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Charles Minshew

Portrait of Charles Minshew with arms crossed standing in front of a blue wall with the Atlanta Journal Constitution logo
Statement

I’m not exaggerating when I say that I have thousands of reasons to run for the IRE Board: over the past decade, I’ve had the opportunity to train and mentor journalists from all over the world. There’s a chance I’ve taught you how to build a pivot table, interrogate your data with SQL, or code for the first time. 

You’ve trusted me to help you grow your skills in service of your newsrooms and communities, and now I ask for your trust and your vote to represent you on the Board of Directors for the next two years.

IRE is financially stable and well-prepared for what comes next. The organization succeeds because of leaders like Diana Fuentes and a committed Board that guides our long-term vision and goals. IRE has a staff who work tirelessly to carry out an important mission: to provide cutting-edge training for journalists and protect democracy through our work.

I was on staff as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold and know how difficult it was to tackle a world dominated by virtual gatherings that kept us apart. But with those difficulties came opportunities to expand our reach in affordable and accessible ways. We must continue to meet people where they are. We must always be a welcoming place for journalists of all backgrounds.

I also understand the challenges journalists face when they return home from our conferences and trainings. At The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, I work with reporters who are navigating rapid changes in technology like generative AI while doing more with fewer resources. They’re also battling limits on public records and continued attacks on press freedom. IRE has an important role to play in helping journalists do their best work to serve their communities.

My experience on staff will inform everything I do on the Board.

The Board has a solemn duty to select a new Executive Director who can continue Dee Dee’s work building an inclusive and welcoming IRE. I cannot promise I will have all the answers, but I promise I will always listen to your feedback and ask thoughtful questions with every decision. I believe the Board must guide long-term decisions while understanding the effect they have on the staff who carry out the work every day.

I’ll devote my time on the board to ensure that IRE represents everyone. Since leaving the staff of IRE, I’ve spent time training journalists at conferences, as well as the Ida B. Wells Society Investigative Reporting Fellowship. I’ve served as a mentor to journalists, though I feel like I still have much to learn from them too. 

My favorite thing about conferences is bumping into old friends and talking to first-time attendees in between sessions. I value that we’re creating a space where everyone is welcome, and know that we must keep doing more.

I would be honored if you would cast your vote for me. I’m ready to work for everyone and give back to an organization that has given me so much.

Current Positions 

  • Senior Editor of Data Journalism, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (since April 2025)
  • Board Member, Georgia First Amendment Foundation (since April 2025)
  • Chairman, Friends of the Honors College Board at Georgia Southern University (since January 2026)

Prior Experience

  • Digital Storytelling Editor, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (February 2022 - April 2025)
  • Adjunct Instructor, University of Missouri (2021)
  • Director of Data Services, IRE (January 2017 - January 2022)
  • Multimedia Artist, Orlando Sentinel (June 2013 - January 2017)
  • Member, Missourian Publishing Association (2014-2017)
  • Master’s in Journalism, Missouri School of Journalism (2013)
  • S. Political Science, Georgia Southern University (2011)
  • President, Georgia College Press Association Board of Directors (2009-2010)
  • Member, Georgia College Press Association Board of Directors (2007-2010)

IRE Experience

  • Director of Data Services and trainer, January 2017 - January 2022
  • Member, Golden Padlock selection committee (2025, 2026)
  • Member, Audit Committee (2026)
  • Member, Training Committee (2023)
  • Trainer and guest speaker, Ida B. Wells Society Investigating Reporting Fellowship program, Atlanta (2024, 2025, 2026)
  • Co-Residency Director, Dow Jones News Fund Data Journalism program, 2017-2022.
  • Author, Mapping for Stories: A Computer-Assisted Reporting Guide (with Jennifer LaFleur and David Herzog)
  • Hands-on class instructor at nearly every IRE and NICAR conference since NICAR 2017 in Jacksonville, Florida.

Expertise

  • Newsroom leadership and team development
  • Training, curriculum development and member engagement
  • Data journalism
  • Open records and press freedom advocacy
  • Emerging technology and newsroom innovation
  • Mentorship and community building

Issues I’d Like to Address as a Board Member

  • Selecting IRE’s next Executive Director with care and transparency, someone who will continue the work Diana Fuentes championed.
  • Ensuring IRE remains affordable, accessible and welcoming.
  • Helping journalists navigate rapid technological change.
  • Supporting local journalism and access to public information..
  • Supporting staff and maintaining IRE’s financial strength.

Links

Nominated by Sandra Fish, Independent journalist

I'm honored to nominate Charles Minshew to the Investigative Reporters and Editors Board of Directors.

Charles and I first met at a NICAR or IRE conference several years ago, likely via mutual friends from the Orlando Sentinel. We've remained friends as he worked as director of data services at IRE and then moved to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Charles has great data journalism ideas and is on the forefront of what's going on (see his sessions on using AI, among the first at NICAR). He demonstrates a steady, clear-eyed sensibility and a commitment to inclusiveness.

Diana Fuentes' recent passing is devastating for many of us personally, as well as for IRE writ large. Charles' presence on the board would help continue Diana's work and offer stability while at the same time looking toward the future.

 

Second nomination by Lee Zurik, Gray Media

I am pleased to nominate Charles Minshew for the IRE Board of Directors.

I've had the privilege of working alongside Charles during his time on the IRE staff (as a board member and on projects he assisted our investigative team with), and I can say without hesitation that he is exactly the kind of person this organization needs to guide its future. On every project we collaborated on, Charles was attentive, reliable, and met every deadline - qualities that matter enormously as a board member.

What sets Charles apart is the rare combination of deep IRE institutional knowledge and real-world newsroom experience. He spent five years building IRE's data training programs from the inside, and now applies that expertise daily at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He understands both sides of the equation.

IRE needs board members who have lived its mission. Charles has taught it, built it, and continues to champion it. Please join me in voting for Charles Minshew.

 

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