Congratulations to the 2024-25 Associated Press Sports Editors Diversity Fellows.
The 13th class will be Dan Alegria, Craig Allen Brown, Courtney Jacobs, Mark Kim, Ainslie Lee and Kata Stevens.
· A graphic designer and copy editor based in Louisville, Kentucky, Alegria is a team lead for the USA Today Network Design Center.
· A master’s candidate in sports journalism at St. Bonaventure, Brown is the Journalism in Sports, Culture and Social Justice department coordinator at Morehouse College. He has been president of the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists since January 2022.
· Jacobs has worked at the Cape Cod Times in Massachusetts since November 2020, moving from reporter to sports editor. He earned his undergraduate degree at Morgan State and has a master’s in journalism and public affairs from American University.
· Kim is a senior social engagement manager at The Athletic who leads live social media coverage and strategy for major sports events.
· A former sportswriter for AL.com and the Gainesville Sun, Lee is the Florida sports content coach for Gannett’s Center for Community Journalism.
· Stevens has been the sports editor of The Post and Courier in Charleston, South Carolina, since September. She worked in audio production for McClatchy after graduating from Columbia University with a master’s degree in journalism in 2020.
The Fellows will take part in a weekend of training and enrichment hosted by APSE Foundation president Michael Anastasi on Jan. 17-19 in Nashville, Tenn. Other program activities include being paired with a mentor, serving as on-site judges at the APSE contest Feb. 23-27 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida; helping judge the APSE student contest; and participating in their APSE region meeting before completing the Fellowship at the APSE summer conference June 26-28 in Minneapolis.
The Diversity in Leadership Fellowship was established in 2011 by APSE, and there have been 54 graduates. Success stories abound as many have ascended in the newsroom ranks and impacted the media industry and beyond. The program targets mid-career professionals and prepares and supports them for leadership positions and advancement at all career levels of sports journalism.