(January 17, 2023) — Local Media Association and Local Media Foundation have experienced significant growth over the past 2.5 years, with the size of the staff more than tripling.

This growth is in support of the programs associated with the organization’s four strategic pillars: industry collaboration, journalism funded by philanthropy, business transformation and sustainability for publishers of color.

To properly manage this and future growth, LMA is excited to announce a number of staff promotions effective January 1, 2023:

Jay Small will continue as Chief Operating Officer for both LMA and LMF, but will take on more of the day-to-day operations of the two organizations as well as financial management and working more closely with the boards of directors. He will continue to report to CEO Nancy Lane.

Andrew Ramsammy has been promoted to Chief Impact Officer of LMA/LMF and Chief Operating Officer of Word In Black. Andrew was most recently Chief Content and Collaboration Officer. He will continue to work closely with the team leading the Knight x LMA BloomLab.

Julia Campbell will become Chief Business Transformation Officer for LMA and LMF with a focus on revenue and audience growth, new and emerging business models and strategic planning. Campbell was most recently the general manager of the highly successful Meta Branded Content Project. In this role, she will continue to lead that project as she takes on other responsibilities.

Lindsey Estes has been promoted to Chief of Staff for LMA and LMF. She was most recently Director of Member Services and Strategic Initiatives. In this new role she will collaborate with the executive team members listed above as well as Frank Mungeam, chief innovation officer; Penny Riordan, director of business strategy and partnerships; and Janice Norman, director of accounting and finance, to determine and prioritize business strategies and enable effective execution. She will continue to support the CEO, serve as liaison to the boards of directors and continue to lead member services and event planning.

These promotions are also tied to a five-year succession plan that CEO Nancy Lane and the LMA Board of Directors have been working on for the past year. Nancy Lane will remain in her position as CEO, with a slightly reduced work schedule through the end of 2024, and will then stay on for another three years in an advisory role. 

“For more than 22 years, it has been the honor of a lifetime to run this special organization and watch it grow and flourish,” Lane said. “I’m proud of the succession plan that we have put in place and the future leadership team that will take LMA/LMF to the next level. I’m looking forward to working with Jay, Andrew, Julia, Lindsey, Frank, Penny, Janice and the entire team over the next few years as we write our next chapter. This plan just feels right for both LMA and me.”

“It has been a joy to work with Nancy and the LMA executive committee over the past year on a plan to develop the future leadership of our organization,” said Catherine Badalamente, CEO, Graham Media Group, and chair of the LMA board of directors. “Great organizations make succession planning a priority and that’s exactly what we are doing here. This is a thoughtful and thorough plan that will ensure a bright future for LMA. I’m thrilled for our talented team members and can’t wait to work more closely with them this year.”

About Local Media Association / Local Media Foundation

Local Media Association brings all media together to share, network, collaborate and more. More than 3,000 newspapers, TV stations, radio stations, digital pure-plays, and research and development partners engage with LMA as members or constituents of our programs. As a 501(c)(6) trade association, LMA is focused on the business side of local media. Its programs and labs focus on revenue growth and new business models. LMA helps local media companies develop their strategies via cutting-edge programs, conferences, webinars, research and training.

Local Media Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable trust, serves as the innovation and transformation affiliate of LMA. Incorporating our four strategic pillars — business transformation, journalism funded by philanthropy, industry collaboration, and sustainability for publishers of color — LMF helps provide local media companies the strategies and resources for meaningful innovation and impactful journalism projects.