• E33: The Queen's Cartoonist
• E32: Interview with a Best of Show Winner, Chris Flood
• E31: MDDC Internship Program
• E30: Journalism Education
• E29: Women to Watch Summer Speaker Series

Thomas Silvestri speaks in this weeks episode about creating a forum for open discussions amongst community members.

Guests

Thomas Silvestri, Executive Director of the Relevance Project

Tom Silvestri was named executive director of The Relevance Project in May 2020.The  initiative of the Newspaper Association Managers seeks to empower local newspapers to strengthen their franchises and, in turn, their important role as THE Community Forum.  Silvestri retired Dec. 31, 2019 as the president and publisher of the Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch, after a 15-year run that included three owners and the Great Recession. His nearly 45 years in newspapers included promotions as a frontline news manager and editor, unprecedented corporate roles such as the director of news synergy and community newspapers president, several community and industry leadership positions, and the establishment of a civil, civic dialogue initiative called the Public Square that earned The Times-Dispatch national acclaim. Among his industry accomplishment are chairman of the American Press Institute and president of the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association, where he received the Frank W. Mayborn Leadership Award in 2018.Silvestri lives with his wife, Sue Kurzman, in Richmond, VA.

Twitter: @TAS15RTD

Links

https://relevanceprojectnet.wordpress.com

About this episode

ITEMS DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:

• Public Square – a community roundtable that encouraged civil conversations
• The Relevance Project

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES-or CONTRIBUTIONS:

Interested in supporting our podcast, and journalism? Contact Kevin Berrier (kberrier at mddcpress.com) at MDDC Advertising Services. Want to contribute? Please donate to our 501(c)(3) Press Foundation. Learn more

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?

Have questions or want to learn more about a person or topic connected with local journalism Contact us

CONTRIBUTORS:

Rebecca Snyder (host). NaTavia Williams (podcast intern). Original music by Ruskin Nohe-Moren.