Tiny News Collective, an organization developing first-time entrepreneurs in the news and community media space, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Amy L. Kovac-Ashley as its new executive director, effective Jan. 2, 2024. This announcement comes after two years of exceptional management and stewardship by interim Executive Director, Heather Bryant, who guided the organization through its initial pilot and testing phases, growing our initial membership from six to 25, and supporting our members through their first operating year.
A new chapter for Tiny News Collective
Amy L. Kovac-Ashley brings deep and varied experience supporting the development of sustainable newsrooms, advising and coaching news leaders on mission-driven leadership and catalytic change. Prior to joining TNC, Kovac-Ashley held the position of head of National Programs at The Lenfest Institute for Journalism, where she oversaw a portfolio of national initiatives supporting local news sustainability and expanding its communities of practice. Under her stewardship, the Engaged Cities community, the Statewide News Collective, the Audience Development community and the News Philanthropy Network grew in both number and impact.
“I’m drawn to this work because the Tiny News Collective has defined an important and specific lane in journalism: supporting the ground-up community entrepreneurs creating a critical piece of the future of local news,” Kovac-Ashley wrote in a statement.
“Amy’s clear vision for Tiny News Collective’s mission-driven growth stood out to us,” said Kara Meyberg Guzman, the Tiny News Collective’s board chair. “Her collaborative leadership style and understanding of the needs of small news business owners align with our mission and values.”
The Tiny News Collective was incubated by the News Catalyst project at Temple University with funding from the Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund, housed at The Lenfest Institute.
“We are so proud to have supported The Tiny News Collective and News Catalyst, each launched at Klein College at Temple University here in Philadelphia,” said Jim Friedlich executive director and CEO of The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. “We will miss Amy, but look forward to working with her in her exciting new leadership role.”
From pilot to fully operational
Under the leadership of Heather Bryant, the Collective went from an early idea to a fully operational organization. During her tenure, Bryant maintained an unwavering commitment to the organization’s vision as a place where unserved and underserved voices can be fully supported as entrepreneurs.
As the organization transitions to this new period in leadership, the Collective is thankful for Bryant’s vision and her continued support.
“It’s truly been an honor and an absolute privilege to have worked with TNC’s remarkable members these past few years and the extraordinary team that has built TNC into what it is today. There is no greater reward than to have been able to participate in work that truly matters,” Bryant wrote in a statement.
About Amy L. Kovac-Ashley:
Prior to TNC and her time at the Lenfest Institute, Amy Kovac-Ashley served as executive vice president and chief of News Transformation at the American Press Institute. She has also worked as a journalism educator and administrator at West Virginia University and Georgetown University. She has held a number of reporting and editing positions in newsrooms across the East Coast and has a deep background in audience and community engagement. In 2022-23, she was a Reynolds Journalism Institute fellow, during which she authored the “News Executive Leadership Transition Guide.”
A Southern Californian native, Kovac-Ashley lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband, two children and dog.
About Heather Bryant:
Heather Bryant is the deputy director of product for News Catalyst where TNC was developed. She published the Collaborative Journalism Workbook and worked with the Center for Cooperative Media to chronicle collaborations from around the world, as well as facilitate training and workshops on collaboration. Bryant researches and writes about the intersection of class, poverty, technology and journalism ethics.
About Tiny News Collective:
The Tiny News Collective promotes media diversity by supporting first time news entrepreneurs in launching and sustaining local news organizations, with particular focus on communities historically excluded from media and media ownership. Through a range of shared services, the Tiny News Collective helps early-stage founders build sustainable news organizations that reflect and serve their communities, and navigate existing media, philanthropy, technology and business ecosystems.
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