ProPublica appoints Sparkman president and co-CEO

ProPublica’s board of directors has elected Robin Sparkman president and co-CEO of ProPublica.

Sparkman succeeds Richard Tofel and will begin her new role on Sep. 8.

Currently, Sparkman is the founding CEO of StoryCorps, a position she’s held from 2014. She has doubled the organization’s revenues and added to its reserves.

Sparkman, who brings more than 25 years of experience to the ProPublica newsroom as also served as editor-in-chief of The American Lawyer from 2010-2014.

Earlier, she has also held the posts of executive editor, and deputy editorial director of parent company American Lawyer Media.

Her other stints include MSNBC.com and Newsweek. She was also editor-in-chief at Corporate Counsel.

Paul Sagan, chairman of the Board of ProPublica, said:

“After a thorough national search, our Board search committee and full Board unanimously concluded that Robin Sparkman was the right business leader to take ProPublica to even greater success. Robin combines business savvy, deep editorial understanding, a fundamental commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and a passion for journalism that spurs change.”

Sparkman added:

“I am thrilled and humbled to be ProPublica’s next president. No one is doing the deep, transformative reporting in the same way that ProPublica does. It will be an honor to work with such an extraordinary team.”

Sparkman is a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and Wellesley College, where she is a member of the Business Leadership Council. She also serves on the executive committee of the board of Union Settlement of East Harlem.