkering with coffee brewing methods.
Briana Blackwell, Sales Specialist (She/her) Essential Job Functions: Handles foreign rights and direct business. State of Residence: Georgia What I like to do when not working: Cook, bake, undertake fermentation projects; take nature walks with my husband.
Connor Mason, Marketing and Sales Associate (He/him) Essential Job Functions: Facilitates conference and community partnerships, engages with our audience on social media, and works on special sales initiatives. State of Residence: Ohio What I like to do when not working: Play Magic: the Gathering, cook, read, and play with my cat, Apple.
Emma Campbell, Marketing and Sales Assistant (She/her/hers) Essential Job Functions: Provide sales and marketing support, answer customer service questions, assist with analyzing data on customer preferences, and build business relationships. State of Residence: Maryland What I like to do when not working: Read, write, go on runs and hikes with my dog Mabel, and people watch in quaint coffee shops.