JILL SIEGEL
FOUNDER, JSPR
Jill Siegel Public Relations (JSPR) is an innovative publicity boutique specializing in book publishing. We work with authors and publishers to build brands, elevate platforms, and develop strategic national media campaigns in a wide range of genres. By partnering with clients whose work we believe in, and reaching out to targeted media with individually crafted pitches, we get results.
For more than 25 years, Jill Siegel has specialized in literary and entertainment publicity, with a focus on personal representation. In addition to promoting books, authors, publishers, and films, Jill was the exclusive publicist for Muhammad Ali and Leonard Nimoy for several years.
As Muhammad Ali’s publicist, Jill orchestrated press when Ali was named a UN Messenger of Peace and GQ’s Athlete of the Century, and when he received an Amnesty International Lifetime Achievement Award and a Star of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She coordinated Ali’s media coverage for the release of the feature film, “Ali,” and the Academy Award-winning documentary, “When We Were Kings.” As the personal publicist for Leonard Nimoy, she created the campaign for his first book of photography, SHEKHINA, which sold out of its initial printing in less than a month; publicized his controversial photography exhibit Maximum Beauty, which explored feminine power; and she represented his philanthropic organization–the Nimoy Foundation–which supported the work of visual artists.
Throughout her extensive publishing career, Jill has held senior in-house positions at HarperCollins, Dell Publishing (Bantam Doubleday Dell), and Free Press (Simon & Schuster), where she designed and executed bestselling campaigns for seven books in Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen’s #1 New York Times bestselling YOU series, including YOU: ON A DIET, which at time of publication became the fastest selling title in Simon & Schuster’s history. Other notable campaigns included Aravind Adiga’s Booker Prize-winner THE WHITE TIGER; Annie Murphy Paul’s ORIGINS, which appeared on the covers of The New York Times Book Review and Time magazine; Andrew McCarthy’s THE LONGEST WAY HOME; Debbie Nathan’s SYBIL EXPOSED; THE LONGEST WAR by CNN National Security Analyst Peter Bergen; Marci Shimoff’s LOVE FOR NO REASON; Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s INFIDEL; Salon-founder David Talbot’s BROTHERS; Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson’s WHEN ELEPHANT’S WEEP; former NPR host Noah Adams’ PIANO LESSONS; the movie tie-in campaign for Elmore Leonard’s bestselling GET SHORTY, and many more.
After launching Jill Siegel Public Relations in 1996, Jill spearheaded broadcast media for the #1 New York Times bestseller REAL AGE— booking author Dr. Michael Roizen on the highest rated Oprah show of the season. She went on to launch the #1 New York Times bestseller BRAIN ON FIRE by Susannah Cahalan; a special 10th Anniversary Edition of the #1 New York Times bestseller BIG RUSS AND ME by Tim Russert, with a preface by Luke Russert; OBSESSED by MSNBC Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski and Diane Smith; the paperback edition of Kathy Freston’s instant New York Times bestseller, THE LEAN; WORKING STIFF by forensic pathologist Judy Melinek & T.J. Mitchell; I SEE YOU MADE AN EFFORT by Annabelle Gurwitch; and Robert Silvers’ PHOTOMOSAICS, which landed on the cover of Newsweek.
On the film side, Jill contributed to release campaigns and produced unit publicity, electronic press kits, and production notes for clients including Gramercy Pictures, Miramax, Live Entertainment, PolyGram Films, and Lions Gate Films. Jill has also organized media luncheons, press conferences, and special events, including book receptions at The White House and on Capitol Hill; press for the New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) Gala Holiday Luncheon, honoring Anjelica Huston, Cicely Tyson and Barbara Koppel; and a book tour for Muhammad Ali, coordinating with HBO and Turner Sports to visit more than 20,000 students across the country to promote Muhammad’s book, HEALING: A Journal of Tolerance and Understanding. In addition, she has been a speaker at the Small Press Book Fair, and for several years, she has participated in the Publicity Round Robin at NYU’s Summer Publishing Institute.