Vice President, Journalism Programs
Samantha Ragland, an experienced journalist, educator and digital strategist, is Vice President of Journalism Programs at the American Press Institute. Previously, Ragland was a member of the faculty at The Poynter Institute for Media Studies where she also served as director of the Leadership Academy for Women in Media.
As VP of Journalism Programs, Ragland leads API’s efforts to promote cultural transformation and business sustainability in media, helping news organizations serve diverse readers and communities more effectively. She leads API’s journalism programs portfolio, including:
The Table Stakes Local News Transformation program, Beyond Print, API’s work on diversity and inclusion in newsrooms and change management coaching for news companies of all sizes.
As API enters a new era and seeks to better address the urgent needs of media organizations, Ragland works with other members of the executive team to help reset the nonprofit’s strategic goals.
While at Poynter, Ragland created custom workshops based on newsroom needs, including trauma and resiliency training developed in collaboration with clinical psychologists. She was also co-director of the Poynter-Koch Media and Journalism Fellowship program for early-career reporters. Ragland regularly taught subjects such as overcoming imposter syndrome, increasing creativity and collaboration, managing digital strategy, building a resilient team culture and more.
Ragland has 14 years of news industry experience and previously led digital content strategy at the USA Today Network and managed digital storytelling at The Palm Beach Post. She earned a master’s degree in journalism from Syracuse University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Western Kentucky University. She’s an active member of and coach for digitalwomenleaders.com. Email Samantha at sam.ragland@pressinstitute.org, follow her on Twitter @sammyragland or schedule a meeting.
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At the API Local News Summit on Rural Journalism, Community and Sustainability in Tulsa, journalists noted one skill they had and could leverage more and one skill they needed to develop to be better conveners, facilitators and connectors. Four categories of skills stuck out that local journalists and news leaders need to better and more impactfully embrace these new roles.
Journalism has many roles. It’s time to embrace the role of convener.
Good convening requires strong facilitation skills, influential and empathic leadership skills, and different listening skills than an interview — things many journalists likely didn’t learn or anticipate when they signed up for the job. To be good conveners, local media need resources and opportunity to equip their journalists with these skills.
