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The 2024 Maynard 200 Fellows (clockwise from top left): Aaron Foley, Allison Jing Yang, Blanca Méndez, Carmen Castro-Pagán, Carolyn Copeland, Daarel Burnette II, Darius Dixon, Erica McIntosh, Estefania Mitre, Fahmida Rashid, Fernanda Santos, Heather J. Chin, Iftikhar Hussain, Jacob Sanchez, Jamilah King, Joshua Barajas, Juan Michael Porter II, Kai Teoh, Kim Johnson Flodin, Kris Hooks, Luella Brien, Martin Garcia, Mason Bryan, Matthew Vann, Maya Valentine, Pamela De La Fuente, Sabrina Bodon, Teri Henderson, Tierra Hayes, Torrance Latham, William Sanchez II and Zeke Minaya.

OAKLAND, CA (February 29, 2024): The Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding diversity in the news media and dismantling structural racism in newsrooms, announced today the recipients of its 2024 Maynard 200 Fellowship. Since the program’s inception in 2018, the Maynard Institute has trained and mentored journalists, editors, managers, executives and media entrepreneurs of diverse backgrounds. With its latest class of 32 fellows, the Maynard Institute will surpass its mission of cultivating 200 media leaders dedicated to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in journalism.

The tuition-free program includes two weeks of in-person training rounds as well as supplementary sessions, office hours and ongoing support throughout the year. Maynard 200 returns to the Bob Schieffer College of Communication at TCU in Fort Worth, Texas for two weeks of customized workshops, hands-on coaching and peer networking sessions in March and July. The in-person training weeks are followed by a year-long, one-on-one mentorship phase, wherein each Fellow is paired with an industry expert for dedicated coaching.

In 2024, the institute’s cornerstone training program Maynard 200 Fellowship will focus on the professional advancement and year-long mentorship for frontline editors and mid-level managers. The customized curriculum addresses the challenges editors and managers struggle with daily in their newsrooms, especially those who have recently transitioned to higher leadership roles. This year’s program is made possible thanks to the generous support of Craig Newmark Philanthropies, The Hearthland Foundation, McClatchy and individual donors.

“Maynard 200 has served as a lifeline to many BIPOC journalists, especially those navigating upheavals in the industry. Our graduates leave the program with a renewed fire in their roles and growth. They are emboldened to shift cultures in their newsrooms to create spaces of equity and belonging, knowing they have the support of the Maynard Family as their enduring community,” said Odette Alcazaren-Keeley, Maynard 200 Director.

“This year’s Maynard 200 Fellows are another outstanding class of 32 media leaders, representing diverse racial, gender, age, and geographic backgrounds. Alongside legacy media peers, the powerful voice of journalists affiliated with ethnic, community-powered and niche media make this cohort unique. Their collective impact will help us craft future Maynard programs that are adaptive to the challenges of the field,” Alcazaren-Keeley added.

“We are excited about the curriculum we have designed, which will be led by subject matter experts in the industry,” said Felecia D. Henderson, the Maynard Institute’s cultural competency director and Maynard 200’s new executive-in-residence. “The fellows will graduate the program as more confident and proficient newsroom leaders.”

“This year we will surpass our goal of training 200 storytellers, managers, entrepreneurs and executives. It is exciting and inspiring to see the good work that has emerged from our training and to see the contributions our graduates are making to the profession,” said Maynard Institute co-executive director Evelyn Hsu, the architect of the program.

Meet the Maynard 200 Fellows of 2024:

• Aaron Foley, News Editor, New York Amsterdam News and Managing Editor, Model D
• Allison Jing Yang, Senior Editor (Partnerships & Initiatives), Initium Media
• Blanca Méndez, Community Engagement Editor, San Antonio Report
• Carmen Castro-Pagán, Team Lead (Editor), Bloomberg Industry Group
• Carolyn Copeland, News Editor, Prism
• Daarel Burnette II, Senior Editor, The Chronicle of Higher Education
• Darius Dixon, Deputy Managing Editor-Policy, POLITICO
• Erica McIntosh, Senior Regional Editor-Southern CT, WNPR-Connecticut Public
• Estefania Mitre, Social Visuals Producer/Editor, NPR
• Fahmida Rashid, Managing Editor-Features, Dark Reading, Informa Tech
• Fernanda Santos, Contributing Editor, NAHJ palabra. / Prof. of Practice, Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, ASU
• Heather J. Chin, Deputy Editor, Billy Penn at WHYY
• Iftikhar Hussain, Managing Editor, Voice of America
• Jacob Sanchez, Fellowship Editor and Enterprise Journalist, Fort Worth Report
• Jamilah King, Editorial Director, Mother Jones
• Joshua Barajas, Senior Editor-Digital, PBS NewsHour
• Juan Michael Porter II, Senior Editor, TheBody.com and TheBodyPro
• Kai Teoh, Data Editor, Dallas Morning News
• Kim Johnson Flodin, Deputy Director-U.S. News, Associated Press
• Kris Hooks, Money, Power, Inequality Editor, Boston Globe
• Luella Brien, Executive Director, Four Points Media
• Martin Garcia, News Inside Manager, The Marshall Project
• Mason Bryan, Senior Editor, Prison Journalism Project
• Matthew Vann, Senior Producer, “Good Morning America”, ABC News Washington
• Maya Valentine, Photo Editor, The Washington Post
• Pamela de la Fuente, Assigning Editor, NerdWallet
• Sabrina Bodon, Equity Lab Editor, The Sacramento Bee
• Teri Henderson, Arts & Culture Editor, Baltimore Beat
• Tierra Hayes, Digital and Engagement Editor, Chattanooga Times Free Press
• Torrance Latham, Breaking News Editor, Miami Herald
• William Sanchez II, Executive Director-Business Development and Digital Operations, Fox News Audio
• Zeke Minaya, Assistant Editor-Metro Desk, The New York Times

Read the bios for the 2024 Maynard 200 Fellows (PDF).

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. Founded by Robert C. Maynard, the Institute promotes diversity and antiracism in the news media through improved coverage, hiring and business practices. We are creating better representation in America’s newsrooms through our Maynard 200 fellowship program, which gives media professionals of color the tools to become skilled storytellers, empowered executives and inspired media entrepreneurs.

About the Maynard 200 Fellowship

Maynard 200 is the cornerstone fellowship 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 of media leaders, storytellers, editors and entrepreneurs, in order to advance their career growth and leadership power in newsrooms and organizations. The 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.

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