Leading America’s Newsrooms

by: Adreana Young

Teri Hayt has worked for both large and small news organization during her 35-year career in the publishing industry. She’s worked for Time-Life Books, Inc., the Arizona Daily Star, Sports Illustrated, Newsday, the San Diego Union-Tribune (now UT-San Diego), GateHouse, just to name a few.

But now, Hayt is taking on another role. She is the first female executive director for the American Society of News Editors in its 93-year history.

“I believe I was tasked with these responsibilities because I was the most qualified candidate. I have been blessed in my career to work with and for some of the very best editors in American journalism today. I look at my opportunities as a way to take the lessons I have learned and pass them along to the next generations of editors,” Hayt said.

However, this isn’t the first time Hayt has stepped into a role like this; she was also the first female executive editor of GateHouse, Ohio in its 197-year history.

As executive editor of GateHouse, Hayt bolstered investigative and watchdog reporting over the course of the first year. At GateHouse, she learned the value of listening to her staff as well as readers and the community.

“You have to listen, be solution-oriented and able to execute on ideas that will help push your organization forward,” Hayt said.

In addition to her distinguished career resume, Hayt received the 2012 Sunshine Award from the Society of Professional Journalists; she is also a member of both the Society of News Design and the Society of Professional Journalists.

Hayt was former president of the Arizona Newspaper Association and served as the First Amendment chair and on the Associated Press Media Editors Board of Directors from 2010 to 2015.

Now, Hayt welcomes the new challenges ASNE will hold for her. “The biggest and most immediate challenge is adjusting to the pace as an executive director of an agency rather than an executive editor of newsroom. I think I’m up for it.”

Moving forward, in this role Hayt said she will focus on developing strategies that serve ASNE members, and explore opportunities to join other organizations that support the ASNE’s mission to promote public awareness and maintain democracy.

“I am thrilled to be part of this team of talented journalists from around the country that are dedicated to not only preserving our core journalistic standards, but also helping editors through the constant change facing every news organization,” Hayt said. “As fast as the industry is changing, it is also presenting us with new opportunities.”