The Local Media Association has named Siobhan “Sam” Bennett, President and Chief Revenue Officer for New York Amsterdam News, its Digital Innovator of the Year, recognizing her exceptional leadership and impact on one of America’s most storied Black newspapers.
Bennett has distinguished herself through her ability to cultivate talent and drive revenue growth by empowering team members to experiment with new approaches. Bennett’s leadership philosophy centers on identifying talent within her team and providing them with the autonomy and support needed to excel.
“Sam is truly a visionary leader,” said Amsterdam News Publisher Elinor R. Tatum. “Her work to shepherd the ongoing transformation of the Amsterdam News and inspire our dedicated team into the future has been a game-changer.”
An example of Bennett’s approach is her decision to entrust salesperson Ali Milliner with managing the publication’s legal notices division. Within three months under Milliner’s leadership, this revenue stream grew from $90,000 to an impressive $235,000, while maintaining a perfect 100% collection rate.
Similarly, Bennett empowered Subscription Manager Benita Darby to focus on the publication’s reader revenue strategy. Darby’s initiatives resulted in a 40% year-over-year increase in subscription orders and a 90% boost in overall reader revenue. These results highlight Bennett’s keen ability to identify opportunities for growth and match them with the right talent.
“Our new Harlem Renaissance simply would not have been possible without Sam’s dynamic leadership. She has been a true and truly innovative, partner to the editorial department, bringing fresh revenue ideas to raise the funds we need to support our award winning racial justice journalism. She understands our mission like few others and has dedicated tremendous energy, at great personal sacrifice, to ensuring that the Amsterdam News continues to be able to provide our community with the news and information it needs,” said Amsterdam News Executive and Investigative Editor Damaso Reyes.
“A central organizing principle to my decades of organizational change is to start with the talent you have, who often know exactly what needs to be transformed — and then nurture and support that talent to achieve the shared vision of all the organization can innovate and attain.
Amsterdam News has such a wealth of dedicated staff to nurture. It’s an honor to lead our remarkable innovations and achievements with that unmatched in-house team. Hats off to Publisher Tatum, who gave me the required latitude to accomplish this,” Bennett said.
You must be logged in to post a comment.