NABJ Announces 2026 Leadership Academy Cohort

Kicking off its fifth year, the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Leadership Academy today announced its cohort members for  2026.

The Academy, powered by Disney and ABC News Group, is designed to prepare NABJ members working in broadcast, print, and digital media who are current managers — or those aspiring to leadership roles — to ascend to the executive suite successfully. Training takes place year-round and culminates during NABJ’s Annual Convention & Career Fair featuring discipline-specific modules and career development sessions.

Participants receive high-level leadership training through workshops led by accomplished news and media executives, including Disney/ABC executives from across the country. The cohort will engage in mentorship and instruction on topics including personal branding, emotional intelligence, newsroom culture, artificial intelligence, and effective leadership. Ric Harris, vice president and general manager of WGN-TV, Chicago, IL, and Leroy Chapman, editor-in-chief of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, serve as mentors and advisors to the Academy 

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

The 2026 Leadership Academy mentees are:

• Frava Burgess, Assistant News Director, KTTV/KCOP FOX 11 Los Angeles
• Tyler Clifford, Breaking News Editor, Bloomberg News
  
• Kari Cobham, Director of Fellowships, The 19th News
• Kayla Cockrel, Web Editor, Detroit Free Press
• Deanna Fry, Senior Producer, CNN This Morning
  
• Janelle Bass Hawthorne, Director of News, TV20, Cleveland Public Access
• Crystal Hill, News Editor, Axios
• Ebony Kendrick, Managing Editor, THV11 News (KTHV)/ TEGNA
• Eddie Maisonet, Senior Sports Editor, Chron Sports
• Marla Jones Newman, Vice President, People and Culture, The Center for Investigative Reporting
• Afua Owusu, Executive Producer, WCBS / CBS New York (CBS NYC)
• Brandon Williams, Managing Director of News, Spectrum News 13
  

“The Leadership Academy continues to attract some of our most exceptional members, and each class emerges prepared to lead change at the highest levels of journalism,” said NABJ President Errin Haines. “Congratulations to the 2026 fellows, and thank you to the mentors for sharing your wisdom and time — from the assessment of applicants to the evaluations of capstones at the end of the program.”

Participants who complete the program will receive a certificate of participation, gain lifelong leadership skills, and build meaningful professional networks. Cohort members will also present capstone projects during the 2026 NABJ Convention & Career Fair in Atlanta.