Our Team
Barbara Tolley (she/her)
President & CEO
After receiving her PhD in Romance Languages from UNC-CH, Barbara moved to New York to work in publishing, beginning with the French Publishers Office, and then as a scout for Christina McInerney. In 2002, she succeeded Christina as the president and CEO of the company, now known as “Barbara Tolley and Associates”. She is a Writers Omi Board Member, and speaks French and English.
Gayle O’Rourke (she/her)
Literary Scout
Gayle joined BTA in May 2024, after previously working as a Scouting Assistant at West Wind Literary Scouting. She graduated from Temple University with a BA in English and a Minor in Japanese. She now heads the children's division of BTA and assists with adult fiction coverage. Gayle speaks English and Japanese, and is based out of Philadelphia.