We’re excited to welcome Marianne DeLeón as Texas Book Festival’s new CEO.

“I am delighted to introduce Marianne DeLeón, the newest member of the Texas Book Festival team,” says Gigi Edwards Bryant, Texas Book Festival board chair. “She will be joining us as Chief Executive Officer, and the Board couldn’t be more thrilled to have her on board. Marianne comes with a strong background in leadership, fundraising and relationship development.”

DeLeón has a longstanding commitment to nonprofit organizations and volunteerism, beginning her 20-plus-year career as a health education volunteer with the United States Peace Corps and most recently serving as Chief Revenue Officer of Pease Park Conservancy. During her tenure at the conservancy, DeLeón helped lead the completion of a $15 million capital campaign in 2020, overseeing organizational growth from a $1.1 million budget and five staff members to a current $2.8 million budget and 15 staff members. She did this while providing leadership in long-term vision creation, fundraising strategy, effective management of donor portfolios, coaching staff, and developing sustainable philanthropic campaigns.

Marianne will lead fundraising efforts to help ignite the passion for reading in the state of Texas. This involves fostering connections between authors and readers, as well as creating enrichment experiences that celebrate the cultural significance of literacy, ideas and imagination as the organization gears up for the 2024 Festival.

“Becoming the CEO of the Texas Book Festival is an absolute honor,” DeLeón says. “It affords me the opportunity to lead a talented team that is dedicated to promoting literacy and uniting communities through the power of storytelling, values that resonate deeply with my own passions for literature and education.”

Please join us in welcoming Marianne to the TBF family!