Karin M. Tucker
Summary
Senior rights and licensing executive with 20+ years of rights licensing experience - leading subsidiary rights strategy, global licensing operations, and international partnerships for major publishing and media organizations. Proven ability to expand multi-million-dollar rights revenue, negotiate high-impact translation and audio deals, and cultivate relationships across 30+ territories.
Demonstrated success in scaling rights licensing revenue, modernizing contract management operations, and representing organizations at major international book fairs (London, Frankfurt, Beijing), and industry conferences (NASP, APA). Known for elevating team performance, building scalable rights infrastructure, and aligning rights strategy with editorial and corporate goals.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Director, Rights & Permissions
Western Psychological Services (WPS)
Torrance
03.2022 - Current
- Oversaw revenue growth from $950,000 to $2 million within three years, driven by targeted rights expansion, high-value deal structuring, the professionalization of departmental contract management, and elevated agreement quality and consistency.
- Managed and developed a team of four, implementing individualized development plans and coaching to support both personal and professional growth.
- Negotiated complex international licensing agreements, including minimum guarantees, royalty escalations, and multi-year frameworks that optimized financial outcomes.
- Built strategic partnerships across Europe, Asia, and Latin America, supporting the global distribution and expansion of licensed products.
- Represented WPS at major industry conferences, including NASP and APA, cultivating stakeholder relationships, and elevating organizational visibility.
- Conducted financial modeling and market analysis to forecast rights revenue, and evaluate new licensing opportunities.
- Led cross-functional coordination with Editorial, Sales, Legal, Finance, and Operations to align licensing strategy with broader organizational objectives.
- Implemented rights-management workflow improvements that reduced contract turnaround times, and strengthened compliance and IP protection.
Manager, Subsidiary Rights & Licensing
University of California Press
Oakland
03.2018 - 06.2021
- Directed subsidiary rights sales, achieving 39% growth in licensing advances, an 18% increase in translation licensing deals, and 120% growth in audiobook licensing deals.
- Negotiated audiobook rights with Audible, Tantor Media, Blackstone Audio, Deyan Audio, Recorded Books, and other leading audio publishers, expanding UC Press’s catalog across top listening platforms.
- Negotiated foreign-language rights across major global markets, ensuring editorial alignment, and strong financial performance.
- Managed contract drafting, compliance monitoring, and partner communication to optimize rights exploitation.
- Represented UC Press at Frankfurt, London, and Beijing book fairs, securing high-value international partnerships.
Manager, Rights & Permissions
Scientific American
New York
05.2010 - 05.2015
- Grew licensing revenue by 195% (reaching over $1M) using competitive pricing models, international engagement, and strategic market development.
- Negotiated rights for digital and multimedia platforms, extending brand reach into emerging content channels.
- Implemented automated rights workflows that reduced administrative processing time by 50%.
- Built strong relationships with global media companies, enhancing negotiation leverage, and market access.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Interdisciplinary Studies (Communication/Sociology
University of Missouri
Columbia, Missouri, MOSkills
- Subsidiary Rights Licensing
- Revenue growth strategy
- Rights management
- Strategic negotiation
- Team leadership
- Contract management
- Strategic partnerships
Timeline
Director, Rights & Permissions
Western Psychological Services (WPS)
03.2022 - Current
Manager, Subsidiary Rights & Licensing
University of California Press
03.2018 - 06.2021
Manager, Rights & Permissions
Scientific American
05.2010 - 05.2015
Bachelor of Arts - Interdisciplinary Studies (Communication/Sociology
University of Missouri