Meet the team
at Islandport Press
All submission requests should be directed to submissions@islandportpress.com, refer to our submission guidelines for more information.
KJ Grow
Publisher
Originally from Montana, KJ Grow is "from away" but here to stay, joining Islandport Press as Publisher in 2025. Her publishing career has included stints at Graywolf Press, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Shambhala Publications, and Forbes Books. KJ now happily calls Raymond Cape on Sebago Lake her home, and enjoys the daily sunrise, yoga practice, boating, lake swimming, and of course, all things books & reading.
Raymond, Maine
If you were a Maine animal what would you be?
River Otter
Understated Maine food?
Italians
Alexandra Hinrichs
Children's Books Editor
Alexandra Hinrichs is an award-winning author of fiction and nonfiction picture books. She earned her undergraduate degree from Colgate University and her graduate degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Alex has wanted to make children's books since she began reading them as a child. Her inner-10-year-old is quite pleased with her career path, which has included working as a librarian, a children's bookseller, and as part of the publishing team at American Girl. When not reading, writing, or editing, Alex can be found wrangling one of her three sons into playing a game--preferably cribbage--baking, hiking, or encouraging the growing friendship between her family's cats and tortoise.
Bangor, Maine
If you were a Maine animal what would you be?
New England cottontail rabbit
Understated Maine food:
Fiddleheads
Katie Lowe
Editorial and Marketing Coordinator
Katie Lowe is an avid reader, writer and new-thing-trier from Limerick, Maine. She graduated from the University of Southern Maine in 2020 and immediately dove into the literary scene in Portland while working in fine dining. She served on the board of Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance, interned at Alice James Books, and worked as an editorial assistant for a travel writer in Paris (the French one). In her spare time she saunas, embroiders clothing, swims in the ocean, watches old movies and reads Joan Didion. She's eternally available for a leisurely chat over a game of backgammon.
Brunswick, Maine
If you were a Maine animal what would you be?
Coyote
What's the best way to eat lobster?
As a vehicle for butter
Randy Bell
Maine Sales Representative
Randy Bell grew up in Wales, Maine, starting work on a farm at age 12. He earned a 4-year degree in Marketing, raised two young adults and has been exploring Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont since he could drive. He seeks out outdoor adventures like hiking, kayaking and mountain biking. He also enjoys reading and learning about the outdoors, Maine history and true stories. Randy is passionate about working with and getting to know small businesses in Maine and has been doing so for over 20 years. These days when he is not working you can find him on a mountain bike with his beloved wife exploring northern New England.
Mount Vernon, Maine
Perfect weekend in Maine:
Mountain Biking in Bethel
Understated Maine food?
Sausage sandwich from a fair
Jeff Howland
Founder, Islandport Media
Jeff Howland's career has spanned the fields of engineering and technology, finance and marketing, and media and publishing. He grew up in northern Maine, graduated from the University of Maine, and has lived in the Camden area for 30 years. He co-founded Islandport Media, the parent company of Islandport Press and the Midcoast Villager, around the central themes of an informed citizenry, an engaged community, and the innate human desire for connection; with a mission to preserve the foundational connection points—physical spaces, books, newspapers—that evolve culture and sustain society. Jeff hosts the Silent Reading Club at the Villager Cafe in Camden.
If you were a Maine animal what would you be: Cardinal
An understated Maine food:
Potato