IWMF Devastated to Announce the Passing of Board Co-Chair Bryan Monroe

[January 13, 2021 – WASHINGTON, D.C.] – The International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Bryan Monroe, our board co-chair and a longtime, beloved member of the IWMF community. More than a valued and esteemed leader of the IWMF’s board, Monroe’s universally loved presence and impact will leave an indelible mark on journalism.

“It pains us deeply to part with such an adored and influential member of our organization, and of the news media community at-large,” said Elisa Lees Muñoz, executive director of the IWMF. “Bryan was a force for change in digital media and helped lead the charge for more inclusive, diverse and representative newsrooms across the United States. Our thoughts, prayers and gratitude for his life go out to his family as we reflect on his incredible work helping to bring the IWMF where it is today.”

Monroe was the Verizon Chair professor at Temple University’s School of Media and Communication (SMC) and the former editor of CNNPolitics.com, where he led editorial planning and content strategy for CNN’s online and mobile political coverage in Washington, D.C. A former president of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), Monroe also helped lead the Knight-Ridder team in Biloxi, Mississippi, which won the 2006 Pulitzer Prize Gold Medal for Public Service for its coverage of Hurricane Katrina. Monroe was also a visiting professor at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.

Prior to his professorship at Northwestern, Monroe served as vice president and editorial director at EBONY and Jet magazines in Chicago. At the magazines, he led the coverage of the 2008 presidential elections and conducted the first interview with then President-elect Barack Obama following his November 2008 victory. Monroe also conducted the last major interview with pop star Michael Jackson before his death in 2007.

“Bryan was a loving and generous friend – a loyal and trusted confidant who infused optimism and hope into every situation,” said the IWMF’s board vice-chair and CNN’s national correspondent Suzanne Malveaux. “Bryan’s greatest gift was his ability to connect so many people and bring out the best in them.”

“I am among the legions of journalists of color whose early careers were shaped by Bryan Monroe,” said IWMF board member and NPR national security correspondent Hannah Allam. “Bryan was a mentor and a cheerleader, persistent in breaking racial and gender barriers in newsrooms. I mourn this monumental loss for journalism, and my deepest sympathies are with Bryan’s children and family.”

The IWMF will keep our community updated on any upcoming memorials, remembrances or tributes as details become available.

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Contact

Charlotte Fox
Director of Communications
cfox@iwmf.org

About the International Women’s Media Foundation

Founded in 1989, the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) is the only global non-profit organization that offers emergency support, safety training, grants, reporting opportunities and funding avenues offered specifically for women journalists. We are making more women’s bylines possible and work tirelessly to ensure a greater diversity of voices represented in the news industry worldwide. Follow the IWMF on Twitter at @IWMF, on Facebook at @IWMFPage and Instagram on @TheIWMF.