NABJ Announces 2024 Leadership Academy Mentees

Program Trains Future Broadcast, Print, Digital News and Media Execs

The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) is proud to announce the 2024 class of its third annual Leadership Academy cohort.

This 2024 academy will train NABJ members working in broadcast, print and digital who are current news and media managers, or interested in transitioning to leadership, to ascend to the executive suite.

During the mentorship program, participants undergo a high-level leadership training process that includes workshops led by news and media industry executives and modules focusing on hiring and retention, business acumen, character, personal and professional branding, and leadership development. Mentees are also paired with national news and media leaders to receive mentorship throughout the program.

The broadcast mentorship program is led by Ric Harris, President and General Manager of NBC10 Philadelphia/WCAU and Telemundo62/WWS. NABJ Vice President-Print Kathy Chaney and NABJ Vice President-Digital Amir Vera serve as advisers to the print-digital mentorship program. Executives leading multimedia organizations serve as mentors to the digital and print members of the cohort.

Past NABJ President and Yellow Brick Media Concepts President Kathy Times will facilitate the cohort’s branding and leadership development training.

“We are proud of the work we have been able to accomplish over the last three years of our Leadership Academy,” said NABJ President Ken Lemon. “Over the course of the program, we have seen numerous members elevate to leadership roles or expand their career prospects. We are grateful for the work of our mentors and program leads and extend congratulations to this year’s phenomenal cohort.”

Participants who complete the program, which will run through August, will receive a certificate of participation and develop lifelong connections with their mentors and cohort members while expanding their networks. They also have the opportunity to present a capstone during the 2024 NABJ Convention & Career Fair in Chicago this summer.

This year’s participants are:

Aisha Al-Muslim

Development Producer, Wall Street Journal

New York, N.Y.

Rod Beard

Sports Editor, The Detroit News

Detroit, MI

Venton Blandin

Executive Reporter, Scripps

Corpus Christi, TX

Danielle Gatewood-Gill

Sr. Manager, Field Operations, ABC News

Secaucus, N.J.

Cherish Geter

Director of Sales, WJBF-TV

Augusta, GA

Akemi Harrison

News Director, NBCUniversal

Chicago, IL

NaTyshca Pickett

Senior Editor/ Producer

YR Media

Phoenix, AZ

Walter Smith Randolph

Investigative Executive Producer, WCBS/CBS

New York, N.Y.

Denise Ritter

Sr. Managing Editor, The Villages Daily Sun

The Villages, FL

Perna’ Roberson

Morning News Assistant News Director, WJZ

Baltimore, MD

Marie Torres

Managing Editor, Spectrum Networks

Raleigh, N.C.

Denisha Thomas

News Director, TEGNA

Memphis, TN

Philip Williamson

Staff Director, MSNBC

New York, N.Y.