Introducing Courtney Karecki, ABA’s New IndieCommerce Specialist

In February, Courtney Karecki joined the staff of the American Booksellers Association as the newest IndieCommerce Specialist.

Karecki’s responsibilities include providing support for user inquiries of all types using a ticketing system; developing and maintaining content for user education; keeping current on new e-commerce trends and sharing that knowledge with users; and quality assurance testing of new features and services. She reports to ABA IndieCommerce Director Phil Davies.

After attending SUNY Orange for her first two years of college, Karecki transferred to SUNY Purchase; she graduated in 2015 with a BA in arts management with an art history minor. In 2018, she received her MA in integrated marketing communications from Marist College.

In addition to working in the Financial Aid office in undergrad, Karecki noted that she’s worked for small businesses, too, including small galleries that were sole proprietorships. “The time I spent working for those business owners was rewarding,” she said. “Those experiences allow me to relate to our members and be as helpful as I can be.”

She added that she wanted to work for ABA because being an IndieCommerce Specialist presented her with the chance to try something new while building on past knowledge and experience.

“I’d never touched Drupal in my life before coming here,” said Karecki, “but I love books, the culture around books, learning, and being part of something much bigger than just profit. I’m incredibly thankful to be able to make an impact and help independent booksellers grow and flourish.”

So far, Karecki appreciates the “opportunity to work with Drupal and learn how the ABA functions in the industry,” in addition to learning how it supports its membership.

“I’m really looking forward to being able to meet members and get to know the store owners a little better,” Karecki added. “Indie bookstores aren’t just places to buy books, they’re community cornerstones where people can gather to share something they enjoy, meet authors in a more intimate setting, be exposed to something new, and enrich lives in the way that buying a book from a big retailer can never do.”

She noted that the area she currently lives in doesn’t have a dedicated indie bookstore. “It gives me the perspective of life without these places, without these passionate business owners, and drives me all the more with helping them in their e-commerce endeavors in any way I can,” she said.