The Minnesota Star Tribune has announced that Randy Lebedoff, senior vice president and general counsel, is retiring following two tenures at the media company totaling more than 30 years.
Leaders from across the organization have touted Lebedoff’s impact during her three decades of service. CEO and publisher of the Minnesota Star Tribune, Steve Grove, recounts Lebedoff’s comradery when he assumed his position at the news outlet two years ago. “Randy has been an incredible leader for our organization,” said Grove. “Her deep knowledge of the law coupled with rich experience, both inside and outside of the Minnesota Star Tribune, has made an indelible impact on the health and success of our organization. I’ve learned so much from her. Randy’s signature impact on Minnesota has been her steadfast defense of the First Amendment, which will have a lasting impact on our state.”
Lebedoff first joined the Minnesota Star Tribune in 1989 following a successful run as partner for the firm of Faegre and Benson where she specialized in business litigation with a focus on antitrust and other commercial litigation. She served as vice president and general counsel for the news organization until 2001 when she attempted her first retirement. She later assumed a similar role at Twin Cities Public Television and rejoined the Minnesota Star Tribune in 2007 as its general counsel. She has played a key role in the company’s strategic direction, partnership and successful labor negotiations.
She tenaciously sought to protect First Amendment rights on the front lines and behind the scenes. On multiple occasions, reporters have inked her phone number on their arms before heading out to cover protests. Driven by her deep commitment to public access to government, Lebedoff has fiercely sought to unseal public records and open courtrooms, most notably supporting the successful effort to livestream the trial of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd, the first televised criminal trial in the history of the state. Lebedoff brought her uncommon wisdom and knowledge to all of the legal dealings she faced. But more notably, she always treated those on the other side of the table with fairness, respect and dignity.
Lebedoff was born into a diplomatic family in Washington, D.C., and has lived all over the world. She graduated high school from the American International School in New Delhi, India, and returned to the U.S. to graduate from Smith College and Magna Cum Laude from Indiana University School of Law.
She has received two notable alumni awards: Maurer School of Law Academy of Law Alumni Fellows (2021) and Distinguished Service (2016).
She has received many awards including the 2001 Freedom of Information Award and is proudest of her work to lead the Minnesota Star Tribune’s effort along with other news media to have the Chauvin trial broadcast to the public and her work on several Pulitzer Prize winning stories. She is a former president of the Minnesota Newspaper Association and has served on several nonprofit boards including Milkweed Editions, the YWCA of Minneapolis, Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, Abbott-Northwestern Hospital and the Fund for the Legal Aid Society.
The Minnesota Star Tribune has begun its search for their next vice president and general counsel. It’s a dynamic and fascinating leadership role for a deft legal mind that covers diverse terrain, including the existential questions of our time: free speech, freedom of the press, labor and employment law, and the role of journalism and technology in society. Interested candidates should apply here.
About The Star Tribune Media Company:
The Minnesota Star Tribune is an innovative modern media organization building on an extraordinary 157-year legacy. With seven Pulitzer Prizes and hundreds of other awards, the Minnesota Star Tribune boasts the Midwest’s largest news organization and is an unrivaled force for journalistic excellence in Minnesota and beyond. As the heart and voice of the north, the Minnesota Star Tribune is on a journey to create the leading model for local news in America — driving innovation in media to make every Minnesotan’s life better. For more information, visit www.startribunecompany.com.
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