Shah reflects on first month as Texas Tribune CEO

Sonal Shah

Sonal Shah, who was named chief executive offer of The Texas Tribune in January 2023, recently reflected on what it’s been like since she took the reins of the Tribune.

An excerpt from the announcement at Tribune’s website reads:

One month ago, I took the reins as CEO of The Texas Tribune, beginning what I hope will be a season of growth for me, the team and our statewide news organization. In my short time with the Tribune, I’ve been moved to see the staff’s dedication to our readers, members and supporters, and the power of our journalism to inform and engage the people of Texas.
I have already had the pleasure of meeting some of you at our events, and I look forward to meeting even more Tribune readers, members, donors and sponsors through the year as we continue to host conversations on issues that affect everyday Texans.
One of the most important relationships at the Tribune is my partnership with our editor-in-chief, Sewell Chan, who oversees our newsroom and editorial operations while I run the business and strategy of the Tribune. Sewell is recognized throughout Texas and beyond for his visionary editorial leadership.
Over the past month, I have embarked on a staffwide listening tour, getting to know our managers and individual contributors personally and professionally, learning about their work and asking a litany of questions along the way. I have a profound appreciation for the complex and important work each person at the Tribune does on behalf of Texans. Based on my early conversations, one of the first decisions I made as CEO was promoting our chief communications officer, Natalie Choate, who has been with the Tribune since 2011, to chief operating officer, empowering her to develop greater organizational efficiency, improving our employee experience and helping us make progress on our strategic plans and priorities.
Moving forward, my listening tour continues as I take to the road to meet with the Tribune’s external partners and political and policy leaders in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and across the state. I’ve enjoyed getting to know the good people who have contributed to our success so far. I look forward to talking with more Texans about how we can better serve them with helpful news and information and inspiring stories of community.