Stacy Padula, Founder & President

Stacy Padula grew up in Pembroke, Massachusetts. She is the founder of Briley & Baxter Publications, the founder of South Shore College Consulting & Tutoring, a co-founder of BLE Pictures, and the author of sixteen best-selling books. She resides in Plymouth, Massachusetts with her husband Tim and their three miniature dachshunds, Baxter, Tony, and George.

She began writing her first book series, Montgomery Lake High, when she was a teenager because she saw a need for realistic Y.A. books that address topics such as substance abuse and bullying. In 2017, she began writing her second series, Gripped, which serves as both a prequel and sequel to her first series. In 2019, she also wrote her first screenplay, an adaptation of her novel The Aftermath, and worked on writing a pilot for Gripped, which caught the attention of producers. Gripped is currently being adapted for television by Emmy-Award winning producer Mark Blutman. In 2020, she began writing a third book series with NBA Coach Brett Gunning. Geared towards children ages three through eight, Stacy and Brett’s On The Right Path book series has been endorsed by Joel Osteen, Mike D’Antoni, and Kevin McHale as a series that belongs in every school, library, and household.

Awards
  • Featured in Cambridge Who’s Who for Young Professionals (2009)
  • Featured in Marquis Who’s Who in America for excellence in literature and education (2018-Present)
  • Featured in Marquis Who’s Who in the World (2018-Present)
  • Albert Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award (2018)
  • Named “Top Educational Consultant of the Year” by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) (2019)
  • Named “Empowered Woman of the Year” by IAOTP (2020)
  • Named a “Social Impact Hero” by Authority Magazine for support of animal rescues through her publishing company (2020)
  • Chosen to be on the cover of T.I.P. Magazine (international business publication) (2020)
  • Featured on the Reuters Building in Times Square as Empowered Woman of the Year (2021)
  • Named “Top Inspirational Author of the Year” by IAOTP (2022)
  • Honored at a gala at the Bellagio in Las Vegas in December (2022)
  • Broadcast for her award on the Planet Hollywood Jumbotron overlooking the Las Vegas Strip (2022)
  • Novel Gripped Part 5: Taylor’s Story won the Silver Award for “Best Teen Book” in the Readers’ Choice Awards (2022)
  • Novel Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told won the Gold Award for “Best Teen Book” in the Readers’ Choice Awards (2022)
  • Named “Top Global Impact Author of the Year” by IAOTP for literary work on several continents (2023)
  • Honored at a gala at The Plaza in New York City (2023)
  • Featured on the cover of T.I.P. Magazine for Top Global Impact Author of the Year (2023)
  • Accepted a position as a judge for the Scholastic Arts & Writing Awards (sponsored by Bloomberg Philanthropies, The New York Times, and Scholastic) (2023)
  • Named one of the Top 50 Fearless Leaders, alongside Mark Rivera from Billy Joel and former Miss Universe Michelle McClean (2023)
  • Named to her region’s “40 Under 40” (2023)
  • Novel When Darkness Tries to Hide won the Gold Award for “Best Teen Book” in the Readers’ Choice Book Awards (2023)
  • Named “Woman of the Year” by The CIO TIMES (2024)
  • Named “Top International Social Impact Hero” by IAOTP (2024)
  • Publishing company inducted into The Plymouth Business Hall of Fame as the top publisher in its region (2024)
  • Novel The Aftermath won the Bronze Award for “Best Teen Book” in the Readers’ Choice Book Awards (2024)
  • Biography published in Top 25 Global Impact Leaders (international business publication) (2025)
  • Awarded “Female Visionary of the Year” by IAOTP (2025)
  • Novel The Forces Within won the Silver Award for “Best Teen Book” in the Readers’ Choice Book Awards (2025)
  • Novel Gripped Part 3: The Fallout won a Gold Award for “Best Teen Book” in the Readers’ Choice Book Awards (2025)
  • Children’s Book On the Right Path: Book One won a Silver Award for “Best Children’s Book” in the Readers’ Choice Book Awards (2025)
tim O’Halloran, vice president of editing

Tim grew up in Plymouth, Massachusetts and is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts with a degree in Writing, Communications, & Rhetoric. He grew up as an avid reader, devouring both fiction and non-fiction well beyond his suggested reading level. Tim naturally excelled in English courses, leading him to pursue writing college. All the while, Tim had a calling outside of literature, which led him to earn a second degree in healthcare. Although he works full-time as a respiratory therapist at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, he assists Briley & Baxter Publications by overseeing the publication of all its work, offering not only guidance on what works should be published, but also proofreading and editing select titles.

David Gunning, Vice President of Production

David is a graduate of Temple University, where he holds Cum Laude honors from The School of Communications and Theater. David is also an alum of the highly coveted Stella Adler Acting Academy of Los Angeles and has studied with renowned coaches such as Leigh Kilton-Smith, John Rosenfeld, and Penny Templeton. David is in charge of bringing talent to Briley & Baxter Publications and connecting authors with Hollywood producers and executives. He is working closely with Stacy Padula on the adaptation of her “Gripped” series, as well as other Briley & Baxter Publications’ titles. David has also worked commercially both on camera and as a voice artist for products such as DC Comics, Honda, FORD, Budweiser, Nokia, Toyota, Time Warner Cable, McDonalds, Coors Light, Farmer’s Insurance, Chase Bank and MGM Grand of Las Vegas.


Lee Gjertsen Malone, Lead Editor

Lee Gjertsen Malone is a children’s book author, journalist, editor and creative writing instructor. As a journalist she’s covered everything from wedding planning to the banking crisis to how to make your own camera satellite for a range of publications including Muse, Cambridge Scout, American Banker, Financial Planning and the Boston Globe magazine. Her first novel for children, THE LAST BOY AT ST. EDITH’S, was a Nutmeg Award finalist, Sakura Medal finalist, a Massachusetts Book Award Must-Read and an Amazon Best Book of the Month. Her second novel, CAMP SHADY CROOK, was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. As a creative writing teacher and editor she enjoys working with all kinds of authors to help them hone their voice and create the best possible version of their story. She holds a B.S. in Communication from Cornell University. When she’s not reading or writing, she enjoys exploring her newly adopted home, Washington D.C., spending time with her four pets, and fantasizing about winning the Great British Baking Show.

Amy deyerle-smith, LEAD designer

Amy is a graduate of Hampshire College, where she studied design and photography—and formatted her friends’ thesis projects. A Percy Jackson-related Google search at the age of twelve set off a chain of events that led her to book design, and she never looked back. Amy loves creating book covers and interior files that help tell a story, and has worked on projects ranging from high fantasy to essay collections. When not running amok in the mountains, she can be found at home in Seattle tending to her font collection, thinking about pirates, and handbinding books (with the help of her book presses, Fezzik and Westley.) You can view her work at: amyeds.art.

Amy’s projects have included Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told, Gripped Part 2: Blindsided, Gripped Part 3: The Fallout, Gripped Part 4: Smoke & Mirrors, Gripped Part 5: Taylor’s Story, Mexico Got Lucky, The Original: Living Life Through Hockey, Errol: The Cat Who Wasn’t a Cat, Mystery at Chilmark, What Came After, Between Heaven & 42nd and Broadway, and Stars of the North.

Maddy Moore, Lead Illustrator

Sylvia Madison (Maddy) Moore is a recent graduate from the University of Pennsylvania who completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in Archaeology and Fine Arts. Moore grew up in a family of international coaches and has consequently lived and worked in various corners of the world including Singapore, New Zealand, and throughout Europe. She began her career as an artist at fifteen, where she would complete commission-based illustrations for clients around her school commitments. In recent years, Moore has worked full-time as a freelance artist with authors and designers from around the art world to bring their projects into fruition, including but not limited to comic book illustrations, character designs, cards and flyers, logos, and her personal work on the indie webcomic, “The Cloud Maker”. Moore currently resides in Delaware Country, Pennsylvania, just outside of Philadelphia. Maddy’s art can be viewed here: https://maddymoore.art.

Maddy’s projects have included On the Right Path (books 1, 2, 3, and 4), The Colors Inside of Me, Trumpet the Miracle Wolf Pup (books 1, 2, & 3), The Spooks Who Spooked Halloween, The Falling Star Repairman, Carbon Neutral, Course Correction, Altered Horizon, Gripped (books 1-5), The Crash, The Baby Cow, Daddy Came Home a Stranger, and Here’s Why You Can’t Find Love.

eleonor gardner, editor

Eleonor is an editor who uses her publishing industry expertise and command of the English language to help writers reach their fullest potential. Her professional experience covers everything from tech to dark fantasy, periodicals to books, and acquisitions to book release. She collaborates with authors from all over the world from myriad backgrounds to provide readers with excellent, life-enhancing books, some of which who have been featured in magazines like NYSUT, Kirkus Reviews, and Booklist; podcasts like Books Boys; independent reviewer platforms; news channels like WLTX News 19; and more. Her book projects have also become Amazon bestsellers. Her approach to editing is to ensure that the author-editor relationship shines through collaboration, nonjudgement, respect, and of course, the love of storytelling. 

Eleonor has a master’s degree in publishing with a concentration in tech and design from George Washington University, and a bachelor’s degree in English with a business minor from Christopher Newport University. You can learn more about her by visiting www.eleonorediting.com.

Reilly Fournier Condon, Editor

Reilly is a graduate from Fordham University where she received her Bachelors of Arts as a double major in English and Communications with a concentration in Film. During her time in New York she held many positions, but the most formative experience was being a Resident Assistant to freshman students. With an expansive background working in multiple fields such as marketing, film production, and law, she is very excited to use all of these skills and become a valuable team member at Briley and Baxter. When she’s not reading and working on projects, Reilly loves to play soccer, watch Boston sports, and spend time with family. Though she grew up in Central Massachusetts, she currently lives in Falmouth where she is building a life and planning a wedding with her fiancé.

Veronica Sopher, Public relations & Visibility Specialist

Veronica V. Sopher is an award-winning visibility strategist with more than 25 years experience in public relations. She works with book authors, entrepreneurs and business owners who are ready to scale their brand with a strong visibility strategy to garner national media placement. Veronica knows that strategic media placement legitimizes you and your brand as an expert in your area. You can learn more about her by visiting www.veronicavsopher.com.




Elizabeth MacKenney, cover designer

Elizabeth Berry MacKenney has been designing book covers for 20 years, and has been in the design field for several more. She earned her BFA in Photography, Portland School of Art (now MECA) in 1991, and her MFA in Media Design, Full Sail University, 2010. Beth has held many in-house design positions, and is the owner/operator of berrygraphics – graphic design services. Beth is also a licensed Maine Whitewater Raft Guide, and when not in her design studio she can be found chasing whitewater with her husband on their home rivers of Maine and across the U.S. 

Beth’s projects have included the hardcover designs for Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told, Gripped Part 2: Blindsided, Gripped Part 3: The Fallout, Gripped Part 4: Smoke & Mirrors, Gripped Part 5: Taylor’s Story, What Came After, When Did I Become the Dumpster?, Mystery at Chilmark, Mosaic: Renewing Your Mental Health with God, and Between Heaven & 42nd and Broadway.

Jesse Sanchez, cover designer

Jesse Sanchez is a graduate of the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. He has designed award-winning book covers for Grand Central Publishing (Time Warner), Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House, Kensington Books, The International Monetary Fund, and St. Martin’s Press. His author list includes Walter Mosely, Sandra Brown, Marcia Muller, Jack Higgins and James Patterson among others. He was formerly the art director at M.E. Sharpe Publishers in Armonk, NY.

Jesse is an accomplished artist and shows his work in New York City as well as local venues in upstate New York where he resides. He was president of the New Rochelle Art Association from 2006 to 2015. He served on the Municipal Arts Commission of the City of New Rochelle as a creative consultant on the application of commercial signage from 2012 to 2015. Through the commission he initiated several public art projects in the downtown area. He works tirelessly because he believes that art represents the best of ourselves. Portfolio: Jesse Sanchez Art & Design (jsanchezart.com).

Michaella Barcia, MANUSCRIPT REVIEWER

Michaella recently graduated from Mercer University with a degree in English and a minor in Teacher Education.  She has a great passion for analyzing, discussing, and teaching literature. As a child, Michaella spent every night reading Harry Potter before bed with her dad, which ignited her love for reading. As result, Michaella grew up reading all genres of books and has dreamed of working with authors whose imaginations bring new worlds to life. She is excited for the opportunity to work with Briley and Baxter Publications. If you are looking for Michaella, you will find her surrounded by a stack of books with a mug of hot chocolate in her hands.

Nichole Conran, book Reviewer

Nichole graduated in 2024 with a Master of Arts in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. She enjoys reading, writing, baking, going to the beach, and spending time with loved ones. She plans to pursue a career in writing.





Emily McDermott, Book reviewer

Emily is a recent graduate of  Bridgewater State University where she completed a Bachelor’s Degree in English with a concentration in Literature. While at Bridgewater State, Emily worked in the Academic Achievement Center as a writing consultant where she helped enrolled students with any stage of the writing process. Being in this position helped Emily realize that working as an editor might be something she could see herself doing as a career. Currently, she is employed for a small business in her hometown of Bridgewater, MA while actively searching for jobs within the publishing field. She spends most of her free time reading books, playing with her dogs Neely and Kevin, going on coffee runs with her friends, and watching the Bruins with her dad. 

Allyson Rankin, BOOK REVIEWER

Allyson Rankin is a soon-to-be South Shore Charter Public School graduate, who will be attending Cape Cod Community College in September. She enjoys drawing, reading, listening to music, and writing the most in her free time.










Deb Johnson, Illustrator

Deb works as a freelance illustrator, writer, and designer with publishers and authors from around the globe. Illustrating for children has been her passion for more than 30 years…and counting! She enjoys being part of the creative process that helps an author see their story come to life. Deb has illustrated numerous award-winning educational publications, children’s books, magazines and more.  She also writes, illustrates, and designs her own children’s books, coloring, and activity books.  When she isn’t drawing, Deb enjoys knitting, crochet, and using her creative skills for marketing and publication design.  She currently lives in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with her husband, studio pup, Macie, and two sweet kitties. You can view Deb’s artwork here: http://www.deb-johnson.com


Jim Gross, Illustrator

Jim is an illustrator and graphic designer from Weymouth, MA. A graduate of Massachusetts College of Art, his portfolio of illustrations, portraits and caricatures are rendered in traditionalmedia (marker, watercolor, pencil, colored pencil), as well as a mix that includes digital media such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Further, his graphic design work covers a variety of print and web projects and draws heavily on his illustration skills for logo creation.

Jim’s art extends beyond the page with theatrical scenic and lighting design, as well as scenic construction and painting. He and his wife run a community theater (Curtain Call Theatre) in Braintree, MA, where, aside from the stagecraft, he also creates all the graphics for the organization (show logos, posters, programs, etc). 

Jim is also the Art Director for SMi Awards based in Mansfield, MA, where he’s handled all aspects of the company’s identity and customer designs since 1996. You can view Jim’s portfolio here: https://www.jrgart.com