The Center for Fiction Announces a Board Leadership Transition

February 27, 2025

New York, NY — The Center for Fiction announced on Thursday that, after seven years of dedicated leadership as Board Chair, Erroll McDonald has stepped down from the Board as the term limit of his tenure approaches. McDonald’s incumbency as Chair has been marked by significant milestones, including The Center’s successful relocation to Brooklyn, programmatic growth, unprecedented fund raising, and expanded efforts to support readers, writers, and the art of storytelling. “It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with the Board and staff at The Center in furtherance of the metamorphic power of imaginative prose,” McDonald said.

Lydah Pyles DeBin, Executive Director of The Center for Fiction, said, “Erroll has been a guiding force during a time of profound change at The Center. From our move to Brooklyn, to navigating the challenges of the pandemic and our times, Erroll’s unwavering determination has shaped The Center’s growth. His impact will resonate for years to come.”

McDonald, a Vice President, and Executive Editor at Alfred A. Knopf—known for his work with such literary icons as Harold Bloom, Italo Calvino, Sandra Cisneros, Kazuo Ishiguro, Fran Lebowitz, Toni Morrison, Salman Rushdie, Wole Soyinka, and John Edgar Wideman—will continue to support the organization in an advisory capacity during the leadership transition.

At the organization’s Board meeting on February 26th, Nina von Moltke, who previously served as Treasurer of the Board, was unanimously elected as the new Board Chair.  “Nina brings to the role an impressive suite of traits—cosmopolitan and keen intelligence, penetrating financial acumen, deep cultural awareness, and dedication to community building—all of which have been evident during her tenure as Treasurer,” said McDonald.

Von Moltke, Co-Founder and President of Authors Equity, an independent publishing company, previously held senior executive positions at Penguin Random House for more than two decades. She earned a Master of Public Administration degree from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and a Master of Arts in Philosophy from Humboldt University in Berlin.

“It’s a profound honor to step into this role and continue the collaborative work with Lydah and the exceptional Board and staff,” said von Moltke. “Erroll’s leadership has been transformative for The Center, and I’m eager to build upon the remarkable foundation he has helped establish. Together, we will continue to expand our cultural footprint, strengthen our support for readers and writers alike, and foster a thriving community that celebrates the power of storytelling.”

The Board and staff of The Center for Fiction extend their gratitude to
Erroll McDonald for his visionary leadership.