Women’s Leadership Accelerator

An intensive program aimed at advancing women and nonbinary individuals in digital journalism

The Women’s Leadership Accelerator 2026 is a four-month intensive program
that supercharges the leadership and management skills of leaders who are pushing digital innovation.
Each year we welcome a cohort of women and nonbinary individuals
representing a range of backgrounds, expertise and newsrooms around the globe.

Requirements Program FAQ News Sponsor

About the Program

The Women’s Leadership Accelerator offers an intensive program of mentoring, discussion and learning from some of the top minds in digital media. Participants work closely with mentors on challenges unique to their careers and also will receive support and coaching from ONA.

Tuition for the 2026 Women’s Leadership Accelerator is $1,000 and must be paid by the participant. All selected participants will receive a full pass to ONA’s annual conference, ONA27, and a complimentary annual ONA membership.

2026 Program Timeline

May 5-31, 2026: Application period
May 13, 2026, 12 p.m. ET: Virtual Q&A about WLA program and application process with Meghan Murphy, Head of Programs, and Kathy Lu, WLA coordinator. RSVP.
Week of Aug. 3, 2026: Cohort announcement
Aug. 12, 2026: Virtual orientation session for WLA26 cohort (2 hours)
Sept. 15-18, 2026: In-person WLA26 kickoff and workshop in Boston, Mass.
September-early December 2026: Virtual cohort learning sessions (2 hours each, date to be determined for best possible match among cohort members)

Submit Your Application

Supporters

The 2026 Women’s Leadership Accelerator is supported by lead funder Dow Jones Foundation with additional funding from the Tiffany Shackelford Foundation.

We seek funders for each new program and have several opportunities to support this program as well as our other year-round programs for women in digital news leadership. To learn more about supporting the programs, contact Hanaa Rifaey, Deputy Director, at hanaa@journalists.org.

Past Participants

The Women's Leadership Accelerator began in 2015 and more than 250 journalists have graduated from the program. They are currently working in roles across the industry and the world, including as executive editors, producers, independent journalists and founders.

"You can’t comprehend the value of being in community with other women in the industry — women who you likely would not have met otherwise — until you participate in a program like WLA and feel how differently you move through the world, professionally and personally, because of it." —Amory Sivertson, 2025 WLA

"I had no idea how life changing this would be. I came into WLA not realizing how I was limiting myself. After this cohort I don’t have all the answers but I do have the tools to find the answers I’m looking for. I also have the confidence to accept that I may not find the answers and that’s okay." — Averi Sanders, 2025 WLA

“The Women’s Leadership Accelerator came at a time when I craved more training and guidance on being a better leader. I had direct reports for the first time, and I wanted to learn how to better lead a team with empathy. This program was the best decision I’ve made for my professional career. I walked away with a supportive community and practical tools that will last me a lifetime.” — Donesha Aldridge, 2022 WLA

Learn More

Read the FAQ

Women’s Leadership Accelerator

An intensive program aimed at advancing women and nonbinary individuals in digital journalism

About the Program

Supporters

Past Participants

News and Updates

Introducing the 2025 cohort of the Women’s Leadership Accelerator

Introducing the 2024 cohort of the Women’s Leadership Accelerator

Introducing the 2023 cohort of the Women’s Leadership Accelerator

Introducing the 2022 cohort of the Women’s Leadership Accelerator

Learn More