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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (May 10, 2023) The Poynter Institute, renowned for training newsroom leaders and fostering diversity in journalism, is delighted to announce the 31 leaders selected for the May 2023 Leadership Academy for Women in Media cohort.

The group will come to Poynter from Canada, Hungary, the U.K. and 14 states in the U.S, representing a variety of outlets, audiences and areas of expertise.

I cant wait to meet all the innovative women in this cohort, because I know each leaders experience and expertise will contribute to a powerful week of community building and growth, said Sitara Nieves, Poynter vice president of teaching and organizational strategy and one of the instructors for the May class. With newsrooms shrinking or even closing, the pace of change in the media industry has only accelerated in recent months. That uncertainty is a heavy burden for leaders. This week will lighten the load and help guide leaders on a path forward.

Poynter designed the Leadership Academy for Women in Media to diversify the ranks of people who lead the media industry, helping individual managers gain confidence, clout and connections. Each new cohort grows the alumni group of more than 550 women and nonbinary journalists. In a 2023 survey of program alumni from the last eight years, 60% of respondents took on new or expanded leadership roles, 60% reported being more influential in the strategy of their workplace and 75% said they were more confident. In open-ended survey responses, alumni said the confidence they gained from the program was crucial to helping them make tough decisions, proactively coach colleagues, lead change, pitch new ideas, advocate for better conditions and even choose to continue working in a challenging industry.

Leaders often come into this program feeling totally alone in their experiences. What they learn is that theyre in fact supported by an alumni community of 550-plus unseen advocates for their success all of whom understand the uniquely complex positions theyre in, said academy director Kate Cox. The impact on newsrooms of educating hundreds of leaders to navigate unsteady times hasnt just been good for journalism its been good for the communities these journalists serve. Im so excited to extend our reach even further with this next cohort.

Welcome to the newest Leadership Academy for Women in Media cohort:

The May academy will kick off with a keynote address from Los Angeles Times managing editor Sara Yasin. She will reflect on her career in digital media, including as the former BuzzFeed News managing editor who oversaw the newsrooms first Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation. She will also talk about navigating industry changes and share why she still feels optimistic.

Other lessons during the week include:

Those chosen for Poynters 2023 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.

Applications open in August for the 2024 program. Learn more at poynter.org/womenleaders.

Poynter thanks the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Newmark Philanthropies, Gannett Foundation and Gill Foundation for support in making the 2023 Leadership Academy for Women in Media possible.

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Meet the next Leadership Academy for Women in Media cohort in ... - Poynter