IRE names nonprofit leader as next executive director
Columbia, MO (July 6, 2026) – Investigative Reporters & Editors (IRE) is excited to announce the appointment of Jonathan Kealing as its new Executive Director. He will officially assume his role in late July, bringing extensive experience and a strong commitment to investigative journalism.
Kealing has most recently served as Chief Network Officer at the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN). Under his leadership, INN tripled its membership and cultivated relationships with major tech companies, including Microsoft, Google and others. Those efforts helped launch investigative projects examining the state of rural healthcare, fund internships in many newsrooms and support website development and audience engagement – initiatives that closely align with IRE's mission. Working with the INN team, he helped secure more than $16.5 million in support for the organization.
“Around the world, we need investigative journalism now as much as ever. I’m thrilled to be able to lead an organization that provides essential training, support and a community for the journalists doing that work every day,” Kealing said. “I look forward to getting to know the outstanding IRE staff, board and community in the days and weeks ahead and working to make IRE even more essential to its members and our communities.”
Prior to INN, he held various newsroom, management and non-profit roles, including leadership positions at Public Radio International (PRI), where he significantly expanded audience engagement and secured substantial grant funding to support key content initiatives. He started his career as a reporter and editor at a multimedia news outlet in Kansas.
Josh Hinkle, IRE Board President, expressed his enthusiasm for Kealing's leadership: “His extensive background in nonprofit journalism and commitment to collaboration make him the ideal leader for IRE. We are confident that his vision will propel our mission forward and help us navigate the evolving landscape of journalism.”
IRE is based at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, where Kealing and the IRE staff will collaborate with faculty and students.
“We are excited about this new chapter for IRE and look forward to working with Kealing and the IRE board to support the organization’s vital mission,” said Dean David Kurpius.
Kealing’s hire follows the unexpected death of beloved IRE leader Diana Fuentes last spring. Fuentes’s unwavering commitment to diversity, affordability and press freedom will continue to be guiding principles IRE champions.
“We extend our gratitude to longtime staff members Lauren Grandestaff and Francisco Vara-Orta for serving in interim leadership positions after Diana’s passing,” Hinkle added. “We also thank our Board of Directors, the hiring committee and staff who served tirelessly throughout this process.”
Kealing lives in and will work remotely from the Minneapolis area. Stepping into his new role, he will begin meeting with and managing staff, collaborating with the board and embarking on ambitious fundraising efforts alongside IRE’s newly hired director of development. Preparations for IRE’s next major event – the all-virtual AccessFest26 conference Oct. 8-10 – are also underway.
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Investigative Reporters & Editors Inc. is a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of investigative reporting. IRE was formed to create a forum in which journalists throughout the world could help each other by sharing story ideas, newsgathering techniques, and news sources. IRE provides members access to thousands of reporting tipsheets and other materials through its Resource Center and hosts conferences and specialized training across the country. Programs of IRE include the National Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting (NICAR), a collaboration between IRE and the University of Missouri School of Journalism. Learn more about joining IRE and the benefits of membership.