The Iowa Center for Public Affairs Journalism Board of Directors met Friday, March 26 at the Iowa City Public Library.
Its first meeting marked the collaboration of some of the state and nation’s media and education leaders to form the new, non-profit and non-partisan news outlet that will serve the state of Iowa.
In addition to discussing the Center’s bylaws, ethics statements and goals, the Board elected its founding officers.
David Schwartz, Executive Director of the Iowa High School Press Association, was elected the Iowa Center’s Board President. He was selected because of the experience that comes from his time as a reporter, fundraiser, manager of a 501(c)(3) and his passion for journalism and education.
The Board elected Richard Tapscott as its Vice President. An adjunct professor since 2007 at Drake University’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication in Des Moines, Iowa, Tapscott has decades of experience managing newsrooms, working as a journalist, and building connections with other media leaders across the country.
Bill Casey, publisher of the award-winning Daily Iowan at The University of Iowa, was voted Treasurer. Casey has decades of experience managing the budget of a 501(c)(3) and implementing standards to ensure financial success and transparency. He also has experience fundraising and has built a wide range of relationships with journalists throughout the world.
Erin Jordan, a former reporter for the Des Moines Register and The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette, has been elected as the Board’s Secretary. A journalist, educator, and Iowa State University graduate, Jordan will contribute to the Board’s vision, transparency, and outcomes.
The Board will meet again in mid-June.