Dow Jones News Fund President Brent W. Jones announced at the nonprofit journalism training organization’s Nov. 1 annual directors meeting that he would not seek another board term.
Jones is senior vice president and editor of training, culture and community at The Wall Street Journal.
“It has been a humbling honor to serve as the News Fund’s board president, partnering alongside Executive Director Shirley Carswell on important and relevant work,” Jones said. “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished, grateful to the board of directors for their enthusiastic support, and optimistic about the road ahead as the News Fund selects a new leader.”
Since being elected as president and board chairman in August 2021, Jones has set strategic business goals for the nonprofit focused on the importance of engaging alumni; strengthening and growing the partnership base; raising the organization’s profile; and expanding streams of support.
During his tenure, the News Fund enhanced its flagship summer internship program, adding a new training track, audience engagement, and two new university partners to host the intern training weeks.
In 2022, he outlined a vision for an early career training program for beginning journalists inside resource strapped local newsrooms, intended to bolster skills in interviewing, reporting and writing and provide exposure to industry veterans who share best practices. Under Jones’s leadership, the News Fund successfully launched that program in 2023, training a new generation of reporters from around the country. Last fall, he secured a grant to bolster the early career training initiative.
Jones also obtained a grant to assist the News Fund’s summer interns with living expenses, relying on his extensive industry network built over decades as an editor and manager.
He added five new directors to the News Fund’s board and established emeritus positions. Jones also established the Richard J. Levine Journalism Champion Award, in honor of his predecessor as president, the late Dick Levine, and his contributions to journalism.
