The inaugural Maynard Regional Training Series launches on April 5-6, 2025 with the program’s university partner, the Journalism Institute for Media Diversity at Wayne State University’s campus in Detroit, Michigan. The Maynard Regional Training Series is an ongoing in-person, weekendlong leadership and management training program for early- and mid-career journalists across the United States.
Faculty members will lead training sessions on ethical editorial decision making, reporting on race, gender and culture and strategizing innovation, engagement and sustainability for news organizations.
Guided by core Maynard training principles, these professionals lead the charge in building more inclusive, dynamic media spaces.
In partnership with universities, these sessions give entry- and mid-level editors and managers the tools and confidence they need to traverse the complexities of newsroom leadership.
Maynard Institute staff, journalism professors, award-winning journalists and subject-matter experts lead all trainings, which are focused on essential areas for news leaders.
Through this dynamic training series, the Maynard Institute continues to live out its mission to equip journalists with the skills, strategies and leadership mindset they need to thrive in an evolving media landscape.
Partners in the historic city of Detroit
This year’s program is made possible thanks to the generous partnership of Wayne State University and the Journalism Institute for Media Diversity.
The first full day of programming, April 5, will kick off with an assembly and breakfast followed by opening remarks by Professor Alicia Nails, Director of the Journalism Institute for Media Diversity as well as welcoming remarks from Odette Alcazaren-Keeley, Director of Maynard Regional Training and Communities of Practice programs, and Felecia D. Henderson, Maynard Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives.
Professor Alicia Nails, Director of the Journalism Institute for Media Diversity at Wayne State, is an Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist with 40 years of experience in television, radio and print. She was named Journalism Educator of the Year by the National Association of Black Journalists at the 2018 national NABJ convention in Detroit. During her several decades of experience,
Nails has reported breaking news and features, and worked as a writer and producer for broadcast news in Detroit, Atlanta, and New York City.
As a freelance journalist, her writing has also appeared in the Detroit Free Press, The Detroit News, the Michigan Chronicle, and BLAC magazine, where she also served on the advisory board. She also continues to freelance through her company, SaidWrite.
Nails also serves on the board of the Detroit Chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists and the Rosa Parks Scholarship Foundation.
The first training round is in partnership with Wayne State University’s Journalism Institute for Media Diversity. Director and Professor Alicia Nails will moderate a panel on: “Reporting on Race, Gender & Culture.”
“The proactive training of media professionals has never been more vitally important than it is at this moment. Bombarded by messages that all seem urgent, important and true, today’s journalists will have to use discernment to decipher - separating valuable content from the distractions that masquerade as news,” Professor Nails said. “Our role in society demands that we pay close attention as we distinguish ourselves from other content creators and relay accurate information with the sensitivity and context that the public deserves.”
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.