The Emerging Leaders Institute for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is a six-month program of the News Leaders Association. Its goal is to accelerate the rise of traditionally underrepresented journalists into the management ranks of news organizations and to support those who have already launched their leadership careers.

 
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30 journalists have been selected for the online program, which begins in September of 2021 and continues into Spring of 2022. Congratulations to those selected!

 

  • Sumi Aggarwal, Interim Editor in Chief/Managing Editor, Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting

  • Satarupa Barua, (Acting) Chief, Bangla Service, Voice of America

  • April Denise Bethea, Deputy Education Editor, The Washington Post

  • Bobby Blanchard, Director of Audience, The Texas Tribune

  • Ashley Brown, Senior Editor, All Things Considered, NPR

  • Ariel Cheung, Food & Travel Editor, Chicago Tribune

  • Ashley Clarke, Audience Engagement Editor, The Center for Public Integrity

  • Ciera Crawford, Supervising Producer, All Things Considered, NPR

  • Kara Edgerson, Southeast Manager, Digital Optimization Team, Gannett

  • Andrun Fisher, Executive Producer, KSLA News 12 Shreveport-Bossier

  • Stacie N. Galang, News Director, Ventura County Star

  • Nic Garcia, Politics Editor, Des Moines Register

  • Malaka Gharib, Editor, Global Health and Development, NPR

  • Stephani Gibilisco, Assistant News Director, KREM 2 News

  • Nimah Gobir, Writer/Producer, KQED

  • Nicole Hernandez, Engagement Editor, NPR

  • Emily Horos, Deputy Sports Editor, Arizona Republic

  • Martina Ibáñez-Baldor, Senior Art Director, Los Angeles Times

  • Taima Kern, Editor, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

  • Lisa Larson-Walker, Art Director, ProPublica

  • Sandra Lemaire, Acting Service Chief, VOA Creole, Voice of America

  • Mary Kelli Palka, Executive Editor/Market Leader, Florida Times-Union

  • Neema Roshania Patel, Editor, The Lily, The Washington Post

  • Gabriel C. Pérez, Multimedia Producer, KUT Public Media Studios

  • Claire Thornton, Audio Editor, USA TODAY

  • Francisco Vara-Orta, Training Director, Investigative Reporters & Editors

  • Felecia Wellington Radel, Audience Manager, DEI, USA TODAY

  • Keiona Williamson, Editor, The Sacramento Bee

  • Ryan Wood, Executive Producer of Innovation, WFAA

  • Nancy Yang, Editor, MPR News

The online ELI for DEI builds on its tradition of leadership development with a format that enables the cohort of selected participants to learn, coach and network together over time.  

The Curriculum: The ELI curriculum includes sessions on leadership skills and values, change management, resource management and budgeting, strategic planning and goal setting, performance management, collaboration and innovation — all through the lens of leading a diverse, successful team. 

 
 

The Faculty: NLA members, Alfredo Carbajal and Jill Geisler co-lead a diverse faculty of expert presenters and media leaders who will be part of each session. Carbajal is the managing editor of Al Día/Dallas Morning News and past president of ASNE. Geisler is the Bill Plante Chair in Leadership and Media Integrity at Loyola University Chicago School of Communication and an internationally respected voice on newsroom leadership. They have organized NLA’s programs for diverse emerging leaders since 2012. 

The all-volunteer ELI faculty team will also include guest leaders such as:

  • Leona Allen, The Dallas Morning News

  • Nancy Ancrum, Miami Herald

  • Stephanie L. Arnold, Newsday

  • Peter Bhatia, Detroit Free Press

  • Paul Cheung, Center for Public Integrity

  • Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews, CBS News

  • Sandra Clark, WHYY

  • John Devine, Miami Herald

  • Duchesne Drew, Minnesota Public Radio

  • Dawn Garcia, John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships / Stanford University

  • Manny Garcia, Austin Statesman

  • Emilio Garcia-Ruiz, San Francisco Chronicle

  • Katrice Hardy, The Dallas Morning News

  • Charo Henríquez, The New York Times

  • Art Holliday, KSDK

  • Mandy Jenkins, The Compass Experiment

  • Alberto Mendoza, John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships / Stanford University

  • Kevin Merida, Los Angeles Times

  • Carla Minet, Centro de Periodismo Investigativo

  • Julie Moos, National Press Club Journalism Institute

  • Priska Neely, Gulf States Newsroom

  • Ron Nixon, The Associated Press

  • Akili-Casundria Ramsess, National Press Photographers Association

  • Iliana Limón Romero, Los Angeles Times

  • George Stanley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA Today Network

  • Mizell Stewart III, USA Today Network

  • Krissah Thompson, The Washington Post

  • Robyn Tomlin, McClatchy

  • Millie Tran, Condé Nast

  • Lori Waldon, KOAT

  • Carline Watson, WBUR / NPR

  • and more to be announced!

Our mission is to support journalists who have been underrepresented in management ranks, specifically by race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation or disability. Participants from all North American professional journalism platforms were encouraged to apply.

If you have any questions, please reach out to contact@newsleaders.org with “ELI for DEI” in the subject line. 

We could not provide this training without the incredibly generous support from our wonderful sponsors, Loyola University of Chicago School of Communication and The Dallas Morning News.