Could you or someone you know be a great nonprofit news leader?

INN is committed to building and empowering this next generation. We formed the Emerging Leaders Council in 2017 to identify, connect, retain and build up the diverse leaders who will continue to innovate, grow and expand nonprofit news over the next 20 years. 

Nominations for 2021 are now closed, and you can learn more about the 2021 cohort in our blog post. Applications for 2022 will open in March.

If you have questions about the program, please email Sara Shahriari at sara.s@amplifyinn.org.

2021 Emerging Leaders Cohort

Class of 2021, listed from top left to right:

• Zenobia Jeffreys Warfield, Executive Editor, YES! Magazine
• Yukari Kane, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director, Prison Journalism Project
• Nathalie Applewhite, Strategic Director of Development, Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting
• Julián Aguilar, Editor, El Paso Matters
• Georgiana Ausan, Assistant Director, Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance
• Bethanie Glaser, Chief of Staff, Chalkbeat
• Sumi Aggarwal, Interim Editor in Chief, Reveal
• ‎Kristine Villanueva, Project Editor, Resolve Philadelphia
• Nissa Rhee, Executive Director, Borderless Magazine
• Kimberly Griffin, Founding Publisher, Mississippi Free Press
• Jennifer Hack Wolf, Audience Development Manager, The Beacon
• Janeen Jones, Design Editor, Center for Public Integrity
• Elliott Robinson, News Editor, Charlottesville Tomorrow

Emerging Leaders Alumni

These leaders represent the excellence and diversity of nonprofit news organizations working to inform communities through factual journalism and build philanthropic support for news. Positions are those held at the time of their participation in the program.

Class of 2020, listed from top left to right:

• Suzanne Behnke, Executive Director and Editor, The Iowa Center for Public Affairs Journalism
• Jahna Berry, Chief Operating Officer, Mother Jones
• Annie Chabel, Chief Operating Officer, Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting
• Lauchlin Fields, Audience Development Director, Mississippi Today
• Mukhtar Ibrahim, Editor and Executive Editor, Sahan Journal
• Judy Lin, Assistant Editor, CalMatters
• Loren Lynch, Chief Revenue Officer, The Texas Observer
• Corrie MacLaggan, Managing Editor, Texas Tribune
• Jim Malewitz, Investigations Editor, Wisconsin Watch
• Irene Romulo, Co-Founder, Cicero Independiente
• Brandon Quester, Executive Editor and Director, Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting

Class of 2019, listed from top left to right:

• Thomas Brennan, Founder, The War Horse
• Brian Calvert, Editor-in-Chief, High Country News
• Candice Fortman, Chief of Engagement and Operations, Outlier Media
• Lucas Grindley, Executive Director, Next City
• Andrea Faye Hart, Co-Founder and Director of Community Engagement, City Bureau
• Brian Hiatt, Marketing and Membership Director, Mother Jones
• Kay Lima, Director, INN Labs
• Byrhonda Lyons, Video Journalist, CALmatters
• Asraa Mustufa, Digital Editor, The Chicago Reporter
• Akoto Ofori-Atta, Managing Editor, The Trace
• Tasneem Raja, Executive Editor, The Tyler Loop

Class of 2017, from top left to right:

• Jim Small, Executive Director and Editor, Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting
• Natalie Choate, Director of Media Relations and Partnerships, Texas Tribune
• Lauren Fuhrmann, Associate Director, Wisconsin Watch
• Sarah Garland, Executive Editor, The Hechinger Report
• Dave Levinthal, Federal Politics Editor and Senior Reporter, Center for Public Integrity
• Ben Nishimoto, Director of Philanthropy, Honolulu Civil Beat
• Brad Racino, Senior Reporter, Assistant Director and Director of Partnerships & Innovation, inewsource
• Amber Rivera, Engagement Editor, Inside Energy
• Paula Saha, Director of Audience and Donor Development, NJ Spotlight
• Halle Stockton, Managing Editor, PublicSource