Leadership Academy for Women in Digital Media (March 2017)

We are no longer accepting applications for this program. The 2017 class will be announced in January.

Now in its third year, the Leadership Academy for Women in Digital Media is returning to Poynter’s campus in St. Petersburg, Florida, the week of March 19-24, 2017.

This transformative program, open to 28 participants, focuses on the skills and knowledge needed to rise to the highest levels of digital media leadership. Sessions will cover how to develop effective management styles, grow business savvy, navigate newsroom and digital culture, master negotiation tactics, build collaborative teams and coach critical thinking.

Guest faculty, who will teach and coach participants, include:
Melissa Bell, Publisher, Vox Media, Inc.
Michelle Ferrier, Founder of Troll-Busters.com; Associate Professor at Ohio University
Tracy Grant, Deputy Managing Editor at The Washington Post
Raju Narisetti, CEO of Gizmodo Media Group
Vivian Schiller, Independent Advisor and Consultant

Other faculty — including Leadership Academy graduates — will be announced. Poynter’s Katie Hawkins-Gaar is organizing the academy. Vice President of Academic Programs Kelly McBride and Senior Leadership Faculty Butch Ward will also return to the program.

As in past years, the program will be structured to encourage open, candid discussion and mentoring, and participants will walk away with not only strong leadership skills, but a built-in support system of peers. All women will benefit from one-on-one coaching, analyze feedback from colleagues, and create a personal leadership strategy.

Poynter’s Leadership Academy for Women in Digital Media was borne out of a two-year partnership with ONA, which is hosting its own Women’s Leadership Accelerator in 2017. If you have questions about the two programs, please see our FAQ.

Poynter will select a group of 28 women working in digital media that represent need and diversity across race, geography, technology platforms, organization size and skill sets. Because of the small size of the class, the selection committee will give preference to women leaders currently working in digital media who can demonstrate an aptitude and potential for leadership through current projects and references.

Who Will Benefit:
Women working in the digital space with leadership responsibilities or demonstrated leadership potential.

Application Process
Application requirements include previous work history, an example of a digital project the applicant has worked on, a short bio, a reference letter, and a photo of yourself. The application deadline is at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, Nov. 30. More information is available in our FAQ.

Costs
Thanks to the generous support of the McClatchy Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Google and Facebook, tuition for the academy is free. Participants will cover their own travel costs. However, a limited number of travel stipends are available and will be determined once the application process is completed.