Building the Trust: Meet Cynthia DuBose, New Executive Director of the Georgia Trust for Local News

Cynthia DuBose begins her new role as executive director of the Georgia Trust for Local News on June 1. A long-time leader with deep experience in driving transformative digital growth for local and national news organizations, DuBose brings a focus on innovation and community engagement to the role. She also has a strong belief in the importance of thriving local journalism. 

In a recent interview, DuBose shared more about her path to journalism, why the mission of the Georgia Trust resonates with her and what she aims to accomplish. 

On her start in journalism

DuBose always enjoyed telling stories.

“I loved talking to people. I always asked a lot of questions as a child, and I loved writing,” she said.

While attending Spelman College, a journalism professor encouraged her to begin reporting for the student newspaper, The Spelman Spotlight, where she later became the editor. 

“I fell in love with the opportunity to be able to tell stories and meet people and learn something different every day,” DuBose said.

After earning her master’s degree in print journalism from Columbia University, DuBose began working at Newsday, her hometown newspaper on Long Island, where she covered municipal government.

“I really enjoyed getting to know the residents and what their problems were and helping bring coverage to things that mattered to them,” she said.

On the transition from community reporting to digital news innovation

DuBose joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2006, during a transformative period for the entire newspaper industry. Originally hired as a community reporter covering the city of Sandy Springs, DuBose saw an opportunity to try her hand at new strategies to deliver local news.

“I started to see how my friends were using Facebook and other digital platforms to get news and information,” she said. “I thought it would be really interesting to focus on how we get news to people in different ways.”

That pivot led her into digital strategy, audience engagement and newsroom innovation. During nearly a decade at the AJC, she helped lead digital operations and audience-focused initiatives, helping to transform the AJC into a modern news operation, while driving digital revenue growth. 

“Atlanta was always a newsroom that wasn’t afraid to experiment,” she said. “That’s really my speed.”

Later in her career, DuBose spent almost seven years at McClatchy Media, owner of 29 local news operations including the Miami Herald and The Telegraph in Macon, Georgia. At McClatchy, DuBose built audience, product and content monetization teams, rising to the role of Executive Vice President of Membership. 

On what drew her to the Georgia Trust for Local News

DuBose explained the Georgia Trust’s work preserving and strengthening local news outlets, particularly in communities that might otherwise become news deserts, felt personally meaningful. She also values the organization’s focus on the communities it serves. 

“I think Georgia is a wonderful state to live in,” said DuBose, who lives in Marietta with her husband and two daughters. “I feel like it’s part of my job to make sure the state has a thriving press.”

On her vision for the future

DuBose says her priorities are to build strong growth and community connection. She hopes to expand the visibility and impact of the Georgia Trust, while continuing its ongoing digital transformation and pursuing innovation. 

DuBose believes the local news industry cannot afford to stand still.

“We don’t have time to wait for what’s going to fix this,” DuBose said. “We have to keep trying things.”

For the Georgia Trust, that spirit of experimentation, combined with a commitment to community engagement, will shape its strong future under DuBose’s leadership.