Clarivate’s former publisher relations expert joins Frontiers

Research publisher Frontiers appoints Tom Ciavarella as head of public affairs and advocacy for North America to strategise and execute advocacy initiatives to support Frontiers’ mission and accelerate transition to open science.

Tom has 20 years’ experience in relationship management, business development, and content strategy. After an early career in copy-editing and writing, he worked at F.A. Davis Company, an independent medical publisher in the US, where he acquired and developed new medical textbooks and helped bring print-only resources into the digital world. In 2015, Tom joined Clarivate Analytics (now Clarivate) as a publisher relations manager for Web of Science Group with a focus on content and communication strategy. 

Most recently, Tom managed large strategic accounts for the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC), a non-profit that helps publishers and other copyright holders coordinate content delivery, licensing, and open access workflows. Tom also served as a liaison to CCC's government relations team, which works to guide policymakers on copyright modernisation and related topics. 

In 2011, Tom founded and still consults for Smarter Learning, an advisory for STM publishers and publishing start-ups on content strategy, business development, and contract negotiation. 

Tom volunteers for organisations devoted to mentoring and empowering students and professionals. Since 2015, Tom has been a member of the Society for Scholarly Publishing, a US-based non-profit for the scientific and academic publishing industry, where he co-chaired SSP’s Community Engagement Committee for two years and now volunteers with its mentorship programme. Tom is also a supporter of the SSP Generations Fund, providing support to Fellowship, Mentoring, and Diversity & Inclusion programmes. He lives in Chicago. 

Frontiers’ chief executive editor Dr Frederick Fenter says, 'Tom brings extensive expertise and one of the best address books in the business to the role; he has the experience to connect with our partners on public policy and to execute advocacy initiatives in the US market. His commitment to open science will make a key player on the Frontiers public affairs team.'

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Ciavarella adds, 'Frontiers has chosen a fantastic time to grow its presence in North America, and I'm excited to join a team that is already successfully advocating for open science throughout the United States and Canada. With its strong foundation in technology and focus on collaboration, Frontiers is distinctly suited to help researchers, funders, and public and private institutions transition to open science efficiently and successfully.'