Col�n, McBride Named to New Posts at Poynter

The Poynter Institute has announced two faculty leadership appointments: Aly Colón is the News Reporting, Writing, and Editing group leader, and Kelly McBride succeeds Colón as the Ethics group leader. 

Colón’s new duties will include serving as editor of the Best Newspaper Writing book, a yearly compilation of the winners of the ASNE Writing Awards and interviews with the winners.  

Discussing his appointment, Colón said, “I join a faculty already known for excellence and creativity in the practice, and the teaching, of our craft. I see my role as one that supports and enhances the work they do, while seeking new ways to address the challenges faced by reporters, writers, and editors.”

In terms of her leadership of the Poynter’s ethics department, McBride said she wants Poynter’s teaching on ethics “to reach journalists in every newsroom, in every discipline, and on every level.” She’s also interested in finding a way to partner with citizens to encourage media literacy.

McBride, who will continue to write the Ethics Journal column on Poynter Online, said: “We will strengthen the services that we have for professional journalists trying to make better decisions, including the Ethics Hotline and the Ethics Tool.”

Colón joined Poynter in 1998 and served as the director of school’s diversity program. In July, 2003, he was named Ethics group leader. 

 Prior to joining Poynter, Colón worked at The Seattle Times as diversity reporter and coach. He was also an assistant metro editor at The Times for urban affairs, health care, ethics and values, religion, and social issues. Before that, he worked at The Herald in Everett, Wash, and at The Oakland Press in Pontiac, Mich.

McBride joined the ethics faculty at Poynter in 2002 after 14 years with The Spokesman-Review where she served as a police reporter and then, as a religion and ethics reporter.

As group leader in the writing area, Colón succeeds Keith Woods, who was named dean of the Poynter faculty in October.

Woods, who named Colón and McBride to their new posts, told the Poynter faculty in an e-mail:  “Both should bring the benefit of fresh ideas and a wide range of talents to the new posts.

“Aly will continue to lend his voice to matters of ethics and his excellent leadership to our work in diversity, and Kelly will continue to work with the college journalists in the writing program. Together, they will make both areas richer and the Institute’s leadership stronger.”