Nieman curator Ann Marie Lipinski to resign

Ann Marie Lipinski, curator of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University, will resign on July 1, concluding a 14-year tenure characterized by significant upheaval and transformation in journalism.

“Ann Marie and I returned to Harvard simultaneously — our appointments announced just days apart — and I have observed with admiration how she has confronted one change after another with enthusiasm and hope, always prioritizing the recruitment and mentorship of exceptional fellows,” remarked Harvard President Alan Garber. “Her impact on numerous careers and the field itself will continue to influence how news is generated and consumed worldwide. I cannot envision a leader better equipped to steer the Nieman Foundation through a time of profound change for journalism.”

“I am thankful to Ann Marie for her guidance during these past 14 years,” stated Provost John Manning. “Her commitment to the foundation, to pioneering journalistic practices, and to engaging with the broader Harvard community has been invaluable to both the Nieman Foundation and the University.”

A Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and former editor in chief of the Chicago Tribune, Lipinski was designated Nieman curator in 2011, becoming the first woman to preside over the program.

“It has been a significant honor to lead Nieman, not despite the complexities of the industry but because of them,” Lipinski expressed. “Every year, journalism encountered new obstacles, and each year, a fresh class of fellows emerged to tackle them. Equipping those journalists for the future is crucial. I am thankful to the colleagues who joined me in that endeavor, enhancing collaboration on campus, and supporting a global community often battling for the fundamental right to practice journalism.”

“I have discovered both purpose and happiness as Nieman’s curator and am profoundly appreciative of the faith that Harvard has placed in me. I believe it is now time for others to take on this work that I have cherished.”  

A 1989-1990 Nieman Fellow, Lipinski as curator steered the foundation through a period of unparalleled disruption, including the transition from print to digital; the rampant spread of dis- and misinformation; increased dependency on artificial intelligence for news reporting; the rise of social media; and the closure of countless local news organizations. She also advocated for attention to assaults on journalists, including the murders of two Nieman alumni on assignment (Associated Press photographer Anja Niedringhaus and documentary filmmaker Brent Renaud), along with the imprisonment of others.

Nieman’s history of innovation

Lipinski redefined the fellowship to encompass more journalists from emerging news entities. She partnered with Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society to initiate the Nieman-Berkman Fellowship in Journalism Innovation; supported local correspondents with a two-year fellowship for local investigative journalists; and enhanced writing on China through a specialized two-year fellowship in collaboration with the AP.

In her inaugural year as curator, she launched the Nieman Visiting Fellowship, providing short-term research possibilities not just for journalists, but also for technologists, publishers, and academics striving to advance journalism. She reaffirmed Nieman’s commitment to assisting journalists, some in exile, who have worked in nations where independent reporting is criminalized.

Lipinski concentrated Nieman’s publications on examining journalism’s greatest dangers and opportunities. Last year, she added writers to Nieman Lab, a highly regarded digital report on the future of news, to address the emergence of generative AI and the significant shifts in the local news landscape across the country. Through the Nieman Storyboard platform and translations of the foundation’s acclaimed “Telling True Stories” guide for nonfiction storytelling, Nieman broadened its support for narrative journalism.

Lipinski also spearheaded a redesign and digital growth of Nieman Reports and directed numerous cover themes, from “Where Are the Women?,” discussing the shortage of female leadership in newsrooms, to the ongoing “Dear America” edition, a compilation of messages to the U.S. media from journalists operating in nations where press freedom is under threat.

“International journalists are hearing echoes,” Lipinski noted in that issue. “From countries across the globe that have experienced the emergence of autocratic and populist leadership, they are observing the U.S. and cautioning against a characteristic of wounded democracies worldwide: a threatened free press.”

Upon commenting on Lipinski’s exit, Nieman Advisory Board chair John Harwood expressed: “There’s no better testament to Ann Marie Lipinski’s leadership than recognizing that, as journalism
“`faces significant economic and political challenges, she has fortified the Nieman Foundation. Her vision, ingenuity, and moral principles have enhanced not only 14 cohorts of fellows but our entire field.”

Campus and Community Involvement

Lipinski dedicated herself to supporting journalists beyond the fellowship and launched a series of comprehensive workshops for reporters and editors focused on immigration, climate change, housing, and nuclear issues. These events were organized in partnership with Harvard faculty and scholars from various departments at the University.

Nieman collaborated with the University of Chicago Institute of Politics to instruct political journalists on covering the news beyond the competitive aspects as the 2016, 2020, and 2024 U.S. presidential elections approached. Lipinski also propelled Nieman’s initiatives to mentor a new generation, broadening the Christopher J. Georges Conference on College Journalism, held annually with The Harvard Crimson, to encompass public colleges and HBCUs, extending far beyond the East Coast institutions that had typically attracted attendees.

During Lipinski’s leadership, Nieman invited prominent thinkers to campus to explore our most complex media dilemmas, including the harmful impact of certain social media platforms on the authenticity of news and information. Filipino journalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa, founder and CEO of Rappler.com and a prominent advocate in the battle against disinformation, participated with Lipinski in public dialogues regarding the frequently damaging effects of social media as well as in more personal discussions with Nieman Fellows confronting these issues in their home countries.

In light of waning public trust in media, Lipinski championed greater interaction between journalists and the community. Following the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, she organized a town hall that included participants from The Boston Globe to the Boston Police Department, focusing on coverage of breaking news during the era of social media. In 2018, amidst increasing “fake news” allegations against journalism, she facilitated “The Future of News: Journalism in a Post-Truth Era,” a public discussion led by then-Harvard President Drew Faust for an overflowing crowd in Sanders Theatre.

Journalism’s achievements were also celebrated. At the request of the Pulitzer Prize Board, Nieman orchestrated an ambitious tribute to the finest of American journalism, arts, and literature — a three-day festival honoring the 2016 centennial of the Pulitzer Prizes. Together with colleagues from the American Repertory Theater, Lipinski presented a program which commenced with Wynton Marsalis, the first musician to win the Pulitzer for jazz composition, and included a host of Pulitzer laureates like Nieman alumnus Robert Caro discussing how he acquired the skills to write about power; Watergate journalist Bob Woodward, documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras, and editor Dean Baquet engaging in spirited dialogue about governmental abuses of power; playwrights Lynn Nottage and Lin-Manuel Miranda; along with Harvard historians Annette Gordon-Reed, Caroline Elkins, and Fredrik Logevall. This event at Sanders Theatre represented Nieman’s largest public gathering to date.

Throughout her tenure, Lipinski focused on nurturing the connections within the fellowship globally through reunions, consistent newsletters, and “Nieman-to-Nieman” Zoom seminars. Her beloved nickname for the community, now represented in over 100 countries, is illustrated on a button distributed to fellows: “Nieman Nation.”

A Career Committed to Journalism

Prior to joining Harvard, Lipinski held the position of senior lecturer and vice president for civic engagement at the University of Chicago. Previously, she served as the editor in chief and senior vice president of the Chicago Tribune. As a reporter for Tribune, Lipinski received a Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting. As an editor, she guided a newsroom that earned Pulitzers in categories such as international reporting, feature writing, criticism, explanatory reporting, editorial writing, and investigative journalism.

Lipinski is poised to continue her lasting devotion to journalism. She is a trustee of the Poynter Institute for Media Studies and a former co-chair of the Pulitzer Prize board. Additionally, she serves as a trustee of the Thomson Reuters Founders Share Company and was appointed to the Commission on Information & Democracy led by Reporters Without Borders, with a mission to enhance democratic guarantees for news and information. Lipinski is a member of the board of directors for the Out of Eden Walk journalism initiative and is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.

Harvard will soon commence a search for Lipinski’s successor.