158 women who are inspiring local journalism in 2020
Last month, we asked you to nominate your female heroes in local journalism. The response was fantastic — the challenge was how to make sure we did those responses justice. In alphabetical order, Behind Local News is proud to present your inspiring women in local journalism, all 158, in the words of those who nominated them:
1. Beth Abbit, reporter, Manchester Evening News
Her exceptional coverage of the Reynard Sinaga case and she’s just an inspiration and laugh to be around. She’s professional, honest, helpful and a great person to look up to. Beth is the kind of woman who will say hello to anyone within the office so I knew her before I knew what she did day to day.
2. Nicola Adam, deputy editor, Lancashire Post
Nicola has been a journalist in Lancashire for 20 years, and leads by example. She constantly experiments, has a passion for communicating, and is admired by colleagues and readers alike
3. Laura Adams, content director, Archant
An NCTJ board member with a passion for keeping local journalism alive across the UK, Laura works tirelessly to improve her people and build sustainable futures for her titles through close collaboration with commercial colleagues.
4. Kerry Ashdown, local democracy reporter, Stoke
Kerry’s commitment to local journalism, especially local government reporting, is something to behold.
5. Mary-ann Astle, executive editor (digital), StokeonTrentLive
Mary-ann Astle is an absolutely outstanding journalist who has driven huge audience growth and engagement — above and beyond expectations — for StokeonTrentLive. Her creativity, passion and hard work in leading the team here is exceptional. It is no wonder she is viewed across our regionals network as a star performer and role model for good practice.
6. Sanjeeta Bains, journalist, BirminghamLive
In a time of change for our industry, Sanjeeta has proved herself to be the sort of journalist any newsroom needs, able to turn her hand to almost anything and do a brilliant job in the process. Quite rightly highly commended at last year’s Midlands Media Awards. Sanjeeta knows the city in a way which many don’t
7. Lauren Ballinger, publisher, Examiner
Calm, measured and with a fantastic eye for detail — Lauren has been a driving force behind the growth of the Huddersfield Examiner. A fantastic journalist, she was one of the first to break the news about the shooting of Yassar Yaqub by West Yorkshire Police on Monday January 2 2017. Working into the small hours, Lauren owned the story and has continued to see that the Examiner sees it through. Alongside her colleague Samantha, they are not afraid of change and experimentation, with Lauren leading the trial of pay-per-article system Axate on the Examiner website in 2019.
8. Stephanie Balloo, reporter, BirminghamLive
Steph is a star and definitely one to watch. She’s got a great work ethic, is super talented, seeks out people to learn from and doesn’t know how good she is…and bakes a mean office treat!
9. Sophie Barley, Head of Audience at ChronicleLive
Sophie is passionate about North East journalism. And has been involved in regional journalism for 14 years. She started her career aged 19 at the Evening News in Scarborough before moving to The Gazette in Middlesbrough as crime reporter. She is now based in Newcastle and has a regional role as Head of audience
10. Eleanor Barlow, regional reporter, PA
While a senior reporter at the Echo, she spent two years covering the Hillsborough inquests, diligently and accurately reporting on every aspect of the hearings. She now works for PA covering the North West
11. Georgia Barrow, Reporter, the Comet
She’s worked so hard to get where she is and has just had a promotion. She’s passionate about women’s rights and being on this list will boost her confidence, she struggles to believe she is brilliant
12. Bex Bastable, commercial editor, Sussex, JPIMedia
Bex is a talented journalist who now leads the commercial editorial role across Sussex. She is successfully developing innovative ways to grow new revenues and reclaim lost ones — everything from property to entertainments — without compromising editorial integrity. She is making a significant impact.
13. Hannah Bargery, regional Audience & content editor, Newsquest North West
Hannah is super talented with social media and is really helping Salford City News develop into an exciting new brand.
14. Frances Barrett, CheshireLive publisher
In addition to being an inspirational manager who leads by example, Fran is highly organised and always gives clear and precise instructions so we always know exactly what our goals are.
15. Shelina Begum, Business editor at the Manchester Evening News
Shelina has held a number of roles since entering journalism, and has done the hard miles to get to where she is today. The role of business editor can sometimes be seen as stuffy and boring, and also involve working in a world which is very male. Shelina is respected at all levels of this businesses she reports on, and Manchester’s business journalism community is all the stronger for her different take on the region’s commerce.
16. Vicki Birch, Group Editor, Newsquest North London
Vicki is an inspirational leader and her focus on digital audience has generated great results for her and the team.
17. Donna-Louise Bishop, senior reporter, Archant
Donna-Louise often covers issues to help promote debate and also community spirit in her local area but it was her cervical cancer features and articles about social media trolls which had the biggest impact on me.
18. Deanne Blaylock, editor, SurreyLive
Calm and considerate, Dee is the swan-like editor who makes working very hard look almost effortless. Popular with colleagues and direct reports, Deanne nevertheless leads her team with authority and flair.
19. Denise Bradley, visual specialist, Archant
Denise has worked for Archant for 29 years; the first female photographer employed be Eastern Counties Newspapers. She has been a trailblazer for female photographers, a hugely positive presence in the newsroom and a wonderful mentor.
20. Maria Breslin, Senior Editor, Liverpool Echo
As PA Northern correspondent Maria was a ‘proper’ reporter who covered the biggest stories on the toughest doorsteps in the country… she then became a brilliant digital publisher with laser-like understanding of the analytics allied to an innate understanding of brand and audience. A giant and a genius among journalists.
21. Kelly Brown, editor, advanced content, JPIMedia Sussex
As well as being a first rate journalist, Kelly was arguably the best people manager I encountered in nearly 25 years in regional journalism. Kelly is a great trainer and has helped launch countless careers, and is responsible for managing JPI’s trainees in the South, as well as doing her ‘day job’ of running the features hub in East and West Sussex.
She commands unfaltering loyalty, largely due to her chirpy nature. There cannot be many editors who instinctively call everybody who they come into contact with ‘darling’ and ‘sweetheart’, but her easy charm is priceless in the overstretched world of local newspapers.
22. Amy Browne, Executive editor What’s On, Liverpool ECHO
Amy is a great manager, inspiring her team and giving them opportunities to progress. She is a great colleague to have as she is trustworthy and has your back.
23. Rachel Buller, assistant editor, Norfolk magazine
Rachel is a wonderful writer and a first-class interviewer who has the knack of getting her subjects to talk to her — celebrity interviews almost always run over time because people enjoy talking to Rachel. She’s certainly not a one-trick pony, though, and has been a brilliant support to her editor over the years. She has always retained an appropriately healthy air of cynicism and doesn’t let anyone pull the wool over her eyes.
24. Joanne Butcher, chief executive, NCTJ
There was a time when the NCTJ was in danger of becoming one of local journalism’s problems: Out of date and stuck in the past. Joanne has transformed the organisation, making it face up to some difficult decisions — anyone for a debate on shorthand? — and embracing the future of the industry. The Facebook community reporter scheme and the push to make the Journalism Diversity Fund much bigger are both examples of the role the NCTJ is now playing thanks to Jo.
25. Fiona Callingham, Local Democracy Reporter, Portsmouth
Fiona joined us two years ago in the newly-created Local Democracy Reporter role. Since then she has flourished, covering Portsmouth City Council with aplomb, and making great progress in her professional development — passing the NQJ first time and gaining a distinction in law. Her work is a consistently high standard and she has immersed herself in the murky world of local councils.
26. Hannah Chapman — Editor, The Northern Echo
Hannah has made history being the first ever female editor of the Northern Echo and is doing a great job leading the team into new ways of working and putting her stamp on this iconic brand.
27. Zoe Chamberlain, parenting editor, BirminghamLive
Zoe’s just nailed on great at her job and a pleasure to work with. Her Brummie Mummies project has been incredibly successful, and that’s wholly down to her drive and enthusiasm.
28. Rebekah Chilvers, Senior Reporter and Iliffe Data Specialist
After being seconded to the BBC Shared Data unit, Rebekah returned to Iliffe Media full of ideas and passion. She single-handedly created a package of stories, graphics and visualisations and created 29 localised versions to appear in print and online across Iliffe Media brands. An excellent journalist, dedicated to her work and a real inspiration for the future!
29. Sarah Clapson, Nottingham Forest Correspondent, NottinghamshireLive
Sarah is a female football correspondent, which shouldn’t be unusual but unfortunately it is. She’s taken the male world of football on and she more than holds her own. Sarah is the only female member of staff in Midlands Football, and we’re proud to have such a talented writer representing our city’s club.
30. Katie Clark, Regional Audience & Content Editor, Dorset, Hampshire & Cornwall
Katie is a great team-player who recently returned to Newsquest as she missed the buzz of the newsroom — and we missed her too. She is a brilliant communicator who is making a big difference in our newsroom bringing staff up to speed with their digital skills.
31. Liz Coates, chief reporter, Archant Norfolk
Liz has been at the centre of life in Great Yarmouth for more than two decades. More than just a reporter, she has been a role model to swathes of young reporters, a fantastic ambassador for the Great Yarmouth Mercury, and a great journalist to boot. Her no-nonsense style and fantastic writing ability are an example to any reporter, and her bulging contacts book a sign of how well-respected she is in the local community.
32. Marverine Cole, Freelance broadcaster, journalist and media trainer, lecturer at Birmingham City University
Marverine is a force of nature — big smile, warm embrace, the type of person who lifts you up not puts you down.
A supremely talented broadcaster and great at passing on her skills to new journalists.
We still have a diversity problem in regional media — Marv will waste no words telling you what you need to do about it. A proper champion of others.
33. Harriet Clugston, senior reporter, RADAR
Harriet files hundreds of hard hitting local news articles every week. She always identifies important issues and delivers compelling copy built on thorough research and incisive interviews.
34. Laura Collins, editor, Yorkshire Evening Post
She is possibly one of the youngest female editors of a daily newspaper and despite coming under a lot of fire for being a woman, too young, not experienced enough, it is seen (not just in this newsroom but with readers and city leaders) that she has shaken up the title and completely changed the direction of it with the subjects and stories we are now looking at. . This in itself is inspiring and one reader summed it up by saying, “The Evening Post has got its balls back”.
35. Lauren Cope, chief reporter, Eastern Daily Press
A future editor, she sees the big picture, delivers agenda-setting stories, cares passionately about the communities she represents and works hands-on with trainees to produce great local journalists.
36. Hannah Corken, content editor, GrimsbyLive
Hannah is a lynchpin in the Grimsby newsroom: a terrific journalist doing terrific work. She is also a hardworking and determined mentor to newer reporters in GrimsbyLive’s newsroom, going out of her way to ensure their talents are nurtured and developed.
37. Rebecca Creed, audience and content editor, Daily Gazette Colchester
I have chosen Becky because for the past three years of knowing her she has always been an extremely hard-worker who has always kept calm, professional, adaptable and extremely helpful under the pressure of a newsroom. She has managed to work her way up in the company from a young age which is very inspiring in an industry which is still dominated by males.
38. Kate Cronin, reporter, Northants Telegraph
A reporter who leads by example, Kate inspires those around her and those who she deals with in real life and online. Always ready to support others, Kate is the sort of reporter every news editor would give a right arm to have in the newsroom.
39. Amanda Crook, content editor, Manchester Evening News
Amanda is an inspiring news editor to work for. She loves what she does, and also gets the best out of people, driving them to find the best from every story, and the best from themselves.
40. Ruby Davies, trainee reporter, StokeonTrentLive
Since joining StokeonTrentLive Ruby has consistently delivered brilliant breaking news and has demonstrated an uncanny knack of being successful with difficult door-knocks and interviews. She is bright, extremely hard-working and passionate about the job. Ruby is a role model for any trainee digital journalist.
41. Aasma Day, North of England Correspondent, Huffington Post
It was a sad day when Aasma left local news to join Huffington Post, but she left a legacy which is worthy of a place on any list of heroes of local news. As well as breaking exclusive after exclusive over many years at the Lancashire Evening Post, Aasma also led Johnston Press’s investigations unit which showed the power of local journalism when it unites newsrooms across the country.
42. Carmella De Lucia, what’s on writer, CheshireLive
Carmella has been fantastic in raising awareness and campaigning for the law to be changed on woman requesting a smear test under the age of 25. This campaign has been backed by local Chester MP Chris Matheson who raised this in parliament, which has led to a report by Sir Mike Richards, the NHS’s first cancer director with hopes of this law passing. For her efforts, the campaign also received a nomination at the 02 Media Awards last year.
43. Helen Dalby, Editor in Chief, Reachplc North East
Helen has been the single biggest influence on the great success of Chronicle Live over the last decade, leading with skill, intelligence and integrity. From the days in which it was virtually run out of a broom cupboard as a distant cousin the rest of editorial, to its arrival as the biggest media brand in the North East, Helen has been there the whole way. Now with even bigger responsibilities, Helen is proving to be an exceptional ambassador for the business in the North East.
Get a different perspective on Twitter, follow the list we’ve curated of the fantastic women doing wonderful things in regional and local journalism in the UK
44. Maxine Dalziel, community content manager, Reachplc South East
Maxine manages a team of 10 content curators, writes, edits and designs pages, is undertaking a journalism course, mentors her team, is lovely to deal with at all times and does all this while working part-time. And she undertakes her role with diligence, good humour and good grace and if I could clone her, I would. She’s a supermum and a super journalist.
45. Lisa Daniels, production editor, Iliffe Media Group
Lisa quietly rose through the ranks of the KM subs’ desk and now finds herself in overall charge of Iliffe Media Group’s central design hub. She has overseen a period of huge change — some sad times saying goodbye to a number of long-serving subs, and exciting and challenging times as IMG expanded at a fast rate.
46. Sian David, Digital Editor, BristolLive
Sian is a brilliant journalist with a fantastic news sense. She is also an inspirational manager. She made the move across the floor from print editor to digital editor last year. That meant a steep learning curve but she has brought a renewed focus on editorial excellence to the digital team and overseen a consistent audience increase.
47. Laura Davis, special projects and advance planning editor, Liverpool Echo
I’m sure a lot of people have written than ‘every newsroom needs a ….’ I can only say it’s true about Laura. She makes magic happen with every project she takes on. It’s not enough to do a subject justice for Laura, she wants as many people to see it as possible, and to want to see it as well. The most unassuming person I know, she’ll be embarrassed to be on the list, but she should be one of the first names on here!
48. Rebecca Day, senior news reporter, Manchester Evening News
Becca Day is one in a million. Not only is she an incredibly funny and likeable colleague to work with, she is a fantastic journalist too. She recently won journalist of the year at our internal M.E.N editorial awards and everyone in the newsroom was so pleased for her because she thoroughly deserves it, despite being totally unassuming and modest. Becca is one of the best reporters on the doorstep, she can get anyone to talk to her, and she is always willing to put in the hard work and extra hours when asked. She is a great example of a talented woman in local journalism.
49. Denise Eaton, Editor, Kent Messenger
First female editor of Kent Messenger, the UK’s biggest-selling weekly title. A hands on editor with a flair for campaigning. Denise demands excellence from her team, and the number of KM reporters now working on the nationals is testament to the skiils they develop under her guidance — as are the numerous industry awards.
50. Nicola Everett, head of multimedia, KM Group
Nicola leads the team behind the multi-award winning KentOnline website which saw record growth in 2019. She is a mentor to KM Group’s apprentices and helps lead them through their training as well as leading the group’s LDR reporters. As well as her role leading KentOnline, she can be heard daily on KMFM and hosts a weekly Sports show ‘Team Talk’ on KMTV.
51. Natalie Fahy, editor, NottinghamshireLive
Natalie isn’t just formidably talented; she is also a great example of how women can successfully combine motherhood with a top-notch, compromise-free career in local journalism.
52. Amy Farnworth, senior reporter, Lancashire Telegraph
Amy shows true dedication to local journalism and is passionate about the community she works for. She has made efforts to create and build contacts/relationships with people in the area her paper serves, and is conscientious about maintaining these contacts. She believes that local journalism is important and can be used as a force for good.
53. Nancy Fielder, editor, Sheffield Star
Nancy is a passionate Sheffieldite who is editing her own city title — and with inspiration and a large degree of success. She is forthright — as you would expect anyone who is from Yorkshire to be — fair, determined, inspirational to her team and a great people developer. She is passionate about seeing her people succeed and has developed a new leadership team as she took on a new role leading an expanded publishing unit across Sheffield, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
54. Kathleen Finlay, Head of Advanced Content and apprenticeship mentor, JPIMedia
There’s no words to describe how much I look up to this journalist. She guided me through my apprenticeship, gave me advice, pushed me out my comfort zone for the better and gave me incredible opportunities. She really cares about the next generation of journalists and her strong passion for it inspires me to keep going and see how far I can go.
55. Stephanie Finnegan, court reporter, Yorkshire Live
A fearless court reporter, Stephanie is the award-winning court reporter for Yorkshire Live. She lifted the court order in 2018 which meant it could be reported that Tommy Robinson was facing contempt charges. Steph faced abuse, online and offline, but stuck to her guns and handled the situation with incredible professionalism and has spoken out about her experiences at industry conferences. Her award-winning coverage of the Huddersfield grooming gang convictions was peerless in its detail, sensitivity and doggedness — as well as industry-leading live blogging for Examiner Live and Leeds Live.
56. Katie French, Editor, Basingstoke Gazette
Katie has had a massive positive influence on our newsroom since joining as Head of News and has rightly been promoted to Editor due to the amazing web growth we’ve had!
57. Karyn Fleeting, head of audience engagement, ReachPlc
Karyn is the person you need in the room when you need to know everything is going to be ok. At Reach, she cuts through the noise from digital platforms and works out how to make the platforms work well for journalism. She’s a big reason Reach is doing so well at the moment.
58. Samantha Gildea, Digital Development Editor, Yorkshire Live
Gutsy, hard-working and a great digital storyteller — Sam is the grit and glue that binds the Yorkshire Live operation together. After starting out at a number of Yorkshire weeklies, Sam arrived at the Huddersfield Examiner and immersed herself in digital. She wasn’t afraid of change and went on the road in 2017 to help train out the use of the content publishing system Escenic to the ex-Local World newsrooms. All those who worked with Sam found a leader in waiting. Her work to help launch Leeds Live has laid the foundations for the launch of Yorkshire Live. Sam’s the first to try something new, and that’s a very valuable skill in a disrupted industry.
59. Maxine Gordon, Lifestyle Editor, York Press
For more than 20 years, Maxine has been contributing strong human interest stories and features to the lifestyle, women’s and magazine pages of The Press, raising the profile of women doing all kinds of remarkable things in York. More recently, in her own time, she has begun offering a series of workshops (under the tagline ‘What’s The Story?’), aimed mainly at women in business, in which she coaches them about how to get their stories in the news.
60. Annie Gouk, data journalist, Reachplc
Annie has a can-do attitude and her passion for data journalism inspires all those around her. Most recently, Annie has presented the North in Numbers podcast which tries to tell the story behind the numbers which matter to the North.
61. Ceri Gould, Editor In Chief, Reach PLC South East
I have never had a manager who has inspired me like Ceri. She is a true leader in everything she does from hosting meetings, to one-to-ones and even in her advice via email at any hour of the day. I love the way she regularly questions me about decisions I’m making so I develop as a manager myself. I have become a better editor, manager and leader thanks to Ceri’s guidance and support.
62. Alison Gow, digital editor in chief, Reach plc
Alison has held many jobs in journalism, and as a result is always the person people want to speak to when journalists gather. Alison is always the first to suggest trying new stuff, but never just for the sake of it. A passionate defender of local journalism, Alison is happy to call a spade a spade, and normally the spade realises it is a spade, no matter how hard it tries to ignore the fact. Journalism needs more Alisons.
63. Josie Hannett, senior broadcast journalist, BBC South East
One of the KM Group’s first apprentices, who has gone on to a stellar career including stints as producer on KMTV and Sky News at age when many are still just starting out. Josie had the confidence and ability to hit the ground running despite working alongside people many years older and has never looked back.
64. Samantha Harman, editor, Oxford Mail
Sam is an excellent editor, but one of the most inspiring things about her is her support for her team. She always has their best interests at heart and fiercely defends them from the abuse that can come alongside this job. I don’t know if they know how much she does to make their lives better, but she creates such a good team atmosphere and helps anyone with anything at the drop of a hat.
65. Helen Harper, head of communities, Reachplc
Helen has held a number of roles in regional newsrooms over the years, but has always had community at heart. In her current role, she works with Reach’s Facebook community reporters, helping them in newsrooms around the country and inspiring them towards making the scheme a success.
66. Mary Harris, senior reporter, Kent and Sussex Courier
Mary is one of the best examples of a local journalist, focusing on her patch for more than 20 years and continuing to nurture and stimulate the newsroom. The Kent and Sussex Courier would not be the Kent and Sussex Courier without Mary Harris.
67. Claire Harrison, Nuneaton Reporter, CoventryLive
Claire is an example to everyone in the newsroom, young and old, about how you should approach journalism. She is the best community reporter I’ve worked with for many reasons but mainly because she cares for her area and her readers the most. She speaks about the Nuneaton News in print like it’s a beloved relative, and her coverage has made the Nuneaton landing page routinely the most-visited.
68. Emily Hewett, head of audience, Archant
Tenacious in her pursuit of transforming local news, an excellent motivator and entirely driven to get the best out of everyone as we evolve as an industry. Leading Archant’s Project Neon in collaboration with Google.
69. Rachel Herrity, acting print publishing editor, Liverpool
Calm and collected under pressure, Rachel is the ultimate safe pair of hands when it comes to print production. With a sharp eye for design, her ability to motivate and inspire those around her is enviable.
70. Lisa Hodge, content editor, Ayrshire Weekly Press
Lisa is an excellent journalist. In particular, the way she speaks to people who are vulnerable or have suffered difficult experiences in order to write a story that is both respectful but insightful is immeasurably useful for less experienced journalists to see. Seeing her use her contacts to source the information she needs and persist with a story against the odds inspires confidence. Watching her work and asking her for advice has improved the journalism of the rest of us in the newsroom.
71. Lorna Hughes, Features Writer, Liverpool Echo
Lorna is a pleasure to work with, she is diligent, talented and a great features writer. After covering live news on The Echo she became the dedicated Wirral reporter. She knew the patch inside out, having grown up in the area, and would always be trusted to bring in great, exclusive stories. She is now a Senior Feature Writer for the Liverpool paper — producing engaging long reads for print and putting her experience to good use.
72. Janet Hughes, reporter, GloucestershireLive
Quite simply, she is just brilliant. She is the best interviewer I’ve ever seen, bar none, has an eye for a story that simply can’t be taught and her work is a joy to read. She is an inspiration to younger journalists who never tires of trying new things and meeting new people, whose stories she invariably tells beautifully.
73. Sarah Hughes, regional production manager, Media Wales
Sarah epitomises everything I would look for in a colleague — she is highly driven but completely approachable and will never simply accept the status quo. It says it all that she’s one of the most popular members of the Media Wales team — despite being based 200 miles away in Conwy.
74. Charlotte Ikonen, Audience & Content Editor, Brighton Argus
Charlotte returned to the Argus after a stint at the Daily Star and has taken the website to another level at Brighton. Her expertise and hard work has been central to this as well as being a fantastic mentor to our team.
75. Gemma Jaleel, what’s on writer, Liverpool Echo
Gemma recently returned from maternity leave and has thrown herself back into her role as if she never left, despite how strange it can be returning to work after a year’s gap. She is extremely professional and hard-working and supportive of her colleagues.
76. Anna Jeys, senior editor, BirminghamLive
Anna is a journalist who rose through the ranks the traditional way, and now is setting down the path for the future of local journalism. An early pioneer of local digital journalism at a time when many (often men) in the newsroom would laugh and sneer at ‘the internet,’ Anna never allows herself to be put off from doing what’s right for her colleagues and for local journalism. Birmingham journalists owe Anna a lot — but she’d be the last person to dream of even saying that.
77. Philippa Jenkins, editor, CornwallLive
Philippa has led the team behind one of the fastest-growing regional titles in the country through extraordinary growth over the last 12 months. She has inspired a team of highly-motivated reporters whose performance and individual development improves week after week and has created a highly-motivated group whose success is based on teamwork, strong morale and common goals. She’s an inspiration to work with and a brilliant example to younger journalists.
78. Hannah Jones, editor commercial content, Reach plc
The way Hannah has reinvented herself in recent years is inspiring. She’s gained skills, confidence and experience that she probably never thought she would. A massive personality and a massive benefit to our business.
79. Rebecca Jones, chief reporter, Harwich and Manningtree Standard
Rebecca has always worked levels above her ‘Qualified’ level/title’, never complains and always works hard to get the job done. While always being a positive influence for others in the office and gives out useful advice in all aspects of the job.
80. Diane Kemp, professor in broadcast journalism, Birmingham City University,
It’s not often I remember a conference talk two years after seeing it but I think about Diane’s talk at Behind Local News in Leicester a lot. She showed us why inclusive newsrooms matter for the future of the industry, and how to go about making a difference straight away. A powerful advocate for our industry.
81. Angi Kennedy, editor, Let’s Talk magazine
Angi has for many years been a brilliant editor, first for Norfolk magazine for eight years, and since moving on from that role, for Archant’s Let’s Talk magazine. She has a great understanding of how to talk to her audience and works incredibly hard to deliver strong issues with minimal resource. She is a principled journalist with a good eye for the story and is fantastic at dealing with people.
82. Jenny Kirkham, night reporter, Liverpool Echo
Over the last few years, Jenny has made the role of Night Reporter at the Liverpool ECHO her own. She reports tirelessly on breaking news and incidents that mean the most to her audience so they always know what’s going on — and it is an audience which is one of the most demanding in the country. Still only 26 years old, her passion for journalism and live reporting is an inspiration for all young journalists emerging in the industry today. Every publication wishes they had a Jenny Kirkham.
83. Ellen Kirwin, video reporter, Liverpool Echo
Ellen is always enthusiastic and determined to do better. She’s a pleasure to work with, full of ideas and really supportive to her colleagues.
84. Chloe Laversuch, local democracy reporter, York
Chloe has spent two years as a dedicated Local Democracy Reporter for the city, keeping the public, and our readers, informed about policy decisions that will have a dramatic impact on the city. Her demeanour is both caring and welcoming, which makes her not just an excellent and well-respected journalist, but a wonderful human being who is always looking at how her stories can help others in need. Such characteristics make her a hero in my eyes.
85. Susan Lee, print editor, Liverpool Echo
Irritatingly brilliant at everything she’s ever done in a stellar 35-year career. Reporter, news editor, columnist, Women’s Editor, Features Editor, Print editor. One of a rare breed who moves seamlessly between print and digital publishing, Sue loves journalism with the same helpless enthusiasm she had as a trainee at the Southport Visiter in 1985.
86. Sarah Lester, senior editor, Manchester Evening News
Sarah has transformed the Manchester Evening News into a powerhouse of regional media more akin to a national title in outlook and audience size. She has built a structure which has enabled that growth and helped to drive it to become a brand which is now world-recognised.
87. Anna Lewis, senior reporter, WalesOnline
One of the most skilled young reporters I’ve worked with in a long time. Anna can take even the most mundane subject matter and turn into an engaging and distinctive piece of journalism through perseverance, empathy and imagination. I can see her adding to a growing awards collection in the near future.
88. Gillian Loney, editor, GlasgowLive
Under Gillian’s leadership, GlasgowLive has gone from strength to strength, providing a fresh new voice in the city. Despite only having a small team, the website regularly sets the agenda and beats more established rivals.
89. Megan Lucero, director of Bureau Local
Megan has inspired many journalists to work with a wider range of people in pursuit of in-depth investigations. The Bureau Local project has helped unlock many stories which otherwise wouldn’t have been told, and brought together journalists from across the industry in the process.
90. Nisha Mal, network content editor, Reach Plc
Nisha is a Network content editor and helps run trending and consumer content across the Reach Network. Nisha’s organisation and planning is top notch and is a big reason why the Network team achieves nearly 20m page views a month.
91. Rowan Mantell, assistant editor, Norfolk magazine
Rowan is a gifted feature writer who completely understands the audience and the need to adapt tone and content. As well as being the magazine assistant editor Rowan is a feature writer for the Eastern Daily Press and works incredibly hard to make sure she keeps readers — and editors — happy. While she enjoys writing features she is a sharp professional journalist and always has her ears pricked for the story.
92. Jean MacQuarrie, JPIMedia editorial director Yorkshire Weeklies
I’ve known Jean for around 30 years and throughout that time she has been an amazing professional, taking on all the changes thrown at her, but also taking the time to develop scores of young staff who have entered her newsroom in Harrogate. She is also fun to be with, utterly reliable and a genuinely good egg
93. Alice McKeegan, head of sport, Manchester Evening News
Alice’s team consistently reach the largest Sports audience in regional journalism and, in a traditionally male-dominated area of our newsrooms, she has thrived as a passionate and thoughtful leader.
94. Kate McMullin, digital content editor, Liverpool Echo
Kate is an amazing journalist and news editor who is using her position to guide those she manages. She is patient and kind in her dealings with reporters while realising, appreciating and enjoying that no two journalists are the same. She is an asset to the Liverpool Echo, Reach PLC and journalism as an industry.
95. Tyler Mears, video reporter, WalesOnline
Tyler is a superb journalist, a wonderful colleague, and one of the most positive people I’ve ever met. She was diagnosed a couple of years ago with the debilitating chronic condition lupus, but the way she’s responded to it, not ever allowing it to stop her doing anything she wants to do, has been amazing to see.
96. Emma Meese, director of Centre for Community Journalism, Cardiff University
Emma is the voice hyperlocal journalism needs. Hers can appear a thankless job at times, delivering messages to the industry which it doesn’t want to hear on behalf of a diverse range of websites who, because they are so different, often want different things. Emma helps put them on the map and at the table when it matters.
97. Jacqui Merrington, ReachPLC editor-in-chief digital south
Jacqui is one of the most supportive colleagues I have ever worked with and is a real champion of other women. As well as juggling two jobs with skill and enthusiasm, she always has time for others and has been a huge support to me.
98. Claire Miller, editor, Reach Data Unit
Claire has inspired data journalists of the future with her work for a number of years now. She combines dogged determination with an eye for detail to produce remarkable exclusives which make the front pages of newspapers and websites across the country.
99. Briana Millet, Senior Content Editor, BristolLive
Briana leads the Bristol content team from the front with an uncompromising approach to journalistic standards. Her ability to develop stories, her news judgment and her digital publishing skills are second to none, as is her ability to inspire the team around her.
100. Hilary Mitchell, editor, EdinburghLive
Launching a new website in a city like Edinburgh is no mean feat, but under Hilary’s leadership EdinburghLive has carved out a place for itself in Scotland’s capital city.
Ex of Buzzfeed, Hilary has helped shape a new style of local journalism, which has been rewarded in recent months by owner Reach which has put an extra six journalists on to the site this year, along with four more reporters on its sister live site GlasgowLive.
101. Ruth Mosalski, political editor, WalesOnline
The way Ruth has adapted to stepping up to become political editor at WalesOnline over the past year or so has been incredibly impressive. One of a new generation of digital political journalists, she combines a growing political contacts book with a solid grounding in what matters to the public and how to engage them with her content.
102. Rhoda Morrison, senior reporter, Bury Free Press
During 2019/2020 Rhoda has won three awards for excellence during her training as she qualified as a senior. Rhoda won the NCTJ’s Trainee of the Year award, the Esso practical skills NQJ award and the Paul Durrant Award for her outstanding performance in the National Qualification in Journalism exams. She took all of this in her stride and return to the newsroom, eager to dive back in to reporting the news.
103. Emma Mountford, social media editor, Manchester Evening News
Emma is a phenomenal talent, who has played a key role in driving the Manchester Evening News to record growth and success across a range of social media platforms. Her Instagram strategies have been incorporated into Instagram’s own presentations on best practice for publishers, which speaks for itself.
104. Lynda Moyo, head of what’s on, Reachplc
In a world of local journalism where far too many so-called experts are quick to play down the importance of anything other than hard news, Lynda has shown that what’s on content is every bit as important to the future of local news as anything produced in court, council or the police jotter.
105. Cheryl Mullin, deputy print editor, Liverpool Echo
Cheryl is an unsung hero of the Echo newsroom. She’s an ace deputy to Sue Lee, a brilliant page designer/sub-editor and columnist, and somehow still manages to find the time to write and research her own features for the Echo, both online and in print. She’s the ultimate team player and isn’t one to shout about her achievements, but she deserves a huge amount of credit for all her hard work
106. Eileen Murphy, editor, BBC England Digital
Great news judgement and a drive to innovate to keep BBC News online in England relevant and useful for audiences. Eileen’s ideas innovate not just within the BBC, but the industry at large.
107. Liz Nice, creative director, Archant
Counts the Inspirational Women Awards among her various achievements. She has edited magazines on both sides of the Atlantic, lectured in journalism and produced a series of highly opinionated columns for the East Anglian Daily Times and Eastern Daily Press.
108. Amy Nickalls, Editor, KentOnline
At just 26, Amy is in charge of KentOnline, a huge local news website with thousands of readers. She inspires me with her approach to the job. Amy has a huge amount of wisdom and maturity for someone of her age and has also taught me that you can be in charge of older people and men no matter your age or your sex — just be confident in yourself and you’ll get there. She’s a fantastic editor and inspires me to thrive.
109. Simone O’Kane, community manager, Newsquest
Simone is out and about in the community engaging with readers and making massive strides developing quality community content and relationships for newsrooms which is making a huge difference.
110. Caoimhe O’Neill, football reporter, Liverpool Echo
Caoimhe became the first ever woman to work on ECHO sport when she arrived in January 2019. Since then she has demonstrated what a brilliant and able young journalist she is, has a huge following on social media and is a popular member of the newsroom. She continues to break boundaries and has huge potential to go so far in this business. We’re all delighted for her and believe she’ll be a major player in football journalism for years to come.
111. Cathy Owen, breaking news editor, WalesOnline
Cathy is WalesOnline’s best-read author almost every single month. A vastly experienced journalist, she’s been breaking news editor as long as the role has existed, and has defined what it needs to be. She combines a prodigious level of productivity with an innate understanding of the stories our audience will respond to, and how they should be delivered. She’s also been a fantastic mentor to all the trainees who’ve worked alongside her as part of their development.
112. Gillian Parkinson, editorial director, JPIMedia North West
Gillian has been an editor in the NorthWest for (probably) more than 30 years, but I am not nominating her because of her longevity, but rather for her superb skills as an editor, her amazing adaptability in our changing industry, her sheer hard work, and her contribution across so many areas to the JPIMedia Editorial Board. Gill is one of those people you can always go to when you have a problem and need some good, sound advice from such a professional, experienced operator, and she always gives her time freely, even though she probably doesn’t have the time to give.
113. Catrin Pascoe, editor, Western Mail
Since its inception in 1869 the Western Mail newspaper was only ever edited by men. It took just 150 years (!) for the appointment of Catrin Pascoe to change that. We’re nominating Cat because she’s a great manager — approachable yet assertive (you don’t mess with her) — who proves women don’t have to act like men to be a successful manager.
114. Anwen Parry, reporter, County Times
Anwen has it all. Since arriving at the paper she has inspired everyone around her and truly made it her mission to inspire them to be better reporters and make the newspaper a success. She is totally adapt with the digital and online world of reporting and shares her knowledge freely and encourages all around her to be the best version of themselves they can be.
115. Emily Pearce, former editor, Isle of Wight County Press
She became the first female editor in the history of the Isle of Wight County Press. Worked on some big stories about the NHS and more. She has since stepped down to move to the mainland but has inspired many women into journalism.
116. Sally Perry, owner, OnTheWight
On The Wight hold the council to account over issues such as the Floating Bridge debacle. Sally inspires great journalism and has turned On the Wight into one of the biggest news sources here. It started out as Ventnor Blog around 15 years ago.
117. Jenni Phillips, social media editor, GloucestershireLive
Jenni is proof that you can have it all as a journalist: be a great storyteller, and amazing digital skills to make your stories travel far and wide and be incredibly ‘sticky.’
As social media editor, all the team in the Gloucester office get to benefit from her wisdom, knowledge and sense of humour. An inspiration not just to those around her, but to all who get to know here
118. Heather Pickstock, Senior Reporter, BristolLive
Heather is Bristol’s North Somerset reporter. She is a tenacious, fearless patch reporter. It is not an exaggeration to say that nothing happens in North Somerset which Heather doesn’t know about. Her commitment is exemplary — she was the lead reporter on Bristol Live’s campaign to help Bristol’s hospice raise more than £1 million for a new patient unit. Heather’s dedication to the campaign was so complete and unrelenting that it was recognised by a special award from the charity itself.
119. Karen Price, head of what’s on, MediaWales
Karen is the definition of an unsung hero. She’s a true team player, willing to take on anything thrown her way, and far too modest to realise what a crucial cog she is in the WalesOnline newsroom.
120. Faye Preston, content editor at YorkshireLive
Faye is a true grafter and, alongside Jenna Thompson she helped to digitally grow ,the Hull Daily Mail into the successful site it is today. Her passion for local news and the values of fighting for each and every person on patch has never wilted and she is a fantastic role model to other younger journalists in the newsroom at the newly launched Yorkshire Live. She is kind, caring and always on hand to offer the best advice to guide reporters through stories — no matter how big or small they are. Every newsroom needs a Faye.
121. Lucinda Reid, commercial editor, WalesOnline
Lucinda just *gets it*. She’s a creative journalist with sharp commercial instincts. She thinks strategically and she’s a great presence in the office — highly thought of in both advertising and editorial teams, which is a rare feat.
122. Chiara Rinaldi, head of audience, WalesOnline
Chiara is incredibly innovative and quietly brilliant in the way she tests the relationship between digital journalism and audience engagement. She pushes WalesOnline to tell stories digitally and reach audiences in new and untested ways; encourages others and is always ready to share what she’s learned so other newsrooms can benefit. And she consistently supports female colleagues in her own newsroom and beyond.
123. Lisa Roland, former content editor, Manchester Evening News
Lisa is the most instinctive journalist I’ve ever met. She was utterly fearless, a flawless writer and the best person to have in your corner.
Somehow even when you think she is wrong about something she turns out to have been right. Always.
She mentored and inspired so many people and much of the MEN’s success now is down to the groundwork and training she instilled in so many of us.
124. Lucy Roue, Commercial Editor, Manchester Evening News
Lucy is a brilliant journalist who’s currently Regional Commercial Editor for Reach Plc after a stint as deputy business editor at the MEN. She’s been a senior news reporter at the Sentinel in Stoke and at the Liverpool Echo but really found her niche covering business in Manchester, a city she’s made her home. Lucy is hard working, dedicated and passionate about her subject. The perfect ambassador for regional journalism, she’s also a lovely person with an infectious sense of fun that shines through her work.
125. Joanne Rowe, Chief Reporter, Bolton News
Joanne has been in the industry for around 30 years. She has witnessed a lot of change but somehow manages to come into work with the same fire in her belly for a great story that she’s always had! She has embraced the digital changes in the newsroom better than many others and is a real example for younger members of the team.
126. Natalie Sadler, Head of News, Archant
A highly effective, analytics-focused operator with a tremendous news sense, she exhibits great judgement, an eagerness to learn and a willingness to push herself and others to achieve.
127. Katie Sands, Sports Reporter, WalesOnline
Katie is the only woman in the WalesOnline sports department. As well as being an excellent journalist and presenter of our rugby show, she has made it her mission to raise the profile of women’s sport in Wales. She features on panels to speak about under-representation and encourage other young, female journalists. She regularly gives a platform to top sportswomen and is persistently looking for ways to bring increased visibility for women’s sport coverage.
128. Alison Sanders, digital development editor, WalesOnline
Alison is one of the real unsung heroes behind WalesOnline’s success in recent years. She is an outstanding digital journalist and a caring, compassionate manager who is an absolute joy to deal with. If you want a newsroom with a positive, supporting culture, having people like Alison is absolutely crucial.
129. Geri Scott, political editor, Yorkshire Post
100% focused in her drive to hold authorities and politicians to account and do right by her readers. She keeps pace with changes in the industry, while holding true to core beliefs about what journalism is — and why it matters.
130. Gemma Sherlock, host of the ‘No Really, I’m Fine’ podcast
Gemma has shown great determination to host the No Really I’m Fine podcast which puts mental health provision and stories in the spotlight. Gemma has shared her own story, and puts all of herself into the podcast too. It’s a credit to Reach PLC, and quite rightly has been shortlisted for a number of awards.
131. Vanessa Sims, Group Editor, Newsquest Cumbria
Vanessa is relentless in her pursuit of quality and getting the best out of her team to provide a great newspaper to readers. The best example of Vanessa understanding what the community wants in their local newspaper is the development of the Community Content Network which has taken our loss making newspaper into a profitable one that has a great future ahead of it.
132. Emma Slee, Editor, SomersetLive
Emma has been at the heart of the transformation of local journalism in Somerset, leading SomersetLive’s growth since inception a few years ago. Emma is proving there’s a bright future for journalism in rural areas, especially when you’re prepared to do things differently and lead from the front.
133. Colleen Smith, reporter, Torbay
Colleen has worked as a reporter for the company for 40 (!) years. She gives her all to the job and shows a huge amount of compassion for those she represents in Devon. As a reporter Coll is always happy to try new things and her Facebook Lives during the storms that have hit Devon in recent years are legendary. Colleen is a true inspiration and is the perfect example of how to adapt as a reporter.
134. Hayley Smith, Editor, Warrington Guardian
Hayley is a fantastic role model for female staff wanting to become an Editor. She is an excellent team leader and as a consequence our paper and website has always punched above its weight and as good as its rivals in the area. In fact she should’ve won more awards than she’s been given credit for!
135. Laura Sonier, deputy editor, East Sussex; JPIMedia’s Sussex Newspapers
Laura has led the East Sussex titles and especially the Eastbourne Herald with distinction for many years. Her newspaper sales performance is consistently in the top five for weekly newspaper across the business and frequently the best. Her digital growth means her sites are now the biggest driver of page views in the Sussex group. Her staff engagement scores are amongst the best in the company. She is a staunch campaigner for the community and the Herald’s national award-nominated campaign — Heart Beat — has seen more than 50 new defibrillators installed in town.
136. Shirley Tart, royal correspondent and feature writer, Shropshire Star
For many people, Shirley Tart is the Shropshire Star. Shirley has worked on the Star since its launch in 1964 and has held many senior roles within the newspaper over the last 56 years. She continues to be our royal correspondent as well as being a feature writer and popular columnist. Despite being in her late 70s, Shirley’s enthusiasm and energy are an inspiration to all within the newsroom, and she remains a brilliant ambassador for the Shropshire Star and journalism generally.
137. Debby Thompson, head of print, Reachplc South East
When having a plan B won’t cut the mustard, Debby will always have plans A-z to ensure the job gets done. Arguably the most ridiculous appetite for work among anyone I’ve ever worked with. Her dedication (and early alarm setting) is inspiring.
138. Jenna Thompson, digital editor, HullLive
Jenna is extraordinary. She is a brilliant journalist, the most organised person I know and a great leader. She consistently produces brilliant stories from Hull, drives the newsroom to beyond expectations and is an all round lovely person.
139. Katie Timms, reporter, PlymouthLive
Katie is an incredible story finder and so friendly that everyone wants to talk to her. She’s so enthusiastic and always the first to volunteer for everything. The office superstar.
140. Emily Townsend, chief reporter, Ipswich Star
She’s an instinctive journalist and unflinching from any story in the area, having spent years chasing the areas failing NHS Foundation Trust and owners of one of Ipswich tower blocks found to be covered in combustible cladding. She’s a fantastic colleague, somehow finding time for her own stories and guiding other reporters through their own, making the newsroom stronger as a whole. She’s calm in a crisis, able to lead and delegate to a team, getting to breaking news first across Suffolk and north Essex.
141. Charlotte Turner, reporter, PlymouthLive
Charlotte’s honest and incredibly thought-provoking account after her recent diagnosis no doubt will make countless people stop and think about their own attitude to life etc.
142. Robyn Vinter, The Overtake/Yorkshire Post
Writes on social affairs for the YP but is also the founder and editor of The Overtake, an opinion and news site for millennials. Incredibly committed to creating journalistic opportunities for young people from minority and/or underprivileged backgrounds.
143. Sarah Waddington, site editor, PlymouthLive
Sarah is a natural leader, excels at everything she does and is an absolute pleasure to work with. One of the nicest people you’ll ever meet and is an exceptionally hard worker. Oozes passion for her job and the city she works in. Sarah inspires you to be the very best in your profession and makes you look forward to coming to work. Proud to call Sarah my boss and my friend.
144. Hannah Walker, former editor, South London Press and now of the Evening Standard
Hannah was long-serving editor of the South London Press, covering one of the toughest areas of the country. Toughest both in the stories it covered and the hugely diverse audience it served. Hannah’s passion and commitment never wavered and she led the successful fight for the SLP’s very survival.
145. Sarah Ward, local democracy reporter, Northamptonshire
Sarah is a ferocious journalist. Every time she gets no for an answer, she goes back in harder. Her investigative reporting is as good as it gets. She advocates for all those who would otherwise have their stories untold. She sees straight through the opacity of those local government and never lets them get away with it. Her reporting consistently challenges those in power and has, on many occasions, made them think twice about major decisions made in our county.
146. Stephanie Wareham, audience & content Editor, Bucks Free Press
Stephanie regularly brings fresh ideas to the table, including for exclusives, FOIs and for potential campaigns that the Bucks Free Press could launch in a bid to maintain our commitment to staying at the heart of the community.
147. Alex Watson, digital content editor, JPIMedia
Alex has overseen the growth of the JPIMedia central digital content team. Under her guidance, the team has grown from two journalists to twelve and provides content across the entire portfolio — generating in excess of 20m pageviews per month.
148. Laura Watson, Business Editor, Stoke-on-TrentLive
Laura is an experienced journalist whose passion for the job is inspiring. She’s brings both enthusiasm and professionalism to a role which is often underrated and overlooked. In her role as Business Editor she works tirelessly to promote Stoke-on-Trent — her home city where she lives and works. In addition to being a brilliant journalist she always find time to help new recruits and does so with a smile on her face. Her enthusiasm for the job really is infectious.
149. Katy Wheeler, Lifestyle Editor, JPIMedia
Katy is much more than a lifestyle reporter. She carries out a high-profile ambassadorial role for the Echo as her enviable social media following — with more than 9k on Twitter and 2.5k on Instagram — make her opinions the go-to content in Sunderland. The audience trust her views as she talks with conviction on topics including travel, food and drink. Katy is recognisable and well-known in the city and cares about the brand she represents.
150. Jennifer Williams, political editor, Manchester Evening News
Jennifer is a star of regional journalism. She doesn’t just dig out the stories which need telling, she also tells them in a way which makes people want to do something in response. Journalism needs more Jennifer Williams — and thanks to her hard work, Jennifer is inspiring many more people to do the job the way she does it.
151. Kelly Williams, Chief Reporter, NorthWalesLive
Kelly is an amazing reporter — tough, yet compassionate and hard-working. She has had some tough times but never lets it get in the way of her passion for story-telling.
She has also been an example of how to use social media to gain an audience and keep it. When I speak to new recruits I tell them to watch her if they want to know how to be a good journalist.
152. Joy Yates, Editorial Director, JPIMedia North East
I think Joy is an inspiration for women working in journalism, local or otherwise. She’s been a superb editor for years, and has more recently spearheaded significant cultural and operational strategic changes for JPIMedia. She’s smart, funny, and generous with her time and knowledge to help others.
153. Lois York, content editor, NorthWalesLive
Lois is incredibly friendly and always there to support everyone in the newsroom with any problem they have be it work-related or a personal issue. She is always on hand to give advice about how to approach a story and how to write about difficult subjects. She is very creative when it comes to packaging stories including headlines and then selling them on social media. We are incredibly lucky to have her as part of the NorthWalesLive team and I’m proud to call her my colleague and friend.
And finally … three team nominations:
154, 155, 156…Ruth Ovens, Kirstie McCrum and Laura Hartley, Reachplc ‘NightOwl’ team
Like Charlie’s Angels, but for late breaking live news. Ruth, Kirstie and Laura serve numerous Reach titles through until midnight with a fearsome mix of live news, SEO and social media support. Charming on-call press officers and force incident managers everywhere, they are the bedrock of our late news operation. Ass kicking, live blogging, social media posting and all very talented journalists and writers.
and 157, 158: Sue Hall and Lisa Walsh, commercial production, MediaWales
How Sue and Lisa manage to get through the volume of material they produce is beyond me. The way they work is a triumph of planning, organisation and some pretty awesome design skills.
