Jennifer Bigelow to Leave SCIBA

Jennifer Bigelow has resigned as executive director of the Southern California Independent Booksellers Association, effective December 31, 2012.

“After much thought, discussion with my family and Mary Williams, president of SCIBA (Skylight Books), I feel that my focus needs to be directed to my family,” Bigelow said in a statement released on Wednesday. “I have had the most amazing professional experience and opportunities helping to build a regional association that Southern California independent booksellers can benefit from and be proud to be a part of. I want to especially thank the SCIBA presidents I have served under, as well as my colleagues from SCIBA’s sister regional associations. The executive directors of the regional associations and staff at the American Booksellers Association have mentored and guided me and SCIBA these past 13 years.”

SCIBA President Mary Williams said, “On behalf of the SCIBA board and members, I’d like to thank Jennifer for her years of dedicated service. Her work has built SCIBA into the organization it is today, and has raised the profile of Southern California’s literary community nationwide. Her imprint on Southern California bookselling will never be forgotten, and we wish her the very best. On a personal note, it has been an absolute pleasure working with her as a member of the SCIBA board for these past two years, and I will greatly miss her insights and guidance as we move forward.”