Carolina Public Press, a leading and trusted source of news dedicated to in-depth and investigative journalism in North Carolina, is thrilled to announce the appointment of its new executive director, Kara Andrade. Previously, Andrade served as the editor-in-chief and has been pivotal in upholding the organization’s commitment to nonpartisan news in the public service.
Andrade brings an impressive track record of leadership in the journalism sector, an unwavering commitment to journalistic integrity and a passion for advancing CPP’s mission of providing high-quality, nonpartisan news in the public service to the state.
As an Ashoka fellow and Fulbright scholar, she co-founded, in her native Guatemala, HablaCentro Informatics NFP and LLC, a network of citizen journalism and information sharing hubs in Latin America. Andrade is also an adjunct professor at American University, where she received a Ph.D. in communication.
She also has decades of experience in news entrepreneurship, communications research and multimedia reporting in more than 20 countries. Her stories have been published by Al Jazeera America, The Associated Press, The Christian Science Monitor, CNN, National Public Radio, The New York Times and others.
"I am truly humbled and honored to be passed the torch and to step into this role as the new executive director," Andrade said. "I am deeply committed to the organization's core values of fairness and ethical, nonpartisan reporting. I believe that with our team and our diverse communities, we can bring about meaningful change through investigative and in-depth reporting that helps everyone make more informed decisions.”
The Carolina Public Press board of directors undertook a thorough search for the ideal leadership candidate. Andrade distinguished herself for her vision, experience, leadership skills and deep understanding of the importance of nonprofit journalism in today's rapidly evolving media landscape.
She succeeds Angie Newsome, Carolina Public Press’ founder and current executive director. While Newsome is stepping away to focus on personal projects, she will continue to support the organization during the transition.