Bookmarks Director Jamie Rogers Southern Steps Down
Southern, who led the Winston-Salem literary nonprofit since 2021, will leave the post in January 2027.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Books
Jamie Rogers Southern is stepping down as executive director of Bookmarks, the Winston-Salem literary nonprofit, after 15 years with the organization. Her departure takes effect in January 2027, and the board of directors will launch a search for her successor.
Why it matters
Southern's tenure spanned both operations and top leadership, giving her a long view of the organization's growth. The transition comes as Bookmarks has a new strategic plan guiding its next phase.
Southern's career with Bookmarks spans 15 years, including nine years as operations director and six months as interim executive director before her 2021 appointment. The annual book festival, which Southern helped oversee, attracts 30,000 visitors from more than 30 states, but the extraction does not indicate how the search for her replacement will proceed.
The players
Jamie Rogers Southern
Southern has led Bookmarks as executive director since 2021 and previously spent nine years as its operations director.
Bookmarks
Bookmarks is a Winston-Salem literary nonprofit that runs an annual book festival and operates the state's first nonprofit independent bookstore downtown.
Candice Wooten Brown
Brown serves as board president of Bookmarks and oversees the board's search for the next executive director.
The details
Board President Candice Wooten Brown said Southern's leadership has positioned the organization well for its next chapter. Bookmarks operates a downtown bookstore, the state's first nonprofit independent bookstore, and has brought authors including Colson Whitehead, Jodi Picoult, and Bonnie Garmus to Winston-Salem.
Timeline
2021: Southern named executive director of Bookmarks.
January 2027: Southern leaves the executive director position.
Industry Dynamics
Bookmarks' festival, which draws 30,000 visitors from more than 30 states, has made the organization a regional literary anchor for Winston-Salem. Southern's departure arrives alongside a new strategic plan, marking a leadership handoff at a point when the nonprofit is setting its course for the years ahead.
Readers who attend Bookmarks' annual festival or visit its downtown bookstore should expect continuity through the leadership transition, as the organization is operating under a new strategic plan. The departure itself does not change festival dates or bookstore access as described in the extraction.
The takeaway
Long-tenured nonprofit leaders often leave a foundation that outlasts their time in the role, and Southern's 15 years with Bookmarks offer that kind of continuity for the next director to build on. Organizations facing a leadership change can ease the handoff by documenting programs and priorities as they transition.
What happens next
The Bookmarks board will launch a search for the next executive director ahead of Southern's departure in January 2027.
Further reading
Explore more coverage of author events and literary organizations in Books.
