Now in its ninth year, the Poynter Leadership Academy for Women in Media has transformed the careers of more than 500 people in news media and tech. During a week often described as overflowing with “Poynter magic,” each participant learns to manage teams more effectively, hone and communicate their strategic vision and steer their organizations toward success. But perhaps more importantly, graduates of the Poynter Academy and ONA’s partner program, the Women’s Leadership Accelerator, join a global community of support.
This sisterhood is established during the program through honest, candid and often vulnerable conversations, hands-on activities, formal and informal social activities, and shared experiences. Each participant’s circle expands after the program as alumni from different classes network, connect online and in person, and even mentor each other.
We will host three women’s leadership academies in 2023, each open to 30 participants:
- Cohort 1: March 26-31
- Cohort 2: May 21-26
- Cohort 3: Sept. 24-29
We plan to host these programs in person at Poynter’s campus in St. Petersburg, Florida. However, if public health guidelines or other circumstances require the academy to be offered completely online, we are confident the experience will be just as robust.
Poynter directly impacts your career
The Poynter leadership training propels careers and changes lives. In a 2019 survey of graduates from our first four years of this academy, we learned:
- 73% make more money, with around half of those people making substantially more
- 83% are tapping into the Leadership Academy cohort for ideas and support
- 86% have more self-confidence
Follow #PoynterWomenLeaders to see the first-hand experience of past participants.
“I didn’t realize magic was happening when I was in the class. I realized it two weeks later. And I’m realizing it every day two years later. Those five days are not when your life changes. It’s the experience of those five days that end up changing your life after you’re very far from St. Petersburg.”
— Dhiya Gerber, manager at Microsoft and alumna and instructor
Learn from prominent leaders
Poynter faculty will lead the 2023 program (see below). Guest instructors and keynote speakers for 2023 will be announced closer to the seminar dates. Recent keynote speakers include:
- Stephanie Mehta, CEO and chief content officer at Mansueto Ventures, parent of Inc. and Fast Company (Sept. 2022)
- Tracy Brown, chief content officer at Chicago Public Media (May 2022)
- Swati Sharma, editor-in-chief at Vox (Nov. 2021)
- Millie Tran, vice president of content strategy and growth at Condé Nast, and Stacy-Marie Ishmael, managing editor, cryptocurrencies at Bloomberg News (Sept. 2021)
For an idea of the type of guest instructors we might feature in 2023, see all of the instructors and participants from past Poynter programs.
Questions?
Here are some frequently asked questions. Check out our checklist for submitting a strong application. And subscribe to Poynter’s newsletter about gender in media, The Cohort. If you need more assistance, email us at info@poynter.org.
Who should apply
This is one of Poynter’s most competitive programs. It is designed for those who directly manage people and are within their first five years of formal leadership experience. You can be an early-career journalist stepping into your third year as a manager or you can be a veteran journalist stepping into your first in management — either way, this program was created for you to become a self-aware leader and an effective manager. A cross-discipline understanding of the media landscape is a plus.
“The Leadership Academy finally gave me leadership and management training — something I’d never received. And I use it every single day. I think about what I learned, I go back over my notes, I look at my personal development plan … maybe it was more than career-changing. Maybe it was a little bit life-changing too.”
— Sara Konrad Baranowski, editor of the Iowa Falls Times-Citizen, alumna and instructor
English-speaking women and nonbinary people from journalism, media and technology organizations all over the world are encouraged to apply. If you think you could benefit from this program, you should probably apply! You’ll find details about our scholarship opportunities below.
If you are not currently a formal people manager or expect to be in the coming year, we encourage you to consider Lead with Influence, a Poynter program created for women and nonbinary journalists who manage products, platforms and processes. Attending Lead with Influence does not limit you from also applying to, and participating in, the Leadership Academy at a later date.
Application process
We value diversity and seek to create a rich mix of personal and professional experience in each class. A positive group dynamic is essential to the success of this program.
Participants are selected after multiple rounds of review with an emphasis on ensuring diversity across race, ethnicity, geography, age, platform/medium, organization and organization size, and expertise. We aim to create a cohort of people from diverse career backgrounds and organizations, including TV, radio, digital-only, journalism-adjacent (such as LinkedIn and the International Women’s Media Foundation) start-ups and nonprofits.
Reviewers include a volunteer committee of program alumni, Poynter staff and faculty. Poynter coordinates with ONA to ensure acceptance to only one leadership program (either Poynter’s Leadership Academy for Women in Media or ONA’s Leadership Accelerator).
Cost and scholarships
Tuition is $1,300 and covers six days of teaching from prominent faculty, one-on-one coaching and networking, including social activities. Participants receive a facilitated 360-degree review and will work with a certified trainer to review their personality inventory. Tuition also goes toward continued support after the academy as part of The Cohort.
Participants (or their employers) are responsible for travel costs (here’s advice about asking your boss for support).The Poynter Institute is offering need-based tuition scholarships and travel support for U.S.-based journalists in local news, nonprofits and startups, as well as for people of color.
Questions?
Here are some frequently asked questions. Check out our checklist for submitting a strong application. And subscribe to Poynter’s newsletter about gender in media, The Cohort. If you need more assistance, email us at info@poynter.org.
