Wallace House announces a newly formed Executive Board to provide strategic support for its existing programs and guidance in developing new initiatives. The group will advise the Knight-Wallace Fellowships for Journalists, the Livingston Awards and the Wallace House Presents event series. The 14-member board, comprised of acclaimed journalists and accomplished University of Michigan faculty, will play an active role in leading the organization through a period of growth and expanded vision to support the careers of journalists and uphold the role of a free press in a functional democracy.
“Among the many things that make Wallace House truly special is the caliber of experts who help us steer our programs,” said Lynette Clemetson, director of Wallace House. “This group of distinguished leaders brings expertise in both transforming long-standing institutions and creating vibrant, new organizations. I look forward to them pushing us toward new possibilities.”
Wallace House will continue to build on the success of its renowned flagship programs, the Knight-Wallace Fellowships and the Livingston Awards, with ambitious new directives, like Wallace House Presents, aimed at increasing public engagement with journalism. The cross-section of board members – all change-agents in their own work – will also help Wallace House think creatively about addressing industry challenges in the midst of continuing technological and social change, and cultivating financial support from individual and institutional donors to help the organization fulfill its mission.
The Executive Board is comprised of ten members newly introduced to the work of Wallace House and four members of the previous Knight-Wallace board, which advised the Knight-Wallace Fellowship for Journalists. The broader programmatic mandate of the new advisory body will enable Wallace House to think ambitiously about the full scope of its programs, reach and influence at a time when active support for the work of journalists is of vital importance.
Wallace House is pleased to welcome Executive Board members:
- Daniel Alarcón, author, co-founder and executive producer, Radio Ambulante
- Kainaz Amaria, visuals editor, Vox
- Michael S. Barr, dean, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan
- Liz Barry, special counsel to the president, University of Michigan
- Alex Blumberg, CEO and co-founder, Gimlet Media
- Ferhat Boratav, CNN TÜRK and lecturer, Bilgi University, Istanbul
- Jim Burnstein, screenwriter and director of screenwriting, University of Michigan
- Tabbye Chavous, director, National Center for Institutional Diversity and professor of education and psychology, University of Michigan
- Anne Curzan, professor of English and Associate Dean for Humanities, University of Michigan
- Louise Kiernan, editor-in-chief, ProPublica Illinois
- Margaret Low, president, AtlanticLIVE and vice-president, The Atlantic
- Kevin Merida, editor-in-chief, The Undefeated
- Paul Resnick, professor and associate dean, School of Information, University of Michigan
- Ann Silvio, correspondent, “60 Minutes Overtime” and managing editor, 60 Minutes online
Lynette Clemetson, director of Wallace House, will chair the board.