Meredith National Media Group Announces New Brand Leadership Roles

By PRNewswire On Oct 17, 2019

Leading digital media and marketing company, Meredith Corporation has announced a series of new leadership roles for some of its leading National Media Group brands.

These new roles include:

Liz Vaccariello, VP/Editor-in-Chief of Real Simple – Previously the VP/Editor-in-Chief of Parents, Vaccariello will now head one of the premier titles in the women’s lifestyle space. Vaccariello will continue to serve as Content Director for multiple Meredith brands, along with Stephen Orr, VP/Editor-in-Chief of Better Homes and Gardens.
Julia Edelstein, Editor-in-Chief of Parents – Previously the Executive Editor of Parents, Edelstein is being promoted to fill Vaccariello’s role leading the premier parenting brand.
Rory Evans, Executive Editor of Real Simple – Previously the Executive Editor of Family Circle, Evans will work with Vaccariello on one of the premier titles in the women’s lifestyle space.
Cheryl Brown, Executive Editor of Health – Previously the Editor-in-Chief of Family Circle, Brown joins Editor-in-Chief Amy Conway on the top brand in the health category.
Agnes Chapski, VP/Group Publisher of InStyle, Shape and Health – Previously VP/Publisher of InStyle, Chapski is being promoted to VP/Group Publisher with expanded responsibilities.
Daren Mazzucca, VP/Group Publisher of Real Simple and Martha Stewart Living – Mazzucca adds increased responsibility with direct oversight of the Martha Stewart brand in addition to Real Simple.
Karla Partilla, VP/Publisher of Allrecipes and Rachael Ray Every Day – Partilla adds responsibility for Allrecipes as well as the recently announced Rachael Ray Every Day consumer-driven title.
Brendan Smyth, Publisher of Health – Previously the Publisher of Family Circle, Smyth returns to lead sales and marketing for the top brand in the health category.
Maria Jakubek, Executive Director of Sales for PEOPLE – Previously the Publisher of Health, Jakubek will be directing PEOPLE advertising sales for the East Coast – along with current Executive Director Meredith Waltman – for the world’s leading magazine brand and the global leader in the entertainment category.
David Ginsberg, Integrated Account Director for PEOPLE – Previously the Publisher of Allrecipes, Ginsberg will lead integrated advertising sales for the world’s largest magazine brand and the global leader in the entertainment category.
Lizzie Meier Utt, Eastern Advertising Director of Real Simple – Utt is being promoted and adding increased responsibilities.

“These promotions and appointments align top talent with many of the leading brands in the industry,” said Doug Olson, President of Meredith Magazines. “We are excited about what these talented leaders bring to their new brands and the career growth opportunities created in the process.”

Meredith also announced today that it will close Family Circle magazine, effective with the December 2019 issue. Meredith currently operates the market leaders in the women’s lifestyle category, including Better Homes & Gardens, Magnolia Journal, Real Simple, Martha Stewart Living and Southern Living.

“When we acquired the Time Inc. portfolio of media brands in January 2018, we doubled our presence in the women’s lifestyle category,” Olson said. “Our portfolio philosophy continues to emphasize investing in brands that are market leaders and/or possess the highest growth potential. Sometimes, that means making hard decisions. Fortunately, we have been able to find new roles for some of the Family Circle team, and I would like to thank the entire group for its hard work and wish those employees affected the best in future endeavors.”

Founded in 1932, Meredith acquired Family Circle in 2005 as part of its purchase of Gruner + Jahr USA. It is currently published 12 times a year with a ratebase of 4 million. Subscribers of Family Circle will be served another Meredith title until their subscription is fulfilled.

Currently, Meredith ranks among the leading media and marketing company reaching 185 million American consumers every month and nearly 90 percent of U.S. millennial women. Meredith has been committed to service journalism for 117 years. Today, Meredith uses multiple distribution platforms—including broadcast television, print, digital, mobile and video—to provide consumers with content they desire and to deliver the messages of its advertising and marketing partners.

Meredith’s National Media Group reaches more than 185 million unduplicated American consumers every month, including nearly 90 percent of U.S. millennial women. Meredith is a leader in creating content across media platforms and life stages in key consumer interest areas such as entertainment, food, lifestyle, parenting and home.