ST PETERSBURG, Fla. (Nov. 22, 2022) — The Poynter Institute, renowned for long-standing excellence in training newsroom leaders, is delighted to announce the third of three classes selected for its eighth annual Leadership Academy for Women in Media. This newest cohort of 33 leaders spans legacy outlets such as KQED, The Globe and Mail and The Kansas City Star, along with specialized news organizations such as IndigiNews, VIBE and 100 Days in Appalachia.
The December 2022 cohort joins an alumni group of more than 500 women and nonbinary journalists who have changed the face of leadership in news media and tech.
“Every cohort is inspiring because of the breadth of professional experiences they bring to the room. Their different paths to leadership help reinforce that there’s no single route to success,” said Doris Truong, Poynter director of teaching and diversity strategies. “The lessons they will gain throughout the week — not just from the instructors but from each other — will help them better guide their teams and to provide examples to others in our industry.”
The Leadership Academy for Women in Media is one of Poynter’s most competitive programs. It is designed for women and nonbinary journalists who directly manage people. During the weeklong academy, participants grow their self-awareness; harness their leadership potential; learn how to foster belonging, empathy and inspiration on their teams; and guide their organizations through crisis and opportunity.
Participants also become part of a tight-knit, supportive community of leaders dedicated to helping each other succeed.
“We create these cohorts with one question in mind: How can we ensure this group of women can grow together through the complementary strengths and opportunities?” said 2022 program director Samantha Ragland. “We aren’t creating a one-time experience; we’re creating a mastermind group. I’m excited to see these women bring their whole selves to Poynter this winter and see their lives grow and go forward in tandem afterward.”
SAVE THE DATE: Lead With Influence, the spinoff program to the Leadership Academy for Women in Media, will return in 2023 — three times! The first online-only program will take place Mondays in February.
December academy line-up
The December academy will kick off with a keynote address from Tracie Powell, an alumna of the original 2015 academy and founder of the Pivot Fund, which supports independent BIPOC community news. She will talk with Poynter faculty Kristen Hare about her experience as a change agent in the industry.
“Because of the academy, I am leading the Pivot Fund,” said Powell last year. “The program helped me see the bigger picture in terms of what I was meant to be doing. Now I invest in news organizations who are on the front lines of providing critical information to local communities. Without the women’s leadership academy, I don’t think I would have been thinking big enough.”
Other lessons during the week include the ever-popular work-life chemistry talk with Hare, retaining diverse talent with Truong, purpose-driven delegation with Ragland, getting smarter about conflict with Poynter faculty Sitara Nieves, ethical leadership with Poynter senior vice president Kelly McBride, and managing through authenticity with consultant Maria Carrillo.
Program alumni regularly return to the academy as guest faculty to deepen connections in the alumni network and share lessons learned. Kate Cox, Poynter adjunct and May 2022 alum, will guide the cohort through a negotiation toolkit. Sushil Cheema, executive coach and graduate of the 2019 academy, will share her in-demand training on change management in the workplace.
Alumni will also offer one-on-one coaching for the December cohort, featuring Washington Post designer and 2020 alum Tara McCarty.
Meet the December 2022 cohort
Those chosen for Poynter’s 2022 Leadership Academy for Women in Media passed through multiple rounds of review with an emphasis to ensure diversity across race, ethnicity, geography, age, platform/medium, organization size and expertise to further enrich the participant experience. The academy takes place three times each year, and participants for all three academies are selected at the same time (meet the May 2022 and September 2022 cohorts).
The application for the 2023 program has already closed, and accepted applicants will be announced next year.
Meet the third and final 2022 cohort:
