The Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY is thrilled to introduce the sixth cohort of the Executive Program in News Innovation and Leadership. Hailing from nine countries, territories, and nation-states from around the world, these 21 accomplished leaders and changemakers bring a wide range of experiences in areas such as product development, strategy, artificial intelligence, and audience revenue.
“These participants represent the next wave of leadership in journalism,” said Kyle Plantz, Senior Director of Leadership Programs at the Newmark J-School. “Their vision, expertise, and commitment to intentional change reflect the core mission of this program, which is to build a more innovative, sustainable, and equitable future for our industry.”
This year’s cohort includes professionals from Brazil, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, and the United States and Puerto Rico. Together, they will explore new strategies, business models, and tools to meet the evolving needs of their news organizations and the communities they serve.
They join a growing network of 97 alumni who have used the program as a springboard to transform their careers by launching their own ventures, earning leadership promotions, and spearheading high-impact projects and products within their newsrooms.
The 2025–2026 program runs from September 2, 2025, to June 26, 2026 and blends virtual learning with three in-person residencies, coaching, and work on a Capstone Project. Thanks to the support of the Helsingin Sanomat Foundation, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and Asian American Journalists Association, the program continues to offer generous tuition assistance. In addition, one participant will receive a full scholarship as this year’s Newmark J+ AI Innovation Fellow, who is committed to finding ways to harness generative AI in ethical ways that reinforce trust from communities and increase impact.
EXECUTIVE PROGRAM CLASS OF 2026
Sumi Aggarwal
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Current Location: Los Altos, California, United States
Country of Origin: United States
Organization: The Intercept
Role: Chief Strategy Officer
Sumi Aggarwal is The Intercept’s inaugural chief strategy officer and an investigative reporter and editor. She also serves as co-director of the Press Freedom Defense Fund. She has also served as editor-in-chief at Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting, where she led a team of 50+ across multiple platforms. She joined CIR in May 2019 to lead the organization’s local collaboration work and was promoted to editor-in-chief in January 2021. Under her leadership, the newsroom produced award-winning investigations that resulted in policy changes and other impacts. Prior to Reveal, Aggarwal spent nearly a decade at CBS News’s “60 Minutes,” where she produced stories including an investigation into a 50-year-old civil rights-related murder, a historical story about an Egyptian double agent, a profile of Tabasco, and a deep dive into new scientific findings on the effects of sugar. She has also worked as a booking producer at the “Today” show and led executive communications for Google’s Search and Maps teams. Aggarwal was an adjunct professor at the City College of New York, where she helped establish the broadcast journalism curriculum. She is the recipient of the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award, several News Emmys, and an Edward R. Murrow Award. She has served as a judge for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Magazine Awards. She serves on the boards of Type Media Center and A Future for Every Child. Aggarwal began her journalism career at her hometown newspaper and worked at TV stations on the West Coast. She is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Sumi is a Knight Foundation Fellow.
Jessica Davis
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Current Location: Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Country of Origin: United States
Organization: Gannett
Role: Vice President of AI Product
Jessica Davis serves as Vice President of AI Product at Gannett, which includes USA TODAY and over 200 local news outlets across the United States. Over the past decade at Gannett, Jessica has been instrumental in shaping the company’s AI strategy. She founded the AI Council, which governs responsible AI use across the organization, and co-led the development of Gannett’s AI Governance Framework, establishing standards for oversight, security, and compliance to create value. She initiated Gannett’s first AI mentoring program to build fluency in tools such as Microsoft 365 Copilot and prompt engineering to accelerate adoption companywide. Her editorial innovations include the launch of AI-assisted article summarization that streamline newsroom workflows and enhance audience engagement. She has also championed transparency in AI-assisted journalism, advocating for clear disclosures in AI-generated content to build audience trust.
Marie-Claire Fennessy
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Current Location: London, United Kingdom
Country of Origin: Ireland
Organization: Reuters
Role: Live Editor and London Newsroom Manager
Marie-Claire Fennessy, is the Live Editor and London Newsroom Manager at Reuters. Appointed in 2017 as Live Editor, she was the editorial lead in launching the expanded live service and leads live editorial coverage across the globe as well as development of the service. In 2018, she took on management of the London video newsroom and implemented a strategy to develop talent and modernize the operation. Over her 20 years at Reuters, Marie-Claire has been based in Singapore and London, traveling on assignments including the G8 summit, protests in Thailand and Pope Francis’ trip to the Philippines. From 2020-2024, Marie-Claire co-chaired the Women Journalists and Allies Network recruiting over 300 members in the first year and launched the Career Talk series, which featured senior editorial executives and Pulitzer prize winning journalists.
Clémentine Forissier
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Current Location: Paris, France
Country of Origin: France
Organization: Contexte
Role: Editorial Director
Clémentine Forissier is the co-founder and Editorial Director of Contexte, a pioneering French political media outlet. Over the past 12 years, she has led the launch of eight policy verticals and recruited nearly 60 journalists, establishing Contexte as a reference for in-depth reporting on public policy. She is now spearheading the company’s international expansion with the launch of an English-language edition dedicated to professionals working on EU affairs. She is a strong advocate for building newsrooms that are collaborative, demanding, and mission-driven. Clémentine began her journalism career in Brussels, where she developed a deep understanding of European policymaking and the conviction that serious political journalism must be grounded in the close reading of laws and the workings of power. Before founding Contexte, she led the development of the French edition of the European media outlet EurActiv. She holds a Master’s degree in Civil Law (Paris II), a diploma from the Institut Français de Presse, and a postgraduate degree in European Journalism from IHECS in Brussels.
Simon Galperin
Pronouns: he/him/his
Current Location: Bloomfield, New Jersey, United States
Country of Origin: Russia
Organization: The Jersey Bee
Role: Executive Editor
Simon Galperin is an award-winning immigrant journalist, technologist, and organizer. He is the founder and Executive Editor of The Jersey Bee, a nonprofit local news provider that helps people meet their basic needs, get involved in their community, and build civic power in Northern New Jersey. Simon is also the CEO of Community Info Coop, a journalism organization that works in policy, organizing, and practice change to make media more democratic. Through his role, Simon supports sector-wide advancement in public funding and democratic governance of journalism and media institutions. Simon was a 2022 John S. Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford University, a 2019 Reynolds Journalism Institute Fellow at the University of Missouri, and received his M.A. in Social Journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate of Journalism in 2016. Simon previously worked in business development and community engagement roles at ProPublica, Opinary, and GroundSource. He started his first local news site as an undergraduate at Rutgers University in 2014.
Clyde Jiles
Pronouns: he/him/his
Current Location: Houston, Texas, United States
Country of Origin: United States
Organization: Houston Defender Network
Role: Chief Operating Officer/Digital Manager
Clyde Jiles has always been connected to the power of storytelling and its impact on the community. Growing up in the Defender, he saw how the media can uplift voices and shape culture in Houston’s Black community. After earning a Finance degree from Morehouse College, Clyde pursued his creative passions, training as a professional chef at the Culinary Institute of America and Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Leading pastry kitchens taught him discipline, creativity, and leadership. When the pandemic hit, he returned to his roots and joined the Defender professionally. Since then, Clyde has helped lead the Defender’s digital transformation, expanding audience engagement and community impact. Clyde has served as Social Media Manager and High School Sports Director, and now as COO & Digital Manager, he oversees multimedia content strategy, digital growth, and innovation. Clyde is a Knight Foundation Fellow.
Julia Kalanovic-Trefzer
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Current Location: New York, New York, United States
Country of Origin: Germany
Role: Freelancer
Julia Kalanovic-Trefzer is a journalist and former newsroom leader. She spent over a decade at RTL, one of Europe’s largest private broadcasters, where she worked as a reporter and writer before becoming Managing Editor, leading newsroom teams in fast-paced live environments. She studied Media and Communication in Berlin. Her work has focused on breaking news, storytelling, and team coordination. Julia now lives on the Upper West Side, where her passion for urban life meets a deep curiosity for people’s authentic stories. Whether through compelling reporting, immersive formats, or empathetic mentorship, she brings a distinctive voice to storytelling.
Reina Kempt
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Current Location: Jeffersonville, Indiana, United States
Country of Origin: United States
Organization: Gannett Media
Role: Director of News Automation and AI, Center for Community Journalism
Reina Kempt is the Director of News Automation and AI, a senior leader within Gannett’s Center for Community Journalism, focused on using innovative technology to help supplement hyper local content in the company’s smallest newsrooms. She spent the bulk of her career in sports journalism before making the leap to project management, and her contributions lead to thousands of articles published for over 200 newsrooms across the company every year. Reina received her Bachelor’s from Louisiana Tech in 2013 and her Master’s from the University of Hartford in 2024. Reina is the Newmark J+ AI Innovation Fellow.
Bethany Lane
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Current Location: Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
Country of Origin: United States
Organization: QCity Metro
Role: Revenue Strategist
Bethany Lane is responsible for revenue generation at QCity Metro, a news organization focused on Charlotte’s Black communities. Within her 5 years at the company Lane has tripled QCity Metro’s advertising revenue and boosted their reader revenue efforts. In her role she also works to encourage audience engagement via social media and by curating revenue-generating events. Prior to that she attended UNC Chapel Hill and worked in the ad sales department of the student newspaper. Lane was named Innovator of the Year by the Local Media Association in 2024. Bethany is a Knight Foundation Fellow.
Natália Leal
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Current Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Country of Origin: Brazil
Organization: Lupa
Role: Chief Executive Officer
Natália Leal is a Brazilian journalist and the CEO of Lupa, a pioneering fact‑checking and media‑literacy organization. She holds a journalism degree from UFRGS and postgraduate qualifications in business management and human resources. With nearly 20 years in journalism, she joined Lupa in 2017 and became CEO in 2021. Under her leadership, Lupa doubled its team size, increased revenue by 45%, and broadened its scope to include education and research. In 2021, she was honored with the Knight International Journalism Award from the ICFJ for her outstanding work combating disinformation. She is currently spearheading Observatório Lupa, a research hub analyzing the impact of disinformation in Brazil. Natália is dedicated to promoting sustainable, transparent, and human‑centered solutions for journalism in the digital era.
Marian Chia-Ming Liu
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Current Location: Davie, Florida, United States
Country of Origin: United States
Organization: Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA)
Role: National Vice President of Civic Engagement
Marian Chia-Ming Liu has dedicated her career to amplifying the voices of Asians, immigrants, and women. With a nontraditional journalism background and an Executive MBA, she focuses on engaging new audiences through targeted, multiplatform coverage and technology. Her experience spans roles as editor, writer, and music critic at The Washington Post, CNN in Hong Kong, The Seattle Times, San Jose Mercury News, Los Angeles Times, South Florida Sun Sentinel and Source Magazine. As AAJA’s National Vice President of Civic Engagement, she spearheaded the creation of an expansive guide to AAPI communities, with over 50 journalists, academics and community workers. Marian also co-leads MediaWatch, exploring how AI can help establish benchmarks to keep news media organizations accountable to standards of accuracy and fairness in the coverage of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Marian is one of AAJA’s 2025 Simon and June Li Leadership Transformation Fellows.
Michael Olson
Pronouns: he/him/his
Current Location: St. Paul, Minnesota, United States
Country of Origin: United States
Organization: Minnesota Public Radio
Role: Deputy Managing Editor
Michael Olson is a digital strategy leader in public service journalism, focused on strengthening community trust and engagement. With expertise in multichannel content, audience research, and ethical AI integration, he helps newsrooms align editorial impact with audience needs. Michael has led initiatives that use data to uncover unmet local information needs, guided multichannel strategies that elevate public service content across platforms, and developed approaches that deepen loyalty and grow membership. Passionate about inclusive, solutions-focused journalism, he works to ensure diverse community perspectives shape coverage and strategy. He also advances frameworks for responsibly integrating emerging technologies like AI, emphasizing transparency and editorial independence. Michael collaborates widely across public media and nonprofit news to sustain independent journalism’s vital role. When not at work he enjoys spending time with friends and family paddling a canoe, enjoying a hike or biking to a Minnesota United match. Michael is a Knight Foundation Fellow.
Vitor Sorano Pereira
Pronouns: he/him/his
Current Location: São Paulo, Brazil
Country of Origin: Brazil
Organization: g1
Role: Head of AI Initiatives
Vitor Sorano is Head of AI Initiatives at g1, Brazil’s largest news website and part of Grupo Globo. An innovation leader in the newsroom, he leads transformative projects that integrate AI and other emerging technologies into journalism — from editorial guidelines to news products, tool and workflow development, and training programs. He also coordinates a team of reporters and editors responsible for in-depth investigations and the editing of political blogs, leading both breaking news coverage and long-term, impactful reporting projects. With almost 20 years of experience in journalism, he has served as a staff writer, reporter, editor, and coordinator, covering topics from local administration to international affairs. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and a master’s degree in Sociology.
Calli Remillard
Pronouns: she/her/they
Current Location: Falmouth, Massachusetts, United States
Country of Origin: United States
Organization: Falmouth Publishing Inc. (The Enterprise Newspapers)
Role: Editor, Newsroom Intern Program Manager
Calli Remillard is an editor and award-winning journalist at a family-owned local newspaper company on Cape Cod. After earning a BA in Journalism at Northeastern University, she started her career as a General Assignment Reporter for The Falmouth Enterprise, the company’s flagship paper. Calli’s outstanding work during her breakout year earned her the 2022 Rookie of the Year award from the New England Newspaper and Press Association. Calli took over the editorship of The Bourne Enterprise in 2022, becoming the company’s youngest editor in its 130 year history. She has since become the editor of The Mashpee Enterprise, overseeing the production of both weekly newspapers, and manages the newsroom’s intern program for college and high school students. She has conducted several workshops for young people on Cape Cod focused on journalism, encompassing the importance of local news, bias in news media and journalism ethics. Calli grew up in a suburb just south of Boston and currently lives on Cape Cod with her fiancée.
Joy Resmovits
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Current Location: Los Angeles, California, United States
Country of Origin: United States
Organization: The Trace
Role: Senior Editor, Local Impact
Joy Resmovits is an editor known for her deep coverage of education, inequality, and gun violence. She’s held editing and management roles at The Trace, where she serves as the senior editor for local impact, and previously The Seattle Times and the Los Angeles Times. At each of those outlets, she focused on helping stories find their audience by investing in community engagement through events, newsletters, and finding new ways to connect with readers. She began her career at HuffPost, the Wall Street Journal’s Greater New York section, the Jewish Daily Forward, and the Columbia Daily Spectator. She currently serves as a board member for both the Spectator and the Education Writers Association. She lives in Los Angeles, where she takes in as much theater and comedy as she possibly can. Joy is a Knight Foundation Fellow.
Jan Schüßler
Pronouns: he/him/his
Current Location: Mainz, Germany
Country of Origin: Germany
Organization: ZDF
Role: AI Representative of the Editorial Office
Jan Schüßler works as the AI representative in the ZDF editorial department. As part of ZDF’s AI steering group, he helps to guide the development of the public broadcaster in the age of AI. Previously, he worked as a reporter and duty editor in ZDF’s newsroom for news online and TV formats. He also supported the further development of the digital news brand ZDFheute. Last year, he additionally served as deputy program director of funk – the content network of ARD and ZDF for a young target group. During his studies, Jan founded his own news portal in his home town, which he ran as managing director for several years.
Suvi Tanner
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Current Location: Rovaniemi, Finland
Country of Origin: Finland
Organization: Lapin Kansa
Role: Editor-in-Chief
Suvi Tanner has been working as a journalist in Finland for more than 20 years, living through, following and contributing to the transformation of the industry. She has worked at six regional newspapers across four different media groups in Finland in dozens of different roles with a four-year dive into communications and marketing in between. In August 2025 she started as an editor-in-chief of Lapin Kansa, the northernmost regional digital and print news media in Finland, and is now leading the team of 30 journalists. Suvi is the Helsingin Sanomat Foundation Fellow.
Seen Hau Tham
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Current Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Country of Origin: Malaysia
Organization: Malaysiakini
Role: Head of Operations
Seenhau heads the operations of Malaysiakini, a prominent independent media in South East Asia. An award-winning journalist-turned-media-executive, she has more than two decades of experience in broadcast, video and digital journalism. She is the co-founder of the May 13 Oral History Project, which interviewed 70 people about their memories of the Kuala Lumpur racial riots in 1969, a topic avoided by the power that was for decades. She is a former East-West Center fellow and a former Dart Center fellow.
Sofie Tholl
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Current Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Country of Origin: Denmark
Organization: DR
Role: Head of Podcasts
Sofie Tholl is an experienced editorial leader in journalism, concept development, and digital storytelling. As Head of Podcasts at DR News, Denmark’s national public broadcaster, she leads a division of 25 journalists, editors, and sound designers and oversees a portfolio of ten podcasts, including Genstart—one of Denmark’s most popular podcast, which she co-developed. She has developed numerous successful podcast formats that combine strong editorial content with engaging storytelling tailored to digital audiences. Tholl plays a key role in shaping the future of public service audio as part of the senior leadership team at P1, Denmark’s main talk channel, and she chairs a cross-departmental executive group responsible for the direction of DR’s entire podcast portfolio. Alongside her leadership work, she continues to tell stories herself: in 2021, she released an audio documentary series and is currently writing a book for the publishing house People’s Press.
Giovanny Vega-De Lleguas
Pronouns: he/him/his
Current Location: Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
Country of Origin: Puerto Rico
Organization: El Vocero de Puerto Rico
Role: Innovation and AI Manager
Giovanny Joel Vega De Lleguas is a journalist and editorial strategist with 12 years of experience across print, radio, and television in Puerto Rico. He currently serves as Editorial Innovation & AI Manager at El Vocero, the island’s leading newspaper in distribution, where he leads newsroom transformation initiatives through the ethical use of artificial intelligence. From 2022 to 2024, he was the youngest editor in the history of Puerto Rican print media and served as a correspondent at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Earlier in his career, he worked as a sports commentator—the youngest on national TV—and contributed to Wapa Deportes, Radio Isla, and regional news outlets. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in Puerto Rico and an MBA in Sports Management from the Escuela Universitaria del Real Madrid and Universidad Europea in Spain. Giovanny is a 2025 Kiplinger Fellow and part of CUNY’s AI Adoption Lab and WAN-IFRA’s AI Newsroom Catalyst.
Sebastian Walker
Pronouns: he/him/his
Current Location: Washington, D.C, United States
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Organization: Noosphere
Role: Co-Founder & Head of Content
Sebastian Walker is Co-Founder and Head of Content for Noosphere, an app-first direct-to-consumer monetization platform designed by journalists for the next era of news. Walker is an Emmy, Peabody & DuPont-winning editorial leader & investigative journalist who has specialized in conflict reporting and coverage of U.S. politics. Prior to Noosphere, Walker ran news bureaus in Washington DC, the Middle East and Haiti with work appearing including on VICE News, HBO, Showtime, Hulu and Al Jazeera. Walker began his career as a stringer for Reuters in post-invasion Baghdad. He currently lives in Washington D.C.