Ellen Sugarman started her career in consumer publishing at IPD (currently Source Interlink Company) in 1993.  Ellen worked at IPD for three years as an account executive for many high-profile publishers and magazines including Hearst, Condé Nast, Ziff Davis, Surfer Publications, Detour, Spin, Rolling Stone and Transworld Media Group.  Some of the retailers she worked with were Barnes and Noble, Borders, Tower, and Virgin.

Ellen’s passion for the magazine industry led her to create a national distributor, BigTop Newsstand Services, in 1996.  BigTop was created as an outlet for smaller publishers to achieve national newsstand distribution and became the distributor for some of the most colorful and successful titles of the ’90s.

During Ellen’s time at BigTop, she was recognized as a leader for breaking ground and providing boutique publishers unique and innovative strategies to achieve large-scale national and international visibility through distribution outlets and promotional campaigns.   

In 2000, Ellen sold BigTop to the Independent Press Association, a non-profit publishing organization.  Ellen was contracted to serve as President and Director of Corporate Relations through 2002.  During this time she founded The Independent Press Conference to bring publishers, distributors, retailers, and industry executives from all over the country together to meet and speak about different issues facing the independent press.  The IPA has continued this conference and it has become one of the most popular events in the industry.

After her contract with the IPA was up in 2002, Ellen worked on a multitude of consulting projects, including magazine launches, PR and circulation campaigns, and many other industry-related projects. 

Ellen has always been a supporter of all magazines—it has been her vision to help make newsstands a sweeter place to be!

Ellen was nominated for the Exceptional Woman in Publishing award in 2000 and 2001 by Women in Periodical Publishing.  Ellen has also been the subject of numerous expert interviews and feature articles appearing in such trade magazines as AdAge, Folio, Circulation Management, and Magazine Retailer.

Ellen grew up in Lexington, Massachussetts, and has returned to the Boston area after 15 years in California. She is active in many local charities, such as Jewish Vocational Services, Home For Little Wanderers and Dress For Success.  She cohabitates with Maggy, a cocker spaniel, and Rudy, Maggy's fat cat.