A cheer squad for the Audible Original "Slayers: A Buffyverse Story." at NYCC 2023.

Over the last eight years, the scope of Audible’s brand events has expanded beyond comic cons. Throughout the year, Katja’s team works closely with our content, PR, social media and talent teams to make a splash at major industry events like Sundance, South by Southwest (SXSW) and Tribeca Festival, showcasing our amazing Original content by coordinating panels with Audible leaders and talent, like Jon Hamm, who joined us at Sundance to promote the Audible Original The Big Fix: A Jack Bergin Mystery.

Audible at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2024.

Katja’s team also coordinates Audible’s presence at London Book Fair, Turin Book Fair, Guadalajara Book Fair, and Frankfurt Book Fair, which is Europe’s largest publishing event. At book fairs, her focus is to “always put the emphasis on audio and the immersive listening experience” that sets Audible apart. 

Considering all the moving parts that go into coordinating a huge effort across teams, external entities, venues and talent, Katja’s role requires a lot of flexibility and the ability to pivot. It also results in some incredibly rewarding moments for her, personally. At Culture Con in Brooklyn last year, where Katja’s team had organized a launch party for the Audible Original The Wonder of Stevie, she found herself celebrating alongside Michelle Obama, Janelle Monae and Questlove, all of whom were co-producers with Audible on the title. The party had to come together quickly and included some unforeseen challenges, such as getting all the attendees Secret Service clearance, but at some point, Katja looked around was amazed at where she ended up. “I thought, I grew up in Germany and now here I am, in a room in New York with Michelle Obama!”

Questlove, Michelle Obama and Janelle Monáe attend as Audible and Higher Ground Host “The Wonder Of Stevie" Event At CultureCon in 2024.

Originally, when Katja came to the US in 2007, she intended to stay for just 18 months. “I was on a work visa and came here to do management training in hospitality,” she says. But she wasn’t ready to go back to Germany, so she moved to London for a year. “With a lot of luck and dedication, I ended up back in New York to help to open a hotel.” A few years later, she got the call from Audible, and has been with us ever since.

Now what was supposed to be 18 months away from Germany has become 18 years. “It still seems unreal, but it's been half of my life,” she muses. Social media makes it easier to stay in touch with her family and keep them apprised of her exciting work here, and she goes back for a visit whenever she can.

As listenership continues to skyrocket and Audible keeps changing the audio storytelling landscape, Katja is always working to ensure that our presence at industry gatherings befits the best-in-class content and experience we’re known for. Reflecting on the difference between our recent comic cons and some of our earliest ones, she says, “we often found ourselves explaining Audible’s purpose and presence there. Today, however, official comic con blogs eagerly anticipate Audible’s presence, knowing we will bring exciting new content and captivating programs to the weekend.”