Director of community engagement
Marlene Harris-Taylor is the director of community engagement at the American Press Institute, where she drives organizational and cultural transformation and helps newsrooms build deeper, more authentic connections with the communities they serve.
A veteran journalist, producer, and podcast host, Marlene created and hosted Living for We, a Webby Award–winning podcast developed during her tenure at Ideastream Public Media, Cleveland’s NPR/PBS affiliate. The series grew out of her leadership of the “Connecting the Dots Between Race and Health” project, inspired by a 2020 study that ranked Cleveland as the least livable city for Black women.
Throughout her career, Marlene has championed stories and initiatives that amplify the voices of underserved and marginalized communities. She has led community-centered news coverage, launched innovative journalism projects to engage new audiences, and managed teams of reporters and editors dedicated to public service journalism.
Her journalism journey has spanned public radio, television, and print. She has served as a producer for NPR’s Morning Edition, medical editor at The Toledo Blade, and host of an award-winning public affairs program on WBGU-PBS. Her work has been recognized with numerous awards, including a Webby, regional Emmy nominations, multiple Edward R. Murrow Awards, and Ohio Excellence in Journalism awards.
Beyond the newsroom, Marlene has contributed her expertise as a former board member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and currently serves on the Press Club of Cleveland Board. She is also a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Marlene holds a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University and a master’s from Miami University of Ohio.
You can reach Marlene at marlene.harristaylor@pressinstitute.org.
