The Dow Jones News Fund today announced veteran journalist, media leader and educator Ebony Reed as the recipient of the 2026 Richard J. Levine Journalism Champion Award for her impact across newsrooms, classrooms and communities.

Reed is the Chief Strategy Officer at The Marshall Project and an alumnus of a Dow Jones News Fund high school workshop. Throughout her multifaceted career, she has held significant leadership roles across the news industry, including serving as Director of Innovation for the Futures Lab at the Reynolds Journalism Institute and an associate professor at the Missouri School of Journalism, Director of Business Development for U.S. Local Markets and Deputy Chief of Bureau for New England at the Associated Press, Executive Advertising Director for the Boston Business Journal and key news leadership positions at The Wall Street Journal, Detroit News and The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer.

In her letter nominating Reed for the Levine Award, Louise Story, CEO of Atlas Obscura, highlighted Reed’s extraordinary leadership, rigor, and dedication, noting her impact as a newsroom leader, business strategist, author, and educator over the years they worked together at numerous organizations.

“I am deeply honored to receive an award that recognizes the importance of building and sustaining a strong, diverse free press,” Reed said. “I know firsthand how transformative early experiences like those provided by the Dow Jones News Fund can be. Throughout my career, whether working in newsrooms, leading revenue initiatives or teaching, I have believed in the power of journalism to inform communities and in the value of young people gaining experience in the field as they explore and develop their careers. To be recognized by an organization that helped open those doors for me makes this honor especially meaningful.”

Reed co-authored Fifteen Cents on the Dollar: How Americans Made the Black-White Wealth Gap with Story, translating their research and reporting into the classroom while co-teaching at the Yale School of Management. Over her career, Reed has taught at more than half a dozen colleges and universities—including Emerson College and the Missouri School of Journalism—mentoring dozens of aspiring journalists. Following the death of her fiancé, NFL journalist Terez A. Paylor, Reed channeled her grief into purpose by helping raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for two endowments that honor Paylor at Howard University and the University of Missouri.

Reed has also served on the Board of Directors of the Online News Association and has been active in numerous industry and community organizations. She is a community board member for KCUR, the NPR affiliate in Kansas City, Missouri. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Missouri School of Journalism.

Kate Lee Butler, former Vice President for Local Markets at The Associated Press, praised Reed in her nomination letter, noting: “She brings the realities and challenges of the journalism industry into the classroom, while the curiosity, patience and commitment to developing others that characterize her teaching have shaped the way she leads.”

The Journalism Champion Award is determined through an open nomination process, with the recipient selected by a committee of Dow Jones News Fund staff and board members. In recognizing this year’s winner, the committee said: “Ebony Reed’s career reflects the very best of what the Richard J. Levine Journalism Champion Award recognizes: exceptional journalism leadership paired with a deep commitment to educating and mentoring the next generation.”

The Dow Jones News Fund Richard J. Levine Journalism Champion Award was established in 2022 to honor those whose work supports the perpetuation of a strong and diverse free press. The award also pays tribute to the late News Fund president and longtime Dow Jones news executive Richard Levine and his journalism service.

The recognition includes a cash award of $2,500 and honorees participate in the speaker series for the News Fund’s intern class. The annual award is funded by contributions from the News Fund, the Dow Jones Foundation, The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones & Company. Individuals and other organizations may also contribute by earmarking DJNF donations for the Richard J. Levine Journalism Champion Award.