Dr. Dorthy Bland
FOUNDER & PRESIDENT
Dr. Bland has more than 25 years of experience in the news industry as a reporter, editor and publisher. Her previous industry experience includes working for USA Today as well as news organizations ranging from the Commercial Appeal in Memphis to the Fort Collins Coloradoan. In addition to being an award-winning journalist, she earned three Gannett rings for outstanding performance as a publisher. She has coached media as well as marketing executives across multiple platforms and industries.
She has more than 15 years of experience in higher education as a professor and administrator. She has served on more than a dozen Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications site teams ranging from New York University to American University Dubai. In 2019, she was honored as one of the top 35 women in higher education by Diverse Issues in Higher Education magazine. She has delivered dozens of invited presentations at a variety of institutions ranging from the Poynter Institute to the University of Ghana.
Under her leadership, the University of North Texas Mayborn School of Journalism launched the 100% online master’s degree in digital communication analytics, grew enrollment and earned the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication’s Equity and Diversity Award. Her research interests include diversity in media, digital/social media, and management/leadership.
In addition to her Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication and Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication service, she maintains industry connections with a variety of organizations including memberships with the Society of Professional Journalists, the National Association of Black Journalists, the News Leaders Association, the Online News Association and the Public Relations Society of America.
Dr. Bland earned her Ph.D. in communication from Florida State University, M.B.A. in marketing from George Washington University, and B.S. in journalism from Arkansas State University. She holds a certificate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education Institute for Education in Management and Leadership. She was a McCormick Fellow at Northwestern University’s Media Management Center and is a graduate of the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education.
TESTIMONIALS
Dr. Dorothy Bland’s counsel has proven vital for States Newsroom in helping shape its DEI plan of action. She offered guidance in a number of areas, including recruiting, hiring, communication and content presentation. And after discussions with leadership, Dr. Bland recommended restructuring our DEIJ committee and created a strategy to connect our rapidly growing national network of news outlets in 28 states.
Results are realized with her energetic leadership style. Dorothy is not afraid to fully emerge herself in any project, community or problem and will stay committed until the completion. Dorothy is one of the most thoughtful managers that I’ve ever worked for – always recognizing her employees’ lives outside of the office. She knows her employees’ children’s names, schools they attend and frequently brings a balanced, caring conversation into the workplace.