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EXCLUSIVE: Buchwald has expanded its Publishing and Media Rights division with the hire of Noah Ballard as Vice President of Media Rights & Publishing.
Joining from Verve, Ballard will focus on broadening Buchwald’s reach in book publishing, media rights, and IP-driven representation. He’ll work alongside Scott Kaufman, Vice President, Alternative & Media Publishing, and Steve Roy, Motion Picture Literary Agent, as the team continues to expand in book publishing, media rights, and IP-driven representation. He’ll work out of Buchwald’s New York office.
Ballard brings more than 15 years of experience in publishing and media rights, working with authors, digital creators, and thought leaders to leverage publishing as a foundation for multi-platform careers spanning film, television, audio, and emerging media. During his five years at Verve, he led the agency’s IP Team and specialized in helping creators translate digital audiences into publishing and adaptation opportunities.
Ballard’s roster includes Hadley Vlahos, author of the New York Times bestselling memoir The In-Between (Ballantine), which was optioned by UCP with Alex Saks producing and Michelle Ashford attached to adapt; Jen Hamilton, a labor and delivery nurse and creator with over six million followers on social, whose upcoming book Birth Vibes will be a major release from Grand Central this spring; and Tubby Nugget, the digital character with more than 10 million followers and three projects at Penguin Random House.
Ballard also reps Jakob Kerr, author of Dead Money (Bantam), which was optioned by UTV with Davis Entertainment producing, and Cora Lewis, author of The Information Age (Joyland Publishing), which was named one of The New Yorker’s Best Books of 2025. Additionally, he has worked with Tochi Onyebuchi, author of the critically acclaimed essay collection Racebook (Roxane Gay Books), and previously sold Ben McKenzie’s New York Times bestseller Easy Money (Abrams), which served as the basis for the SXSW-premiering documentary Everyone Is Lying to You for Money.
Upcoming projects include Cinelle Barnes’ Become What You Have (Little, Brown); former pro baseball player Dave Winfield’s memoir exploring his relationship with George Steinbrenner (Matt Holt Books); and a self-help title from Vince Xu for Sourcebooks.
Ballard was recognized as a Publishers Weekly Star Watch honoree for his work in the industry in 2021. He began his career at the Emma Sweeney Agency before moving to Curtis Brown, where he represented award-winning authors across both fiction and nonfiction.
In a joint statement on Buchwald’s new hire, Julia Buchwald and Ryan Martin said, “As Buchwald continues to grow, we are committed to building a leading publishing and media rights division that reflects the realities of today’s IP-driven entertainment landscape. Noah’s expertise in publishing, media rights, and book-to-screen projects makes him an ideal partner as we expand this area and create new opportunities for our clients.”
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