Curriculum Vitae

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

The National Trust for Local News | 2020–2025

Founded and led a national nonprofit institution dedicated to preserving and strengthening local journalism, building the organization from concept to the largest nonprofit local newspaper company in the United States. Served as principal decision-maker for strategy, programs, and operations, overseeing more than 500 employees, 65 local news brands across three states, and four operating subsidiaries.

Built and led a senior management team and governing board; designed governance structures, financial systems, and organizational processes to support long-term institutional sustainability. Led all fundraising and development efforts, raising more than $37 million in philanthropic capital and securing impact investment financing.

Established partnerships and operating models to support journalism in under-resourced and racially diverse communities, including the launch of new local news initiatives such as The Macon Melody. Featured in Nieman Lab, the New York Times, HBS magazine, and other national publications.

Senior Fellow

National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) | 2025–Present

Conceived and launched the American Conversation Project, a national civic listening initiative developed in partnership with MIT Media Lab's Cortico project, leveraging AI-assisted conversation technology to support large-scale public listening aligned with the United States' 250th anniversary in 2026. Secured $450,000 in early philanthropic support.

Strategic Advisor

Arnold Ventures Journalism Program / Press Forward Initiative | 2025–Present

Conducted comprehensive analysis of Press Forward's 570 infrastructure grant applications to assess organizational capacity, sustainability challenges, and systemic gaps across the U.S. local journalism ecosystem. Synthesizing findings into a forthcoming field-facing white paper for Media Impact Funders.

Strategic Advisor, Local Journalism Impact Investment

North Base Media | 2025–Present

Partnered to develop a comprehensive strategy and fund model for impact investment in local journalism. Designed an integrated philanthropic and investment framework to deploy capital in support of sustainable, mission-driven local news organizations.

Strategic Advisor, Journalism and Media Applications

Early Stage AI Research and Development Company | 2025–Present

Advising a frontier AI technology company on journalism and media applications, with a focus on preserving core journalistic values, public trust, and editorial integrity. Providing guidance on responsible media use cases and risk mitigation.

Strategic Advisor, Rhode Island News Collaborative

Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy, Salve Regina University | 2025

Advised a consortium of nine local news organizations on collaborative formation, governance design, shared strategy, and long-term sustainability planning.

Adjunct Faculty, J+ Executive Program in News Innovation and Leadership

Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY | 2019–Present

Design and teach executive-level courses on strategy, innovation, and organizational change for rotating cohorts of senior newsroom leaders from the U.S. and internationally. Mentored more than 100 senior newsroom executives on leadership development, institutional change, and long-term career strategy over 6 cohorts.

Senior Research Fellow

Tow Center for Digital Journalism, Columbia University | 2016–2017, 2020–2022

Directed research on public media, public policies to support local news, and the relationship between news publishers and social media platforms. Developed and directed research for the Membership Puzzle Project's Guide to Membership in News.

Research Lead and Post-Doctoral Fellow, Business Models for News

Shorenstein Center, Harvard Kennedy School | 2018–2020

Directed the news sustainability program and authored influential studies on business models for local news. Led convenings, trainings, and field research with nonprofit newsrooms. Co-authored a Harvard Business School case study on the Minneapolis Star Tribune and the widely used Public Media Mergers Playbook.

Fellow, Affiliate, and Assembly Associate

Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, Harvard University | 2016–2020

Conducted research on platform governance, data transparency, and media policy.

Board Member

The Trace | 2019–Present

Serve on the board of a national nonprofit newsroom focused on gun violence and public safety. Participate in organizational strategy, leadership recruitment, and long-term sustainability planning.

Board Member and Co-Founder

The Lexington Observer | 2021–Present

Co-founded and serve on the board of a community-based nonprofit newsroom. Contribute to organizational strategy and sustainability planning.

Business Models for Local News

Co-organizer with Lenfest Institute, Shorenstein Center, and Tow Center | May 2018

Forum on the Future of Advertising and Publishing

Co-organizer with HBS Digital Initiative, Shorenstein Center, and Tow Center | October 2017

Next Gen Podcast Distribution Protocols

Co-organizer with Berkman Klein Center and Tow Center | May 2017

Ph.D., Organizational Behavior

Harvard University

Joint Program in Organizational Behavior and Sociology, Harvard University and Harvard Business School

A.M., Sociology

Harvard University

B.A., Latin

Swarthmore College

Lang Opportunity for Social Change Scholar