WHO WE ARE
As idea alchemists, PR pros, wordsmiths and authors ourselves, we understand the publishing journey—and bring the empathy, creativity, and insight needed for true hand-in-hand support. With nearly two decades of experience wrestling with industry shifts and media upheavals, we’ve learned how to craft bold, resilient strategies that thrive in a changing landscape.
Sharon Bially, Founder & CEO
Bio
Sharon Bially founded BookSavvy unexpectedly while balancing a career in financial and corporate PR with writing fiction.
As author of the novel Veronica’s Nap, she was often approached by fellow writers seeking help with book promotion. What began as a passion project steadily grew into a thriving endeavor. In 2012—after launching her employer’s book services program and navigating its merger with an investor relations firm—she shifted her full focus to BookSavvy.
A passionate storyteller, Sharon excels at uncovering news angles in unexpected places and believes that stories—not contacts—are the key to great PR.
Her international affairs background, including roles at the Council on Foreign Relations and the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD in Paris, brings intellectual depth and a nuanced grasp of complex issues to her work shaping and amplifying authors’ ideas.
A bilingual French speaker with a Master’s from Columbia University’s School of International Affairs, Sharon lived in France for over a decade before settling with her family in the Boston area. On the side, she continues a lifelong journey of improving her ballet and classical voice skills.
These diverse experiences allow her to connect deeply with authors across disciplines and cultures—and to help them tell their stories with clarity, nuance, and impact.
Camile Sardina, PR Director
Bio
Camile Sardina is a multi-passionate creative whose PR experience spans the fields of health and wellness, lifestyle, food, nonprofit, women’s empowerment and tech. Co-author of the book Change Makers, which has been recognized by Ashton Kutcher and endorsed by Sheryl Sandberg as well as founders of the Women’s March, she has also written New York guidebooks for Airbnb and articles for Romper.com, Teen Vogue, Elite Daily, Bust and Ladygunn—where her claim to fame is an interview with Lizzo. When she’s not crafting snappy PR content you can find her on camera during occasional acting/modeling gigs or dancing on big city streets. She divides her time between New York City, central Florida and Madrid.
Jess Derr, Publicist
Bio
An adjunct English professor and scholar, Jess Derr brings a keen intellectual flair to her work as a publicist at BookSavvy. In the academic world, her explorations of gender and sexuality in contemporary film and television have led her to write and present on Outlander, Mad Men, It Follows, and HBO’s The Last of Us at conferences nationwide. With the same critical thinking prowess and laser focus, she crafts fresh, well-versed strategic ideas for BookSavvy campaigns. In her spare time Jess can be found hanging out with her rescue rat dog, vending at art fairs, lifting weights, and playing Dungeons and Dragons. She holds a B.A. from Arcadia University—where she played lacrosse as an undergrad and currently teaches—and a Master’s in English from Villanova.
Amanda Quintero Aguerrevere, PR Strategist
Bio
Amanda Quintero Aguerrevere is a writer and economist who joined BookSavvy after partnering with us on the launch of her two books, We Said Farewell: Stories of Forced Exile and Unfiltered: From the Feed to the Page – Stories of Wanderlust. She brings a rare blend of creative storytelling talent, publishing insight, and experience in global finance and economic strategy, having worked with organizations including the European Energy Exchange and CAF—a multinational development bank based in Caracas.
Originally from Venezuela, Amanda sought exile in France in 2016 due to the country’s escalating political crisis. She earned a graduate degree from l’Institut d’Études Politiques in Paris, where she also honed her creative writing skills in workshops. Now based in Spain, Amanda is a digital nomad at heart who believes the best stories begin with curiosity—and sometimes a carry-on bag.
Trisha Barron, Team Executive Assistant
Bio
After 30 years of working as an Executive Assistant for marketing, nonprofit and educational organizations, Trisha Barron decided to follow her heart and become a virtual assistant to organizations such as BookSavvy. At BookSavvy she’s a true kindred spirit: her experience includes organizing workshops and securing appearances for authors. Trisha received her AAS in fine arts from Westchester Community College. In her spare time she travels, shoots and edits digital video and enjoys being with her daughter.
CREATIVE PARTNERS
When we need expertise on niche projects such as website development, graphic design, book development or self-publishing, we turn to our longtime, trusted creative partners.