NABJ Announces 2025 Leadership Academy Cohort

Kicking off its fourth year, the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Leadership Academy today announced its cohort members for the 2025 cycle.

The Academy, powered by Disney and ABC News Group, trains NABJ members working in broadcast, print, and digital who are current news and media managers—or those interested in transitioning to leadership roles—to ascend to the executive suite. Training occurs year-round and during NABJ’s Annual Convention, featuring discipline-specific modules and career development sessions.

Participants undergo high-level leadership training that includes workshops led by mentors from across the country, who are news and media industry executives. The incoming cohort will receive mentorship and training on topics such as building your brand; self-awareness; networking; leadership definitions and styles; managing up, down, and across; cultivating a collaborative culture; navigating leadership as a Black professional; conflict resolution; allyship in the newsroom; budget management; enhancing employee performance; and recruitment.

The broadcast mentorship program is led by Ric Harris, president and general manager of NBC10 Philadelphia/WCAU and Telemundo62/WWS. Leroy Chapman, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s editor-in-chief, serves as an adviser for print-digital programming.

Past NABJ President and Yellow Brick Media Concepts President Kathy Times is the facilitator of the Leadership Academy and leads the personal branding and leadership development courses.

This year’s mentees include:

• Monique Brand, assistant news director, KWES/News West 9, Midland-Odessa, Texas
• Robert Brown, news director, WJXT Channel 4, Jacksonville, Florida
• Bervette Carree, vice president of news, ABC11/WTVD, Durham, North Carolina
• Melinda Coleau, planning manager, WRC, Washington, D.C.
• Eva D. Coleman, lifestyle and culture editor, I Messenger Media LLC, Dallas, Texas
• Pamela de la Fuente, managing editor of consumer credit and debt, NerdWallet, Kansas City, Missouri
• Bradley Gray, director of innovation, WTHR, Indianapolis, Indiana
• Jamiel Lynch, senior editor, newsgathering, CNN, Atlanta, Georgia
• Justin Madden, deputy West Coast news editor, The Guardian US, Los Angeles, California
• Angela Smith, digital content manager, Gray TV, Wichita, Kansas
• Richard Washington III, senior recruiter, CBS News & Stations, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• John Walton, news director, Nexstar News Group, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
• Shiree Woody, assistant news director, KSNV News 3, Las Vegas, Nevada

“We are thrilled to continue building on the success of the NABJ Leadership Academy in partnership with Disney and ABC News Group as we welcome our 2025 cohort,” said NABJ President Ken Lemon. “In just a few years, this program has empowered numerous members to step into leadership roles and advance their careers. We deeply appreciate the dedication of our mentors and program leads and extend our heartfelt congratulations to this year’s outstanding participants.”

Participants who complete the program, which runs through the summer, will receive a certificate of participation, acquire lifelong leadership skills, and develop connections that will expand their networks. Cohort members will present capstone projects during the NABJ Convention & Career Fair, scheduled for August 2025 in Cleveland.