Kaitlyn Jakola

Managing Editor • The Trace • Chicago, IL
Last edited March 16, 2022

Kaitlyn Jakola is managing editor at The Trace, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to the gun violence crisis. She works with the editor in chief to set editorial priorities, guide projects, and edit stories, and oversees distribution and engagement strategy. She also collaborates with the operations team to ensure staffers have the tools and support they need to thrive. She previously worked at Insider/Business Insider, where she launched a fellowship for early career journalists and hired dozens of fellows and full-time staff that went on to produce award-winning work. Prior to that, she was copy chief at Mic, where she developed a passion for “conscious copy editing” and inclusive language; she has frequently lectured on the topic in university classes and at conferences. Since 2018, she has also taught copy editing in New York University’s School of Professional Studies. Kaitlyn is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.