Nieman Foundation Leader Departs

Ann Marie Lipinski led the organization through a time of unprecedented change for journalism.

Ann Marie Lipinski stands at the entrance to the Nieman Foundation

Ann Marie Lipinski  | PHOTOGRAPH BY Lisa Abitbol

Harvard announced today that Nieman Foundation curator Ann Marie Lipinski will step down July 1, ending a 14-year tenure as head of the University-housed journalism organization.

A current member of Harvard Magazine’s board of incorporators, Lipinski is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and the former editor-in-chief of the Chicago Tribune. She was the first woman appointed to lead the Nieman Foundation, where she had been a fellow during the 1989-90 academic year. During her years at the foundation, the journalism industry has undergone tremendous change and disruption, including the move from print to digital, the rise of mis- and disinformation, the growth of social media and artificial intelligence (AI), the decimation of local news outlets, and numerous assaults on journalists and press freedom.

In a press release announcing her departure, Lipinski said, “It has been a profound privilege to lead Nieman, not in spite of the industry complexities but because of them. Each year, journalism faced new challenges and each year, a new class of fellows rose to confront them. Fortifying those journalists for the future is essential.”

Under Lipinski’s leadership, the Nieman fellowship, which draws applicants from around the world, came to include more journalists from emerging news organizations. The foundation also launched a fellowship in journalism innovation, in collaboration with Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society; added new fellowships to support local investigative reporters and those writing on China; and gave research opportunities to technologists, publishers, and academics working in journalism. Lipinski also expanded the work of the foundation’s publications—Nieman Reports, Nieman Storyboard, and the Nieman Lab reports—addressing urgent challenges such as AI and the collapse of local news. The current issue of Nieman Reports includes a cover article titled “Dear America,” offering advice to American colleagues from nine journalists working in countries where press freedom is under attack. “International journalists are hearing echoes,” Lipinski wrote in the article’s opening paragraph. “From countries around the world that have witnessed the rise of autocratic and populist leaders, they are watching the U.S. and warning of a characteristic of wounded democracies everywhere: an endangered free press.”

In a public statement on Lipinski’s departure, President Alan M. Garber said, “I have watched with admiration as she has met change after change with energy and optimism, always centering her efforts on recruiting and nurturing outstanding fellows. Her influence on countless careers and her impact on the field itself will continue to shape how news is produced and consumed around the world. I cannot imagine a leader better suited to have led the Nieman Foundation through a period of profound transformation for journalism.”

According to the press release, the search for a new curator will begin soon.

Read more articles by Lydialyle Gibson
Related topics

You might also like

In Sermon, Garber Urges Harvard Community to ‘Defend and Protect’ Institutions

Harvard’s president uses traditional Memorial Church address to encourage divergent views.

Harvard President Alan Garber Helps First-Years Move In

As a potential settlement with the Trump administration looms, Garber gets students settled.

Harvard’s New Online Orientation Emphasizes Intellectual Paths

A summer course for first-years focuses on academic success, diverse viewpoints.

Most popular

At Harvard College Convocation, an Emphasis on Open-Mindedness

Garber, other leaders sidestep politics but welcome international students.

How MAGA Went Mainstream at Harvard

Trump, TikTok, and the pandemic are reshaping Gen Z politics.

Harvard art historian Jennifer Roberts teaches the value of immersive attention

Teaching students the value of deceleration and immersive attention

Explore More From Current Issue

Karla Cornejo Villavicencio smiling beside the pink cover of her novel "Catalina" featuring a jeweled star and eye.

Being Undocumented in America

Karla Cornejo Villavicencio’s writing aims to challenge assumptions. 

Colorful illustration of woman multitasking with laptop, baby bottle, toy, and checklist.

Motherhood and Ambition in a Pronatalist World

Gen Z is confronting the age-old question of balance—with a new twist.

Illustration of college students running under a large red "MAGA" hat while others look on with some skeptisim.

How MAGA Went Mainstream at Harvard

Trump, TikTok, and the pandemic are reshaping Gen Z politics.