The FARMS Board of Trustees has appointed Alison V. P. Coutts as the new Director of Publications. She succeeds Melvin J. Thorne, who has accepted a position as associate professor in the Department of English at BYU.

Alison has been an editor for FARMS since 1994. Originally from the Isle of Wight, in England, she has worked in administration for nearly 25 years. Before coming to BYU to study English and Near Eastern Studies, Alison lived in Germany, where she worked as vice president for an international insurance agency.

It was in Germany that Alison first became acquainted with FARMS as a subscriber. "Once I discovered the 'Collected Works of Hugh Nibley,' I set about reading them from start to finish," she recalls. Alison speaks fluent German and French and enjoys spending time at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, where she interprets for the French and German missionaries. Alison is very happy with this second career and is mindful of the accountability of her new position: "FARMS has a reputation for responsible scholarly editing; it is a reputation that I will do my best to uphold."

Mel’s new responsibilities include directing the Humanities Publications Center and teaching classes. During his 11 years at FARMS, Mel contributed significantly to the Foundation's publishing efforts. His friends and colleagues at FARMS are saddened by his leaving but wish him well in his new endeavor.