COURIER Announces Expansion of Leadership Team
As attacks on local press heighten, COURIER doubles down on its commitment with new Managing Director, States and a slate of extraordinary leadership hires
WASHINGTON, DC — COURIER, one of the fastest-growing news networks in the country, is thrilled to expand senior staff to help amplify national coverage through strategic outreach, exceptional storytelling, and elite talent. With over 7.5 million online followers and subscribers, and an average weekly reach of more than 100 million views, COURIER is committed to delivering factual, values-driven news content.
“Six months into this administration’s relentless attacks on the press, local newsrooms are shuttering and our industry is facing an existential threat. If we’re serious about safeguarding a future in which people still have access to factual news about their lives, then this is the time to be braver, more innovative, and more committed than ever to scaling new models of independent media,” said Tara McGowan, CEO and Publisher of COURIER. “COURIER is ready and proud to meet this moment alongside a new, expanded leadership team. With their experiences across the media, technology, and pro-democracy sectors, they know that in this era of misinformation, good information is power. Together, COURIER can reach even further to put that power in the hands of the American people.”
The recent hires round out COURIER’s leadership team alongside Cassandra Henry, who was just promoted to Chief Operating Officer on the Executive Leadership Team and RC Di Mezzo who was just promoted to Vice President of Brand + Social.
MEET THE TEAM:
Mariela Rosario- Managing Director, States
Mariela recently joined COURIER Newsroom as their first Managing Director, States where she drives strategy across a national network of localized civic media outlets to inform, engage, and mobilize underrepresented communities. She is an award-winning communications executive and creative strategist with over 15 years of experience leading high-impact storytelling across media, advocacy, and digital platforms.
Kevin Dreyfuss- Managing Director, National
Kevin oversees COURIER’s national newsroom, and is expanding the brand with a suite of political and cultural media products, and new talent — from newsletters to YouTube shows to podcasts. He is a multiple Emmy, Webby, and Clio Award-winning media executive, who led content strategy and business transformation at AMC Networks for iconic franchises including The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, and Mad Men.
Jennifer Mandelblatt- Chief of Staff
Jennifer comes to COURIER with a deep commitment to building a democracy that is ‘of, by, and for’ the people – and knows that starts with access to information. Prior to this role, she organized coalitions, large-scale mobilizations, and strategic advocacy for a number of structural democracy reform campaigns. She also co-founded and ran a national nonprofit, Platform, to train young people to make their voices heard in the political process.
Tracy Leeds Kaplan – Senior Vice President of Distribution & Sales
Tracy leads revenue strategy, advertising partnerships, and multi-platform distribution across a growing portfolio of news brands. Prior to COURIER, Tracy held senior roles at Patreon, Twitter, and CBS Interactive.
Jimmie Yoo- Vice President of Technology
Jimmy has extensive experience in digital transformation across broadcast television, network news, and AAA gaming. He brings proven expertise in managing large-scale data infrastructure and production platforms.
Michael Dabbs – Vice President of Underwriting Partnerships
Michael establishes and strengthens partnerships to develop innovative impact programs and products across the COURIER network. Prior to joining COURIER, Michael was senior director of impact at the Gill Foundation, where he directed programmatic initiatives to propel narrative change for LGBTQ equality.
Mitali Modi – National Opinions Editor
Mitali joins COURIER as the National Opinion Editor to lead national editorial partnerships, influencer engagement, and opinion content strategy. She has previously held senior digital roles at multiple firms, managing political content strategy for high-profile clients including elected officials, national nonprofits, and celebrities.
ABOUT COURIER
COURIER is a social-first news network delivering fact-based reporting with a focus on people and their communities. Over the past year, COURIER has rapidly grown its audience to over 6 million online subscribers and has become one of the fastest-growing news brands on Instagram and TikTok. Our 11 state newsrooms and national brand provide timely, values-driven coverage that meets audiences where they are online, offering insights on critical issues at both the local and national levels.
For media inquiries, please contact: courier@ssmandl.com
