Cindy Galli - Investigative Reporters & Editors

Thank you for reading about me and voting in this year’s election. I currently and proudly serve on IRE’s board and I’m a longtime member and cheerleader. I’m a broadcaster and most recently oversaw the ABC News Investigative Unit.

As IRE celebrates 50 years of training for investigative journalists, we find our profession at a critical juncture. While the work we do has never been more important, press freedom is under constant attack and newsrooms are reevaluating where resources should be placed. Our friends, colleagues and fellow members are facing layoffs at a frightening rate. I’m seeking reelection to the board to ensure that supporting our members when they need it most is a top priority.

How I currently serve our membership: I’ve been honored to lead the Conference Committee, working hard to ensure that our panels are inclusive, diverse and full of fresh ideas. Our committee is introducing three new tracks of learning at this year’s conference, including one designed for our members who are unemployed, underemployed or anticipating a layoff. We also work closely with the Affordability Task Force to ensure conferences remain affordable. Additionally, I serve on our Governance Committee as well as two newly formed task forces. On the 50th Anniversary Task Force, I join esteemed founding members to organize tributes to our origin. And on the Visibility Task Force, I work with passionate members whose mission is to raise the profile of IRE, with a key objective of driving more funding into our organization.

I’ve mentored young journalists, spoken on panels and in workshops, screened awards, secured corporate sponsorships and pitched in wherever and whenever needed. If re-elected, I still have more to do:

Support Our Members In A Critical Time. I’ll add a slate of training that includes career counseling and support, recruitment resources that go further than our job board, networking events that focus on pivoting mid-career or even moving to another medium. IRE’s network has provided two jobs for me during my career, and it’s also provided support when I’ve needed it most. Let’s make this part of our mission.
Raise Our Profile. IRE should be a household name. We’re synonymous with first-class training, yet many newsroom leaders don’t know who we are. Getting our message out through high-profile endorsements and a strong social media strategy will not only reinforce to managers how vital our work is but should also provide more funding.
Secure IRE’s Financial Future. As we continue to raise our profile and get on the radar of major funders, we can ensure our viability for the next generation of journalists. With increased competition in the training space, making sure corporate and newsroom funders know the value of IRE and securing support from them is crucial.

My management experience and leadership skills have served the IRE board, staff and membership well. I’m committed to IRE and bring passion and respect for our organization to everything I do for it. I would be grateful for your consideration and vote. Thank you!

Nominations

Tisha Thompson, ESPN: I nominate Cindy Galli. I have had the honor of watching first-hand how she tirelessly gives so much of her time to IRE and believe her to be a tremendous asset to the board and our members. Her management experience, combined with her institutional knowledge of IRE’s history and processes, along with her deep understanding of linear and non-linear video production at both the local and national level, allows her to foster collaborative relationships that benefit both long-time IRE veterans and those new to our organization. She has been a champion in helping us fundraise, train members and find new opportunities for those looking to take their career to the next step, move forward following a layoff, or find a new adventure in investigative journalism.

Jennifer Forsyth, The New York Times: Cindy Galli’s years of experience on the board brings the expertise and knowledge IRE needs right now: a commitment to ethical governance, a dedication to thoroughness, a deep understanding of the organization’s finances and a commitment to providing fair and equitable resources to one and all. She has stood at the pinnacle of our industry but never fails to understand what newly minted investigative journalists need in terms of skills and support, as her years of mentoring have demonstrated. Best of all, despite being a dogged investigator and a fierce competitor, she is unfailingly kind and compassionate to fellow board members, IRE staff and all the members of the organization. She will help IRE walk strong into the future. I’m honored to nominate Cindy for a seat on the IRE board.

Candidate Q & A

Current Position:
Broadcast Investigative Journalist

Prior Experience:
Executive Producer, Investigative Unit, ABC News
Chief of Investigative Projects, ABC News
Senior Investigative Producer, ABC News
Investigative Producer, Inside Edition
Consumer Investigative Producer, KGO-TV (San Francisco)
Faculty, New England First Amendment Institute (2015-2024)
Graduate, University of California at Berkeley

IRE Experience:
Member, IRE Board of Directors (2019-present)
IRE Board Vice President, Executive Committee (2022-2023)
IRE Board At-Large Member, Executive Committee (2021-2022)
IRE Member since 1994 (attended first conference in St. Louis as an intern)
Chair, IRE Conference Committee (2020-present)
IRE Conference Committee (2019-present)
IRE Governance Committee (2022-present)
IRE Affordability Task Force (2024-present)
IRE Visibility Task Force (2024-present)
IRE 50th Anniversary Task Force (2024-present)
IRE Election Task Force (2021-2023)
IRE Executive Director Search/Hiring Committee (2020-2021)
IRE Conference Broadcast Track (sub-committee) (2018-present)
IRE Awards Committee (2020-2021)
IRE Awards pre-screener (2016-2022)
IRE Conference panelist (2010-2024)
IRE Watchdog Workshop speaker, Dallas (2019)
Annual mentor at IRE & NICAR Conferences
Secured corporate sponsorship by ABC News/Disney for IRE conferences

Expertise:
Experienced Manager

Built and managed a large, diverse, award-winning team of reporters and producers working on enterprise investigations;
Directed editorial mission and oversaw all budget and personnel issues.

Successful Journalist, Collaborator & Content Creator

Conceived, launched and oversaw collaborative investigative team comprised of network and local station reporters;
Conceived and oversaw “big swing” projects, including Uvalde:365, a network initiative to remain in and report from Uvalde, TX for a year;
Visual storyteller of both long and short-form investigations

Passionate Coach and Mentor

Career-long recruiter and mentor of female journalists and journalists of color;
Cheerleader of team projects, successful with placing work on vast number of platforms.

Issues on Which I’d Like to Focus:
Ensuring all IRE members – new and longtime alike – feel included and heard by leadership

Building a support system for members who are unemployed, underemployed or facing a layoff

Continuing to grow diversity and mentorship initiatives

Elevating IRE’s profile and visibility both inside and outside the investigative reporting world

Securing new funding sources to ensure IRE’s financial future

Fostering collaborative spirit between members from all platforms and experience levels

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