The Texas Tribune reported today that two of its highest-ranking executives are leaving in a few weeks to launch their own women’s news organization.
“Emily Ramshaw, our beloved editor in chief, and Amanda Zamora, our best-in-class chief audience officer, will be leaving The Texas Tribune in a few weeks to launch a new venture: in their words, a new national nonprofit news organization aimed at giving women the facts, tools and information they need to be equal participants in democracy and civic life,” the paper said in a statement.
It continued, “Their departures are a blow, of course, but this is an exciting development for journalism,” highlighting Zamora’s “years of experience at places like ProPublica and the Washington Post.”
In a statement to TheWrap, Ramshaw said, “The only thing I care about as much as informing and engaging with Texans on politics and policy is informing and engaging with women on politics and policy. That’s what I’m devoting my next chapter to. All women deserve the facts, tools and information they need to be equal participants in democracy and civic life.”
Of Ramshaw, the Tribune said, “She came to us from the Dallas Morning News as one of the finest young reporters in the Capitol press corps and quickly rose to be a leader in our midst, then *the* leader. Brilliant, visionary, tireless. An exceptional writer and editor. Superb instincts. Calm in a crisis. A moral center. A nose for news. An eye for young talent to be nurtured and loosed on the world. A disruptor by disposition. A savvy businessperson at a moment of inflection for serious journalism: a crafter of generous but responsible budgets, a creative chaser of revenue with unimpeachable integrity. The very best advocate for her staff at all times and in all situations. A pathbreaker: one of very few women to lead a news organization in the country, and the youngest member of the Pulitzer Prize board. Likewise fearless (ask anyone who dares to @ her on Twitter). Likewise a role model to one and all.”
On Twitter, Ramshaw wrote, “This is incredibly bittersweet for someone who grew up at @TexasTribune … Being the Tribune’s editor-in-chief has truly been the gift of a lifetime.”
