Dominique Raccah

Feb. 10, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
Isaacs Auditorium

Dominique Raccah is the visionary publisher and chief executive officer of , which she founded from her home in 1987. She has transformed Sourcebooks into an independent book publishing house renowned for its author-centric approach to innovation. Publishing bestselling books in every category, Sourcebooks is dedicated to changing lives through books.

Under Raccah’s leadership, Sourcebooks has become the sixth-largest book publisher in North America. Recognized as a leader in data and innovation, Raccah was named one of Publishers Weekly’s “Top 25 Book Business Changemakers” in 2022 and received the Publishing Titan Award in 2023. Sourcebooks has been honored on Fast Company’s lists for Best Workplaces for Innovators (2023) and Most Innovative Companies (2024), and was named the No. 2 Most Loved Workplace by the Best Practice Institute (2024). In February 2025, Raccah was included in the Washington Post’s Post Next 50, a distinguished list of leaders who are “shaping our society in 2025,” and in March of that year was recognized as one of INC’s Female Founders for the second year in a row.

Raccah’s entrepreneurial spirit and passion for books have made Sourcebooks “by far the most successful self-made publisher operating in the 21st century,” according to Publishers Weekly.

Publishing & Editing Lecture

The annual Publishing & Editing Lecture brings to the university accomplished working professionals, alumni and leaders in the publishing industry to engage students, faculty and the public in conversations about contemporary practice and change in the industry. The purpose of the series is to address and explore the current technologies, cultures and politics shaping the future of all sectors of the industry — trade, independent, university and educational — as well as retail, wholesale and nonprofit distributors.

Past Speakers

• 2024: Shaye Areheart, The Future of Book Publishing: A Perspective from the Columbia Publishing Course
• 2023: Tajja Isen, The Editor as Listener
• 2022: John Gall, Title, Author and Maybe Some Kind of Image
• 2021: Jennifer Baker, Book Publishing Here & Now and Ready for Change
• 2020: Lisa Pearson, On the Small and Contrary
• 2018: Cheryl Ball, Digital Publishing and the Liberal Art
• 2018:  Jennifer Weis, Publishing in a Time of Hyperinformation
• 2017 Christina Harrington ’12, Passion and Editing Comics

Lectures & Speakers Series

����TV’s diverse selection of lectureships and speaker series brings together esteemed scholars, industry leaders and influential voices to share their expertise and perspectives with the campus community. These events serve as vibrant platforms for critical thinking, fostering a culture of intellectual exploration and innovation.