Cathy De La Cruz, Mfa
About Cathy De La Cruz, Mfa
Cathy De La Cruz, MFA, is a Metadata Manager at Penguin Random House, where she also serves as an Uncovering Bias Facilitator and Inclusion Partner. She has an extensive background in creative writing, film, and education, with previous roles in various organizations including Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts and Possible Films/Hal Hartley.
Current Roles at Penguin Random House
Cathy De La Cruz currently holds multiple roles at Penguin Random House, all in a remote capacity. As a Metadata Manager, she is responsible for overseeing and optimizing metadata initiatives for the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. She also serves as an Uncovering Bias Facilitator, focusing on promoting inclusiveness and identifying biases within the company. Furthermore, Cathy is an Inclusion Partner, working towards fostering a more inclusive workplace environment.
Previous Positions at Penguin Random House
Before her current roles, Cathy De La Cruz worked in various capacities at Penguin Random House. From 2017 to 2019, she served on-site as a Department Coordinator for Publisher Services. She also worked as a Copywriter & Metadata Analyst from 2016 to 2017. These roles involved optimizing content for discoverability and coordinating between different departments to ensure smooth operational workflows.
Educational Background
Cathy De La Cruz has a diverse educational background. She earned a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona, where she studied from 2012 to 2014. Earlier, she received another MFA in Visual Arts from UC San Diego, completed from 2005 to 2009. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Film/Creative Writing from The Evergreen State College, accomplished between 1999 and 2003. Additionally, Cathy has pursued various independent courses in areas such as Comedy, Personal Essay Writing, Improvised Comedy, and Cartooning, among others.
Career Experience Across Industries
Cathy De La Cruz has a diverse professional background spanning several industries. She has held multiple positions in academia, publishing, the arts, and non-profits. For instance, she was a Creative Writing Faculty & Director of the Leadership Institute at Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts and a Filmmaking Assistant & Archivist at Possible Films/Hal Hartley. Additionally, she has contributed as an editor for Weird Sister and served in various capacities at other organizations such as Studio in a School, SOCAPA, and The Loft Cinema.
Key Contributions and Responsibilities
In her current role at Penguin Random House, Cathy De La Cruz leads training on metadata optimization, industry standards, and new technological applications. She also represents metadata on a company-wide AI-focused project and ensures metadata quality for frontlist titles while optimizing the backlist. Additionally, Cathy identifies market opportunities related to metadata, publishers, and sales, and provides trend-forecasting via weekly presentations to the entire company. She functions as a primary liaison between Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group's creative team and corporate sales and IT teams.