Welcome to TFP’s summer roundup of news highlighting women’s roles in the evolving media landscape. Here’s a recap of some media industry moves at ABC, The Washington Post, Consumer Reports, Marie Claire, Glamour, and more.

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  • Diane Sawyer left her post as the evening news anchor for “ABC World News,” with “20/20” anchor David Muir stepping in as her replacement. Sawyer will continue reporting for the network, focusing on major interviews, specials, and events.
  • Katharine Weymouth stepped down as publisher of The Washington Post. Jeff Bezos, the new owner of the newspaper, named Politico co-founder Fred Ryan as her successor. Weymouth had been at the paper for 17 years and served as publisher since 2008.
  • Marta Lourdes Tellado was named president and CEO of nonprofit consumer advocacy organization Consumer Reports, the parent company of Consumer Reports magazine. She was previously vice president for global communications at the Ford Foundation, where she oversaw communications, strategic partnerships, government relations, and public affairs.
  • Nancy Gillen left her managing editor post at Glamour and will now serve as managing editor at Marie Claire. The move is a return for Gillen, who was managing editor at Marie Claire sister publication Harper’s Bazaar from 2006 to 2011.
  • LaToya Valmont was promoted from production director to managing editor at Glamour, filling the spot Nancy Gillen left open with her move to Marie Claire. Prior to joining Glamour, Valmont worked at Essence for 10 years and also held positions at People and O, The Oprah Magazine.
  • Margaret Low Smith joined the Atlantic as a vice president and the president of
    margaret low smith photo

    Margaret Low Smith

    the Atlantic’s events division. Previously, she was senior vice president for news at NPR, where she had worked since 1982.

  • Julia Turner succeeded David Plotz as editor in chief of Slate. She started at the online magazine in 2003 as a writer and editor, and was deputy editor since 2008.
  • Laura R. Walker, president and CEO of New York Public Radio, was named to the Tribune Co. board of directors. She replaced Eddy Hartenstein, who became chairman of Tribune Publishing.
  • Katie Nelson was named national editor at the Huffington Post. Prior to her appointment, Nelson served as deputy managing editor for digital at the New York Daily News.
  • Sara Just left her post as Washington deputy bureau chief at ABC News to join “PBS NewsHour” as executive producer. She will also serve as senior vice president of NewsHour Productions. Just had worked at ABC News for more than 25 years, including 17 years at “Nightline.”
  • Michele Promaulayko is now editor in chief of Yahoo Health. She was previously editor in chief at Rodale’s Women’s Health, where she worked for the past six years.
  • Shelley Diamond has assumed the global role of chief client officer at Young & Rubicam, where she has worked since 1991. Previously, Diamond was managing partner at the firm.
  • Rona Fairhead, a government business adviser and a non-executive director at HSBC, was selected by the U.K. government to chair the BBC Trust. Before her appointment is ratified, the former chief executive of the Financial Times must appear before the House of Commons culture, media and sport select committee.
  • Susan Lyne is leaving her post as CEO of AOL’s brand group to run an AOL venture unit that will offer startup funding to women-led businesses. The longtime media executive moved to AOL from Gilt Groupe in February 2013 and prior to that ran Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.

Let us know in the comments if there are any other recent career moves you’d like us to include in our next Women in Media roundup! 

Diane Sawyer photo: ABC News; Margaret Low Smith photo: Twitter


Technology for Publishing’s Women in Media blog highlights the news and achievements of female leaders and role models in the publishing and media industry. Look for our monthly in-depth profiles and interviews of top women to watch. Is there someone you’d like to nominate for an upcoming Q&A? Drop us a note!

Posted by: Monica Sambataro

Monica Sambataro is a contributing editor and copyeditor for Technology for Publishing. Her publishing background includes work for leading technology- and business-related magazines and websites.