Director of communications
Emily Ristow is the director of communications at the American Press Institute, where she ensures solutions and actionable advice are delivered to local news leaders across API’s platforms and channels.
Previously, she served in the role of Director of Local News Transformation and managed the Major Market Table Stakes program and API’s alumni sprint cohorts and coordinated efforts across the various Table Stakes programs. The Digital Transformation Guide from the American Press Institute, written by Emily, highlights proven strategies from the Table Stakes program, which helped news leaders transform their organizations' journalism and business through intensive change management training.
Before coming to API, Emily worked for a decade in local news, including as Loyalty and Engagement News Director for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, her hometown newspaper. She helped develop and supervise the Journal Sentinel's strategy to grow its loyal audience and to double its digital subscribers and managed the newsroom's engagement strategy across digital platforms, including its sites, apps and social media accounts.
She has also worked as a social media editor, digital producer, copy editor and print designer. She graduated from the University of Missouri with degrees in journalism and political science.
More from the author
Focus on the local journalism only you can do
Americans already see local news as the best source of useful information, and they turn to it most for key topics that affect their daily lives. Make these coverage areas your audience regularly needs or relies on more visible to better show your unique value.
Show why your journalism is credible
This week’s action: Add an element to a story that communicates the reporting process.
Know how your journalism fits into the information mix
Identify one local creator your newsroom could learn from.
