Jill Abramson ’76 named executive editor of the New York Times

First woman to fill the newspaper's top editorial post

Jill Abramson '76 has been named executive editor of the New York Times, the newspaper announced today—the first woman to hold the top editorial post. She has been managing editor since 2003—one of two executives responsible for overseeing the newsroom. She has previously been an investigative reporter and Washington bureau chief for the Times; she joined the paper in 1997, after nine years at the Wall Street Journal. Previously, she worked at Time, NBC News, and The American Lawyer. Among other works, she is coauthor of Strange Justice, on the appointment of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court, and of Where They Are Now: The Story of the Women of Harvard Law 1974. Daughter Cornelia Griggs graduated from the College in 2005.

The Nieman Foundation has published a comment on Abramson's appointment, emphasizing her likely focus on the newspaper's digital strategy and investments.

The Times has organized an archive of her published articles—covering subjects ranging from the financing of political campaigns  to the "Puppy Diaries" about her beloved pet, Scout.

Related topics

You might also like

A History of Harvard Magazine

Harvard’s independent alumni magazine—at 127 years old 

A (Truly) Naked Take on Second-Wave Feminism

Playwright Bess Wohl’s Liberation opens on Broadway.

Most popular

Three Harvardians win MacArthur Fellowships

A mathematician, a political scientist, and an astrophysicist are honored with “genius” grants for their work.

Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences Faces a $350 Million Deficit

At a faculty meeting, Dean Hopi Hoekstra advocates for long-term, structural solutions.

Harvard Institute of Politics Director Setti Warren Dies at 55

The former Newton mayor is remembered as “a visionary and tireless leader” by the University community. 

Explore More From Current Issue

A woman (Julia Child) struggles to carry a tall stack of books while approaching a building.

Highlights from Harvard’s Past

The rise of Cambridge cyclists, a lettuce boycott, and Julia Child’s cookbooks

People gather near the John Harvard Statue in front of University Hall surrounded by autumn trees.

A Changed Harvard Faces the Future

After a tense summer—and with no Trump settlement in sight—the University continues to adapt. 

A lively concert in a modern auditorium with an audience seated on multiple levels.

Concerts and Carols at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Tuning into one of Boston's best chamber music halls