Sept. 28, 2026 — WASHINGTON — Mindy Marqués González has joined the American Journalism Project as senior vice president of its Startup Studio. The former publisher and executive editor of the Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald brings more than three decades of experience in journalism and publishing.
In her new role, she leads the AJP Startup Studio team, which works with communities to turn research about local information needs into ambitious, sustainable nonprofit news organizations. She will guide the team’s work with local leaders to recruit and support founding teams, develop editorial and audience strategies, and establish the governance, operations and organizational cultures new newsrooms need to grow and endure.
“Mindy understands both the power of excellent local journalism and what it takes to build an organization where that journalism can thrive,” said Sarabeth Berman, CEO of the American Journalism Project. “She has led through major change, developed talented teams and maintained a deep commitment to public-service journalism. That combination makes her a strong partner to the founding leaders building a new generation of local news organizations.”
Through the Startup Studio, AJP has supported the launch of nonprofit news organizations such as Signal Ohio, Free Press Indiana, the Tulsa Flyer and The LA Local. Together, these newsrooms have raised more than $70M in new funding for local journalism in their markets, and employ more than 130 staff serving communities in Ohio, Indiana, Oklahoma and California. AJP works alongside founding teams from the earliest stages of planning through launch and the transition to independent operations. Loretta Chao, head of startup studio and local news innovation, who previously led the program, will continue to oversee it in addition to efforts at AJP to support nonprofit local news organizations in defining, demonstrating and measuring the impact of their journalism, and supporting portfolio organizations in their expansion to serve more communities.
“I know firsthand how much communities depend on local newsrooms that listen closely, report with rigor and earn trust over time,” Marqués González said. “What drew me to AJP is the opportunity to help build those institutions from the beginning, alongside local leaders and with community needs at the center. I look forward to helping founding teams create thriving, locally-supported, sustainable news organizations that are ambitious in their journalism and equipped to serve their communities for years to come.”
Before joining AJP, Marqués González served as vice president and executive editor at Simon & Schuster, where she acquired and published narrative nonfiction by authors including Eugene Robinson, Michele Norris and Nina Totenberg.
Marqués González began her career as an intern at the Miami Herald and rose through its newsroom to become its first top Hispanic editor and only the second woman to hold the role. At the Herald, she oversaw nationally recognized investigations into assisted-living failures, juvenile justice abuses, and Jeffrey Epstein and his cohorts; the organization won two Pulitzer Prize awards under her leadership.
Her honors include the Benjamin C. Bradlee Editor of the Year Award and the Presidential Impact Award from the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. She is a former co-chair and member of the Pulitzer Prize Board and chairs the advisory committee for Florida International University’s Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication.
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About the American Journalism Project
The American Journalism Project is the first venture philanthropy organization dedicated to local news. We make catalytic investments in nonprofit news organizations and partner with communities to launch new outlets. Since 2019, we’ve invested in dozens of local news outlets, providing them with capital, strategic guidance and operational expertise to grow their reach and impact. By strengthening and scaling a sustainable field of local news organizations, we are working to ensure that people have access to the trusted, independent local journalism they need to participate in civic life.
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Media Contact: Roshni Neslage, Head of Communications, American Journalism Project, 954-526-1565
