Former student selected for Leadership Academy

Almendarez is third from the left in row one above. 
Former student Jolene Almendarez, managing editor of The Ithaca Voice in Ithaca, New York, is among those selected for the 2018 Poynter Leadership Academy for Women in Digital Media — which had more than 600 applicants for 28 slots. 

For the flagship 2018 academy, applications were screened for potential, need and diversity across ethnicity, geography, organization size and skill sets. 

Participants will attend training during the week of March 18-23 at Poynter’s campus, made possible through the support of the McClatchy Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Newmark Philanthropies, Google, the Gannett Foundation and Cision. 

Almendarez wrote on Facebook: “Super pumped to FINALLY be able to announce that I was among 28 people selected from a pool of more than 600 to take part in this leadership academy in March!” 

She said she was shocked to see that women from some of her favorite news organizations -- The Texas Tribune, The Atlantic, WaPo -- will also be there. 

“Thank you so much to Janis C. Kelly for writing my letter of recommendation and to Poynter for selecting me and giving me stipends to help cover expenses associated with the trip. They really made it happen!” she wrote.  

See another story about Almendarez here.