Maynard Regional Training in Fort Worth, Texas Builds Skills, Community for Editors and Managers

The third round of the Maynard Regional Training Series – hosted by the Bob Schieffer College of Communication at Texas Christian University (TCU)  in Fort Worth – brought a powerful close to the inaugural program, after dynamic convenings of media professionals in Detroit and Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

At each training site, Maynard faculty sought to give frontline editors and mid-level managers tools they could immediately use to manage teams and coverage in a rapidly evolving landscape that’s shaped by industry upheaval and accelerating AI evolution.

The bespoke curriculum provided eight sessions and coaching from a distinguished faculty of news executives and academics, covering topics such as: 

• The Manager’s Mindset, an introduction to the role of a news leader. 
• Leaning Into Your Fault Lines® 
• Ethical Editorial Decision-Making
• Finding the Heart of the Story
• Managing Up, Down and Across Generations
• AI Best Practices and Ethics

Participating in the two-day workshop were two TCU students and 18 full-time journalists who work in a variety of editing roles representing the Fort Worth Report, The Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, La Prensa de Houston, The Associated Press, Bloomberg Industry Group, The Oklahoman Media Company, Gannett and USA Today Network, TCU-Schieffer College and TCU 360 Media.

“I’m really thankful to have participated in this year’s Maynard Regional Training in Texas,” wrote Maya Earls, deputy team lead/environment and energy at Bloomberg Law
(Bloomberg Industry Group), in a LinkedIn post. “This program included great sessions on how to be a better manager and editor, and provided space to ask the big questions about AI and how we as journalists evolve for the moment.” 

Maynard Regional Training and Communities of Practice Director Odette Alcazaren-Keeley opened the training, saluting the long-standing relationship with TCU Bob Schieffer College of Communication’s Dean Kristie Bunton, Ph.D; Jean Marie Brown, associate professor of professional practice and student media director; and John Tisdale, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the journalism department.

“As a college named for an award-winning, longtime journalist, our TCU Bob Schieffer College of Communication is happy to provide a regional home for the Maynard Regional Training Series,” Dean Bunton said. “Our democracy needs well-trained journalists to lead newsrooms effectively and ethically in reporting news that is vital to citizens.”

Alcazaren-Keeley welcomed the participants, citing their impactful work and acknowledging their organizations’ investment in their career growth.

“We were invigorated by the latest outstanding journalists in the Maynard Regional Training – members of the next generation of news leaders who reflected the diversity of the Texas media ecosystem and beyond.They expressed appreciation for the skills they gained, coaching and conversations they engaged in, and affirmed they are applying these toolkits to their work,” said Alcazaren-Keeley.

Felecia D. Henderson, Maynard senior director of strategic initiatives, echoed that sentiment, reflecting on the impact across all three training programs.

“At each regional training, we saw mid-level editors and managers embrace new strategies for leadership, learn to conduct tough conversations, and explore how AI is reshaping journalism,” Henderson said. “These sessions weren’t just about skills; they were about building confidence and community. It was inspiring to see participants leave ready to lead with clarity and purpose.”

Leaning Into Your Fault Lines®: Managing News Coverage and Managing Time While Building Genuine Relationships
Jean Marie Brown, Associate Professor of Professional Practice, TCU Bob Schieffer College of Communication

Professor Jean Marie Brown kicked off the training with  “Leaning Into Your Fault Lines®,” focused on Maynard’s signature Fault Lines® framework, which helps editors understand how their biases – unconscious and conscious – inform the ways they manage news coverage. She also facilitated the workshop “Managing Time while Building Genuine Relationships.”

One participant wrote when surveyed: “I appreciated the candid discussion about Fault Lines. It made me step back and consider all the different fault lines that exist in my life and how those show up daily as a manager.”

The Manager’s Mindset: Stepping into your Leadership Role
Martin G. Reynolds, Maynard Institute Co-Executive Director

Maynard Co-Executive Director Martin G. Reynolds led the session “The Manager’s Mindset”, focused on what editors and managers need to consider when stepping into leadership roles.

“It’s exciting to provide management training to editors — many of whom have had limited access to the kind of sustained support that helps them grow as leaders,” said Martin G. Reynolds, Maynard Institute co-executive director, who leads the Manager’s Mindset session for each Regional Training cohort. “Managing is about helping others thrive and fueling the success of the whole organization. In a moment of transformation and uncertainty for journalism, the quality of managers often determines whether innovation thrives or fades — and whether morale improves or erodes. Our program helps editors build the awareness, tools, and community they need to lead with care and confidence.”

Ethical Editorial Decision-Making and Coach for Story and Building Trust.
Maria Carrillo, Consultant and Coach

Coach and consultant Maria Carrillo led two workshops: Ethical Editorial Decision Making and Coaching for Story and Building Trust.

In “Ethical Editorial Decision-Making,” Carrillo led discussions with trainees highlighting real-world news coverage ethical dilemmas. She said this session showed that our moral code can help us to make decisions when we are faced with tough calls, which happens often in any newsroom.

“My hope is that the editors in these classes walk away feeling empowered to make tough decisions and to execute more powerful stories,” Carillo said.

Carrillo also facilitated the workshop “Coaching for Story & Building Trust” where she shared lessons about developing relationships and trust with reporters as well as best practices for vetting ideas and executing stronger stories.

Finding the Heart of the Story and Tactical Frameworks for Editors
Tom Huang, Assistant Managing Editor, The Dallas Morning News and Adjunct Faculty, The Poynter Institute

Tom Huang centered this workshop on story focus, introducing five questions that will help editors and reporters focus their stories and identify underlying themes. He used the movie Titanic to illustrate how stories can have a central theme and secondary themes. An interactive exercise helped participants understand how stories can often have strong emotions lying beneath the surface.

“I hope the editors in the class took away the idea that they can and should coach their reporters and discuss what their stories are truly about. Most stories should just be told simply and in a straightforward way. But some stories deserve a little more time in exploring themes and meaning. That’s the fun part of storytelling,” Huang said.

AI: Best Practices and Ethics
Marisa Porto, Knight Chair in Local News and Sustainability, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

In the workshop “AI: Best Practices and Ethics,” Professor Marisa Porto explored how AI is transforming newsrooms, focusing on ethics and innovation. Participants discussed real-world examples and practical ways to use AI that is grounded in journalistic values.  

“I hope participants left ready to use AI in their news organizations with purpose and transparency, guided by a commitment to public trust,” Porto said.

Managing Up, Down and Across Generations
P. Kim Bui, Consultant and Founder, Quen Media

This workshop led by audience engagement consultant and newsroom management expert P. Kim Bui was centered on her observation that newsrooms are now multi-generational and each generation has its own working style. In this interactive workshop, she examined how today’s managers and leaders cross generational differences to lead more empathetic and valuable newsrooms. 

“It is always such a joy to work with others in the Maynard family to create better workplaces for us all in turbulent times,” Bui said. “Attendees always approach tough problems with deep solutions as well as humor and hope.” 

Regional Roundtable: Panel of Texas News Leaders
Moderator: Dorothy Bland, Ph.D.
Professor, University of North Texas Mayborn School of Journalism. Board Member, Maynard Institute. Author.

Panelists: 

• Cheryl Smith: Publisher and Editor, I Messenger Media
• Evelyn Castro: Publisher, La Prensa de Houston
• Rebekah Allen: Managing Editor, The Texas Tribune
• Steve Coffman: President and Editor, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
• Tom Huang: Assistant Managing Editor, the Dallas Morning News and Adjunct Faculty, The Poynter Institute

The regional roundtable of news leaders highlighted the state of Texas media and each editors’ perspectives on building a culture of courage and integrity in newsrooms in defense of democracy. Executives of legacy, nonprofit, ethnic and local media discussed challenges that news organizations are facing, including in covering federal and state policies impacting their audiences.

They shared innovations and approaches that are crucial in this era of political division. The panel was moderated by professor, author and Maynard board member Dr. Dorothy Bland.

Panelist Evelyn Castro of La Prensa de Houston, who also participated in the training, shared with her LinkedIn network that “The Maynard Institute for Journalism Education continues to set the standard for leadership, collaboration, and integrity in journalism. [I am] grateful for the opportunity to learn, share, and connect with so many passionate newsroom leaders committed to truth and community.”

Participants in the regional training programs are automatically eligible to access the benefits of the peer-to-peer learning and coaching hub, the Maynard Communities of Practice.

Program director Alcazaren-Keeley said the insights shared by trainees during session conversations and office hours consultations drive the impact of each training.
They value the space to be seen, heard and supported, and give that support to each other.

She sees the training programs embodying hope as the industry forges forward.

“The program is vital in helping journalists unlock their full leadership potential, to navigate this inflection point in our history and the tide of AI disruption. Our newest journalism cohort carries the professional advancement and movement-building legacy of the Maynard Institute. Together we bring our collective mission of integrity and courage to the future,” Alcazaren-Keeley said.

About the Maynard Institute

For more than 45 years, the Maynard Institute has fought to push back against the systemic lack of diversity in the news industry through training, collaborations and convenings. We are creating better representation in U.S. newsrooms through our programs which give media professionals the tools to become skilled storytellers, empowered executives and inspired entrepreneurs.

For more information about the Regional Training Series, please reach out to Odette Alcazaren-Keeley, Maynard Regional Training Series Director at okeeley@mije.org.

About the Maynard Regional Training Series

The Maynard Regional Training Series is a new training program advancing the Maynard Institute’s efforts to expand the diversity pipeline in news media and dismantle structural racism in its newsrooms. It is designed for and serves the next generation frontline managers and editors in order to advance their career growth and leadership power in newsrooms and organizations.

Maynard Institute programs are open to all. We are committed to addressing the under-representation of people of color and other historically disadvantaged groups in media-related professions.

This professional development program provides customized training courses, resources and 1:1 mentorship by industry professionals, to fellows who have represented a wide spectrum of racial, gender and geographic backgrounds. The Maynard Institute’s new training programs are supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Ford Foundation, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, and The Hearthland Foundation.

Questions?

For more information about the Maynard Regional Training Series, please reach out to:

Director of Maynard Regional Training and Communities of Practice, Odette Alcazaren-Keeley at okeeley@mije.org.