The Online News Association announces two appointments to the Board of Directors. Joining the Board for 2020-21 are Fergus Bell, Founder and CEO of Fathm, and Maryanne Reed, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at West Virginia University.
Both leaders will add valuable perspectives to ONA’s diverse Board, helping to guide the organization’s work in five focus areas while building a stronger journalism industry.
Fergus is a digital news leader with global experience on both the business and editorial sides of the industry. His expertise ranges from newsgathering and verification to newsroom innovation and collaborative journalism projects. Prior to Fathm, Fergus advised newsrooms and startups on digital newsgathering and newsroom transformation as founder of Dig Deeper Media and co-founded Pop-Up Newsroom, the framework for groundbreaking fact-checking initiatives such as Verificado in Mexico and Checkpoint in India.
Maryanne brings extensive experience leading innovation in journalism education. As provost at West Virginia University, she is the chief academic officer responsible for the administration of all academic policies, programs, facilities and budgetary matters. Previously, she served as dean of the WVU Reed College of Media for 16 years and as journalism faculty since 1993. Under her leadership, WVU’s journalism programs transformed into a college focused on digital innovation, offering opportunities for students to connect with industry experts and real-world projects.
There are a total of 16 seats on the ONA Board, including two appointed seats to meet needs identified by the Board and one appointed, non-voting student representative. Fergus and Maryanne will begin their two-year term on Jan. 1, 2020, along with media consultant Anita Li, who was elected as a new member in the 2020 Board of Directors election.