Meet the editors

Meet the Editor

Isobel Bainton, Commissioning Editor

I came to Policy Press in 2012 from Wiley Blackwell.

Getting to choose who and what we publish is a huge privilege (and responsibility!). I love working with authors from the start of the process, helping them to develop their ideas and shape their book to be the best it can be.

Throughout the process, I maintain overall responsibility for the project and never lose the sense of pride and accomplishment when wereceive the first copies from the printer. Once the book is published and out in the world it’s great to watch how it’s received and what a difference it makes.

If you are interested in getting in touch, please contact me at isobel.bainton@bristol.ac.uk or visit our information for authors page to download our proposal guidelines.

Meet the Editor

Sarah Bird, Commissioning Editor

I have a background in academic publishing, but took a break from it in the last few years to set up a small, ethical publishing company that produced books for a general audience. What drew me to this job, and back to academic and professional publishing, was the fact that Policy Press and now Bristol University Press publish high quality books, with a strong social mission to promote positive social change in all sorts of areas.

I love working with authors, readers and others to turn the germ of an idea for a book into the best project it possibly can be.

If you are interested in getting in touch, please contact me at sarah.bird@bristol.ac.uk or visit our information for authors page to download our proposal guidelines.

Meet the Editor

Helen Davis, Senior Commissioning Editor

My previous commissioning roles include working at Oxford University Press and the British Red Cross.

As an editor, it’s important to me to be able to develop books which fit with our mission to help shape our understanding of law and society. It is a privilege to work with authors who are focused on justice and rights, exploring the way the law works to protect the things that are most important to our society.

If you are interested in getting in touch, please contact me at helen.davis@bristol.ac.uk or visit our information for authors page to download our proposal guidelines.

Meet the Editor

Victoria Pittman, Head of Commissioning

I joined Policy Press from Oxford University Press in 2013, drawn to Bristol by my South-West roots and the opportunity to join a small and collaborative team. It has been amazing to be part of the launch of Bristol University Press and see the Press grow and develop.

I really enjoy working on books that I feel passionate about and that can make a difference. I love that we publish such a wide range of content, from the high quality monograph which advances the field to the accessible social commentary you might see in a bookshop. Commissioning gives me the chance to help authors publish their work in the best way possible, collaborate with them to discover the format which suits the content and audience, shape the book with my input if needed and also guide them with the expert advice of peer reviewers. The best books are a partnership between author and publisher and this starts at the commissioning stage.

If you are interested in getting in touch, please contact me at victoria.pittman@bristol.ac.uk or visit our information for authors page to download our proposal guidelines.

Meet the Editor

Paul Stevens, Senior Commissioning Editor

I joined Bristol in 2017, having spent several years commissioning psychology and linguistics textbooks with Palgrave Macmillan. Before that I worked in a variety of roles for Pearson Education and Cambridge University Press.

Every book is the product of an author’s vision (and perseverance), but collaboration is a critical part of the editor’s job. From the initial pitch and proposal, and all the way through to publication and beyond, I enjoy working with authors to help shape their ideas and ensure that their publication makes a lasting contribution. It’s a pleasure to be able to do this at a press which values quality over quantity, and that’s unafraid to push the boundaries a little bit.

If you are interested in getting in touch, please contact me at paul.stevens@bristol.ac.uk or visit our information for authors page to download our proposal guidelines.

Meet the Editor

Rebecca Tomlinson, Commissioning Editor

After completing a Master’s Degree in Journalism, I got my first job in academic publishing at the Press. Since starting, I’ve had the opportunity to work on some of the most important contributions to the debate on social challenges around the globe. 

As the editor for criminology and criminal justice books, I’ve been able to shape the list to include some of the most vital topics effecting the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in our society. It’s a privilege to work with the criminology community, who are all so passionate about the important work they’re doing and I think that shows in the fantastic books we’ve published so far.

If you are interested in getting in touch, please contact me at rebecca.tomlinson@bristol.ac.uk or visit our information for authors page to download our proposal guidelines. You can also follow me on Twitter @Bec_Tomlinson.

Meet the Editor

Laura Vickers-Rendall, Commissioning Editor

I’ve been at Policy Press for eight years, starting as a graduate in Sociology (I used a number of Policy Press titles throughout my degree). I have had several roles in the commissioning team on the majority of the core Policy Press subject areas over the years.

I enjoy meeting existing and potential authors and talking through their research. Building those relationships over the period of time from inception of a potential book idea to publication is especially enjoyable. It is really rewarding to be able to produce books that authors and editors are proud of.

If you are interested in getting in touch, please contact me at laura.vickers@bristol.ac.uk or visit our information for authors page to download our proposal guidelines.

Meet the Editor

Emily Watt, Publisher

My interest in publishing really began when I did a Masters in Publishing at Oxford Brookes University and worked part time at what was Berg Publishers alongside my studies. Not long after I moved back to Bristol and started at Policy Press and I’ve not looked back since. There were fewer staff but there was the same high ambitions and strong social justice ethos that is still at the centre of the Press and has carried through to Bristol University Press. I like that we continue to publish high quality books, with a strong social mission to promote positive social change in all sorts of areas and this is what makes working here so enjoyable.

For me, the exciting part of commissioning is talking to authors and seeing a project grow from a conversation into the greatest book it can be.

If you are interested in getting in touch, please contact me at emily.watt@bristol.ac.uk or visit our information for authors page to download our proposal guidelines.

Meet the Editor

Stephen Wenham, Publisher

I studied politics at Bristol University and then spent over ten years at Palgrave Macmillan publishing books across the social sciences, most recently in politics. I am pleased to be back in Bristol and continuing to publish books in politics and international relations.

I enjoy working on subjects that I find so interesting and with researchers whose insights go far beyond headlines and soundbites. As an editor you can help authors find the best format for their research and to link them up with the small army of people required to successfully publish, promote and sell a book.

If you are interested in getting in touch, please contact me at s.wenham@bristol.ac.uk or visit our information for authors page to download our proposal guidelines.