Her Story
About Jennifer
I founded Idaho Education News 14 years ago as a nonprofit online news organization that holds lawmakers and educators accountable for taxpayer dollars and student achievement. I manage a staff of 9, and we serve more than 2 million page views a year with thousands of followers on social media and newsletters. Before starting Idaho Education News, I was the editor of the largest newspaper in Idaho, the Idaho Statesman, where I worked for 20 years in various roles. I felt that online news was growing and the paper product was not, so I launched my own online news organization and found funders and grants to support this nonprofit. I felt there was a need for good, quality, unbiased news in our world. We've grown from 1 employee to 9, and from a few hundred visitors to millions of visitors. I'm proud that we're probably one of the few growing media organizations in the country - last month was our best month, and last year was our best year. I'm stepping out of the managing editor role and have promoted someone else to manage day-to-day operations, but I'll continue to be the CEO in perpetuity. I'm ready to start golfing a little bit more and working a little bit less.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Jennifer
01What do you attribute your success to?
I always showed up - I came to work every day, I worked long, I worked hard, just showing up. I don't think I was the most talented, or the most creative, but I was the hardest working. And then I trusted my instincts. I grew up in Boise, Idaho, which is where I've spent all of my journalism, and so I have a lot of good relationships, I have a lot of people who trust my work and who invest in my work. Building strong relationships has been key to my success.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Build relationships and learn from experienced journalists. News - people still seek news. But be fair and accurate.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
People still crave news, and it's the same news they have for my 40 years. They just want it delivered differently. We used to get all the news from gardening tips to sports scores on your doorstep in the morning in the form of a paper product, and nowadays everyone wants their news delivered in an individualized format. We all read news at different times, and in different platforms, on apps, on websites, on newsletters. So, individualizing people's news needs is the most recent challenge, and I think we're getting pretty good at it, because we're nimble, and we change with the times. Using social media for good is also important. Data drives my decisions - I can see what stories are popular, I can see when people read them, is it early in the mornings, is it in the afternoons. So, we study the analytics of traffic and help that drive how we make story decisions and publication decisions going forward.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
It's important to me to build relationships and have people trust that I'm capable of creating and managing an outstanding news source that you can trust so that you can make informed decisions for your families and your communities. Being a trusted news source is my top priority, and that comes from readers trusting me. I want organizations to acknowledge me for that, and my long, outstanding efforts to create accurate news.
Keep Exploring
More Influential Women · Idaho
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.