SAM HIYATE is keen to discover new voices and help writers prepare their works for market, and to help them build lasting careers. In the past two decades with THE RIGHTS FACTORY his hundreds of book deals have resulted in several bestsellers such as MORE, the memoir by Molly Roden Winter, THIS ONE SUMMER, the graphic novel by Jillian and Mariko Tamaki, non-fiction such as HEALTHY AF (DITCH THE DIET) by Oonagh Duncan and THE MYTH of CAPITALISM by Jonathan Tepper and Denise Hearn, and fiction such as GIRLS IN WHITE DRESSES by Jennifer Close and THE ADULT by Bronwyn Fischer.

Kate is an Agency Assistant, bringing with her a background in Events, Marketing, and Non-Profit work. Driven by her love for books, literacy and education, Kate founded the Moody Family Foundation in 2023. This foundation supports education and literacy programs through charitable grants within the York Region area of Ontario. Previously, she held a position at a holding company where she managed marketing operations for two companies within the pharmaceutical technology and private security industries.

Kate has degrees in Criminology and Sociology from Western University, complemented by a diploma in Special Events Management from George Brown College. Apart from reading, Kate enjoys being active, cooking, spending time with her friends, family, and two doodles. 

An Assistant Agent since 2021 under The Rights Factory, Tasneem's literary journey traverses various realms, with picture books, graphic novels, young adult, and adult fiction on her short but talented list. She might be picky, but when she’s in love with a story, everyone will know it!

Recently joining the team as a Branding Associate, Tasneem brings her unique blend of passion and discernment to every project. Her role now extends beyond representation, as she collaborates closely with fellow TRF agents and their clients to elevate their hard work and successful deals in the social media realm. Tasneem's dedication to storytelling through marketing and design, and her commitment to amplifying diverse voices, make her an invaluable asset to The Rights Factory and the literary community at large.

Morinobu Yoshida is a publishing professional from Yokohama, Japan. After working at a publishing house in Tokyo for five years, he decided to dive into international publishing and began pursuing the publishing certificate at Toronto Metropolitan University. With his passion to promote the global exchange of cultures and ideas through books, he currently works as a rights assistant at the Rights Factory, while working as a freelance editor/copyeditor and also a kitchen assistant at an awesome Indian restaurant in downtown Toronto. He has a taste for literary fiction, literary journalism, and history books.

Kodie Van Dusen won awards and was published in poetry anthologies from a young age, writing sporadically for the Western Gazette newspaper while pursuing her BA in Psychology. In 2022 she published her debut novel, BIRDS IN THE BLACK WATER, which placed in several competitions including the IndiesToday and ReadersFavorite Awards. Her passion has always been long-form narratives that force perspective changes in the reader and connect on a deeply emotional level.

In 2021, Gillian completed her undergrad at the University of Guelph, graduating with an Honors English BA and a minor in creative writing. In her final year of study, Gillian was taught by Lawrence Hill, author of The Book of Negros, and found a love for the publishing industry, which led her to the agency. After working as an editorial assistant for The Rights Factory, Gillian enrolled in the TMU publishing certificate program and is currently finishing up her final courses. She has rejoined the amazing team at TRF in order to further practice her editorial skills.

Gillian’s love for literature began at a young age when her mother first started reading Harry Potter to her and her brother. It was a nightly ritual that Gillian eventually carried on herself, and still does to this day. Though Fantasy holds a special place in her heart, Gillian has gone on to read a variety of genres and has found something to love in each and every one.

Riana has been obsessed with reading since she learned how to. You can often find her reading fantasy books with romance sprinkled in, and her constantly updating her Goodreads, trying to read more books than she did the last year. Her favourite authors include Sarah J Maas, Elsie Silver and Kerri Maniscalco, usually preordering their books a year before they’re released.

Riana graduated from York University with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours and double majored in Creative Writing and Professional Writing. She has two poems published and is always working on some piece of fiction.

Riana hopes to further her career in the world of book publishing and is excited to be an Editorial Assistant at The Rights Factory!

Kiana holds a BA in English and Cultural Studies from McMaster University. Alongside her studies she has been a blog correspondent for Acta Victoriana, worked on archival collections as a student assistant and has previously published short fiction.
With her background in literary analysis and creative writing she is eager to help writers perfect and polish their craft.

Francine is currently studying English and Creative Writing at the University of Alberta. She is also a writer for The Gateway and a tutor for Writing Services. She is excited to learn about the publishing industry and to share her passion for writing with other writers.

Hannah is an aspiring children's book editor with a Bachelor of Arts degree in early childhood studies from the Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) and currently lives in Toronto. After working with children and families in child care centres she transitioned into publishing through a recent internship at Tundra Book Group, PRHC, she discovered a passion for children's books.