Jana Nelson is a strategic communications expert with more than two decades of experience elevating voices and building movements at the intersection of book publishing, public relations, and social impact.

Throughout her career, Jana has championed groundbreaking narratives across nonfiction genres—including social justice, culture, religion, science and environment, wellness, and business—as well as fiction and poetry. She has held leadership roles at acclaimed publishers including Augsburg Fortress and Graywolf Press. She has also run her own PR consultancy, scaled a nonprofit consulting practice that delivered measurable results for clients, and co-founded the inaugural Twin Cities Book Festival—establishing it as a cornerstone of the regional literary community.

Jana has become known for her ability to match compelling stories with audiences who need to hear them, whether through strategic positioning, media relations, or grassroots community engagement. 

When she’s not strategizing the next big book moment, you’ll find Jana on the water in summer or carving through Minnesota snow in winter, ideally with her family and pup alongside.

Fun facts about me:

• I’ve run 3 marathons
• When I was 15, while on a church trip to Colorado I passed out in a grocery store and had to be taken to the hospital via ambulance

To meet the rest of the PR by the Book team, click here.