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For the last two years, I have had the immense honor of serving as president of the IRE Board. I will be handing the reins to another Board Member after the upcoming conference. But I am seeking a fourth and final term on the Board to help preserve institutional memory, in the great tradition of many past presidents.
I’m proud of the work we’ve done together in challenging times. IRE now has more members than any other journalism association in the U.S., and we’re more diverse than ever, including on the staff and the Board. Our endowment accounts are at record highs, our reserve fund is fully funded for the first time, and we ended last year with a $68,000 surplus. We’ll soon launch a revamped website. We offer more webinars and trainings than ever, and we’re continuing to roll out additional benefits for members.
But there is still more to do.
Since I joined the Board, my top priority has been to make our conferences and other events more affordable. Already I’ve helped lead several initiatives, like securing airfare discounts for members and reducing registration rates for journalists who are early-career, freelancers or unemployed. I’m running for another term to ensure that IRE goes even further, including by expanding its regional trainings and creating options for lower-cost lodging at conferences.
Another priority is fundraising. A stronger IRE requires more financial support. I’ve spent a lot of time raising money, strengthening our development work and growing relationships with new funders. I’m running to build on that momentum, so we’re less reliant on member dues and better able to invest in the future.
I’m excited about IRE’s network of student chapters, which we began this year. These chapters are helping students engage with investigative journalism early, setting them on a course to improve our organization and our industry. I’m running to help grow this initiative, and to continue our focus on our local meetups and other ways to facilitate regular connections between mentors and mentees, and colleagues and friends.
I’m also running to help make sure that IRE meets this moment. I’ve consistently helped push the organization to be more strategic, including by thinking ahead about how AI and newsroom cutbacks might reshape our work. Now I believe that we must do more to support our members in the face of attacks on press freedoms. I want IRE to be ready, not reactive.
Finally, I’m running because I care deeply about this community. As president, I’ve worked to improve the tone and transparency of the Board, and to make us more inclusive. I want to remain on the Board to ensure we continue our culture of respect, inclusivity and accountability.
Recently I’ve been leading efforts to mark the 50th anniversary of IRE. It’s a powerful reminder of how much this beloved organization has meant to tens of thousands of journalists. We can honor that history — and make this institution even stronger for the next generation. I appreciate your support.
Cheryl Phillips, Former IRE Board Member and Board President: I would like to nominate Brian Rosenthal to serve on the IRE Board of Directors. I first met Brian when he was an intern at The Seattle Times and have watched him tirelessly invest in learning and then teaching the core tenets of investigative journalism. He is always all about finding stories, learning and teaching new skills as well as working collaboratively across journalism organizations, including IRE. He has regularly contributed to IRE through mentorship, service on committees and the IRE board. He has been indefatigable in his work to support IRE and training for journalists everywhere, including growing the tent of journalists who can benefit from IRE, making the organization more accessible and more affordable. Along the way, he has amassed a wealth of knowledge about IRE’s history and its traditions. He has deep knowledge on how to fundraise for an effective member-centric nonprofit. Having Brian serve another term on the board will help ensure that we are building continuity as we move forward. Please re-elect him to the IRE board.
Morgan Young, WFAA-TV: I would like to nominate Brian Rosenthal for a position on the IRE Board of Directors. I have had the opportunity to learn from Brian during my time as a 2024 Chauncey Bailey Fellow as well as work with him on IRE’s Affordability Task Force. Brian’s deep institutional knowledge and genuine care for this organization makes him an invaluable voice as IRE continues to be a guiding light and resource for journalists navigating an increasingly challenging media landscape. His understanding of where the organization has been and what’s needed to move forward in an effective, efficient and impactful way makes him an important resource to help IRE evolve while maintaining what’s made this organization great for so long. Additionally, his perspective and care for making IRE accessible and affordable for more journalists is extraordinarily important as the push continues to create space for more journalists to grow their investigative knowledge and capabilities.
Current position
I'm an investigative reporter at The New York Times and an adjunct professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
Prior experience
I've been a journalist for 15 years, mostly in local news. I began my career as an education reporter at The Seattle Times, and I later worked as a government reporter at the Houston Chronicle. I joined The New York Times in 2017 as an investigative reporter on the Metro Desk. I've also worked with The Times's Local Investigative Fellowship, and I helped The Times to launch "The Weekly," a television show on FX / Hulu. I won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize in Investigative Reporting, and I was a finalist for the 2017 Pulitzer Prize in Public Service. I also have won the Selden Ring Award for Investigative Reporting and three George A. Polk Awards, as well as a national Emmy Award.
IRE experience
I joined the IRE Board in 2019 and served as the Board Treasurer before becoming Board President in 2023. I have served on nearly every committee in the organization — Affordability, Audit, Awards, Conference, Endowment, Executive, Finance, Governance, Member Services, Revenue and 50th Anniversary. I first joined IRE in 2012, and I have since attended all but one IRE Conference. I've also routinely attended and spoken at NICAR and AccessFest; helped lead workshops, webinars, meetups and donor events; regularly volunteered as a mentor in the mentoring programs; won IRE awards; screened the IRE awards; and served as a "super screener."
Expertise
I am an expert in local investigative reporting, data, documents, organization, teaching and mentoring. I also have expertise in nonprofit management, from my six years of service on the IRE Board as well as my service on a regional board of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Issues you would like to address
I would like to continue working to make IRE affordable to everyone in the industry, especially local reporters and journalists of color. I would also like to keep pressing for diversity, equity and inclusion in the organization. And I would like to continue to make our organization accessible for members outside of the annual conferences.
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