Jennifer Kho Media & Journalism Consulting
Independent LEADER & ADVISER

Journalism leadership that builds community & sustainability

I'm Jennifer Kho, a newsroom leader who has guided local, national and global news organizations through major transformations to grow audiences, revenue, innovation and editorial impact. Now I offer strategic leadership on a fractional basis for a wide range of organizations that inform the public or support our information ecosystem.

Jennifer Kho
Jennifer Kho · Editor & media strategist

Fractional leadership & consulting

GET MORE DONE FASTER – AND PAY FOR ONLY THE TIME YOU NEED

Get experienced, proven senior leadership on a part-time or temporary basis so you can control costs as your needs change. I lead organizations, teams and projects for news and content providers, support organizations, educators and funders. If you care about informing communities and want to do more, let's talk!

Book a complimentary intro call →
01

Organizational clarity & harmony

Strengthen your workplace culture and align your strategic priorities across teams — without compromising editorial independence.

02

Content & engagement strategy

Reach new audiences and deepen your relationships with current audiences by prioritizing content and engagement strategies rooted in real community needs, not only distribution tactics.

03

Audience & market research

Original research to understand who you're serving, who you're missing and where your biggest opportunities lie.

04

Innovation & experimentation

Design and test new products, workflows, revenue models, audience and community engagement strategies to get real evidence before committing at scale.

05

Real transformation

Guide your team through the structural, technological and cultural changes needed to future-proof your organization in a rapidly changing news and information landscape.

06

Speaking, training & doing

Presentations, brainstorms and hands-on workshops to chart your path forward together.

Independent media advisory

Building journalism that earns trust — and pays for itself.

I'm Jennifer Kho — an editor and newsroom leader who has guided national and local newsrooms through transformation, new revenue models, and the long work of rebuilding reader trust. Now I help mission-driven news organizations do the same.

Work with me Read the latest →
Leadership & bylines Chicago Sun-Times Chicago Public Media The Guardian US HuffPost Greentech Media Canary Media

“Jenn is a consummate pro: a quick study, talented editor, great writer, innovative editorial strategist, and one of the hardest workers I know. She’ll bring new life to any editorial operation she encounters, as she did to mine.”

Joel Makower · Trellis Group

“Jenn is a strategic, strong newsroom leader who understands the importance of marrying business realities with strategy while staying true to the mission and audience.”

Priya Ganapati · CNN

“We brought Jenn on to help with a couple of key leadership projects, and I was impressed with her smart, strategic approach to helping us quickly align on our goals and designing a customized process to meet them. She is a creative thinker and executor who can keep both the big picture and details in mind, who is passionate about saving and growing journalism and who enjoys challenges spanning editorial, audience, revenue and innovation. She’s a natural problem solver and a trustworthy partner who knows how to get things done.”

Danny Feingold · Capital & Main

“Jenn has built a career on steering newsrooms through important, difficult work and challenging times; from financial strife and restructures to ethical business models that keep journalism alive without compromising its integrity.”

Kerry Eustice · Guardian US

“Jenn jumped in to help us launch a new website and content strategy for independent makers and artists, including an online store, workshops and classes. She is talented, responsive and fun to work with, both highly strategic and able to execute the work quickly and well, and contributed to our success. It’s so rare to find a leader with such a unique and broad range of skills, along with an infectious enthusiasm and passion for digital strategy. ... If you’re considering working with Jenn, don’t hesitate.”

Charlie Wilkie · Rock Paper Scissors

“During my career, I have not met anyone more strategic than Jenn. Any challenge, both big and small, she is methodical in her approach in tackling the issue — from the beginning to the end. Her leadership during this disruptive time in our industry is what is needed to foster innovation and take things to the next level.”

Leezel Tanglao · The LA Local

“Jenn Kho is the most impressive and inspiring editor and mentor I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with in my 20-plus career in journalism.

“When my colleagues and I launched Canary Media … [Jenn] helped us hash out our organizational structure, identify our target audiences and prioritize coverage to match our target audiences. She also helped us refine our approach to audience development and engagement.”

Jeff St. John · Canary Media

“Jenn is a truly talented leader. … At HuffPost, Jenn revolutionized the US newsroom’s approach to audience metrics and engagement, helped diversify revenue, and launched and iterated membership programs that brought HuffPost and its readers closer than ever.”

Jack Riley · HuffPost

Confidential coaching

A THOUGHT PARTNER TO HELP YOU NAVIGATE THE TOUGH STUFF AND REACH YOUR GOALS

Individual coaching that embraces your uniqueness. Let me help you build something new, troubleshoot challenges, make difficult decisions, instill change, navigate opportunities and more. Group or team coaching is also available upon request (at a discounted per-person rate).

$300/session
$3,600 total
Package of 12 sessions
$325/session
$1,950 total
Package of 6 sessions
$350/session
 
Single session · 50 min
Book a free first session →

“We brought Jenn on to help with a couple of key leadership projects, and I was impressed with her smart, strategic approach to helping us quickly align on our goals and designing a customized process to meet them. She is a creative thinker and executor who can keep both the big picture and details in mind, who is passionate about saving and growing journalism and who enjoys challenges spanning editorial, audience, revenue and innovation. She’s a natural problem solver and a trustworthy partner who knows how to get things done.”

Danny Feingold · Capital & Main

“Jenn has built a career on steering newsrooms through important, difficult work and challenging times; from financial strife and restructures to ethical business models that keep journalism alive without compromising its integrity.”

Kerry Eustice · Guardian US

“Jenn jumped in to help us launch a new website and content strategy for independent makers and artists, including an online store, workshops and classes. She is talented, responsive and fun to work with, both highly strategic and able to execute the work quickly and well, and contributed to our success. It’s so rare to find a leader with such a unique and broad range of skills, along with an infectious enthusiasm and passion for digital strategy. ... If you’re considering working with Jenn, don’t hesitate.”

Charlie Wilkie · Rock Paper Scissors

“During my career, I have not met anyone more strategic than Jenn. Any challenge, both big and small, she is methodical in her approach in tackling the issue — from the beginning to the end. Her leadership during this disruptive time in our industry is what is needed to foster innovation and take things to the next level.”

Leezel Tanglao · The LA Local

“Jenn Kho is the most impressive and inspiring editor and mentor I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with in my 20-plus career in journalism.

“When my colleagues and I launched Canary Media … [Jenn] helped us hash out our organizational structure, identify our target audiences and prioritize coverage to match our target audiences. She also helped us refine our approach to audience development and engagement.”

Jeff St. John · Canary Media

“Jenn is a truly talented leader. … At HuffPost, Jenn revolutionized the US newsroom’s approach to audience metrics and engagement, helped diversify revenue, and launched and iterated membership programs that brought HuffPost and its readers closer than ever.”

Jack Riley · HuffPost

“Jenn is a consummate pro: a quick study, talented editor, great writer, innovative editorial strategist, and one of the hardest workers I know. She’ll bring new life to any editorial operation she encounters, as she did to mine.”

Joel Makower · Trellis Group

“Jenn is a strategic, strong newsroom leader who understands the importance of marrying business realities with strategy while staying true to the mission and audience.”

Priya Ganapati · CNN
Jennifer Kho
ASHLEE REZIN / CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
About

Jennifer Kho has spent more than two decades in newsrooms as a reporter, editor and leader.

She was most recently the executive editor of the Chicago Sun-Times and interim editor-in-chief of Chicago Public Media, which also includes WBEZ and Vocalo. In that role, she brought the editorial and content staff together, creating the first integrated public radio and newspaper newsroom in the U.S.

She previously served as the managing editor and senior director of strategic innovation at HuffPost, where she led the development of new audience engagement, storytelling, and revenue models, including membership. Prior to that, as managing editor of the Guardian US, she helped to develop and execute a new U.S. editorial strategy that grew traffic and engagement while cutting costs.

She was the founding editor of Greentech Media, a past president of the Journalism & Women Symposium (JAWS) and an independent researcher on healthy news communities and solutions journalism. 

Today she works with individuals and organizations – including news and content providers, tech and support organizations, funders and founders – committed to informing and improving our communities. She's the editor of the Bright Spots section of Medill's State of Local News report, and a coach for the Medill Local News Accelerator and the Institute of Nonprofit News Audience Studio.

She's also an adviser to the Bay City News Foundation, The Diversity Pledge Institute, The Pivot Fund and Canary Media; a subject matter expert for A Picture's Worth; and chair of the elections committee for JAWS.

PAST WORK AND THOUGHT LEADERSHIP Full career history on LinkedIn →

“Jenn jumped in to help us launch a new website and content strategy for independent makers and artists, including an online store, workshops and classes. She is talented, responsive and fun to work with, both highly strategic and able to execute the work quickly and well, and contributed to our success. It’s so rare to find a leader with such a unique and broad range of skills, along with an infectious enthusiasm and passion for digital strategy. ... If you’re considering working with Jenn, don’t hesitate.”

Charlie Wilkie · Rock Paper Scissors

“During my career, I have not met anyone more strategic than Jenn. Any challenge, both big and small, she is methodical in her approach in tackling the issue — from the beginning to the end. Her leadership during this disruptive time in our industry is what is needed to foster innovation and take things to the next level.”

Leezel Tanglao · The LA Local

“Jenn Kho is the most impressive and inspiring editor and mentor I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with in my 20-plus career in journalism.

“When my colleagues and I launched Canary Media … [Jenn] helped us hash out our organizational structure, identify our target audiences and prioritize coverage to match our target audiences. She also helped us refine our approach to audience development and engagement.”

Jeff St. John · Canary Media

“Jenn is a truly talented leader. … At HuffPost, Jenn revolutionized the US newsroom’s approach to audience metrics and engagement, helped diversify revenue, and launched and iterated membership programs that brought HuffPost and its readers closer than ever.”

Jack Riley · HuffPost

“Jenn is a consummate pro: a quick study, talented editor, great writer, innovative editorial strategist, and one of the hardest workers I know. She’ll bring new life to any editorial operation she encounters, as she did to mine.”

Joel Makower · Trellis Group

“Jenn is a strategic, strong newsroom leader who understands the importance of marrying business realities with strategy while staying true to the mission and audience.”

Priya Ganapati · CNN

“We brought Jenn on to help with a couple of key leadership projects, and I was impressed with her smart, strategic approach to helping us quickly align on our goals and designing a customized process to meet them. She is a creative thinker and executor who can keep both the big picture and details in mind, who is passionate about saving and growing journalism and who enjoys challenges spanning editorial, audience, revenue and innovation. She’s a natural problem solver and a trustworthy partner who knows how to get things done.”

Danny Feingold · Capital & Main

“Jenn has built a career on steering newsrooms through important, difficult work and challenging times; from financial strife and restructures to ethical business models that keep journalism alive without compromising its integrity.”

Kerry Eustice · Guardian US
Related ARTICLES
Audience engagement

Bringing Readers Back: Real-World Tactics for Combating News Fatigue

Online News Association

Back by popular demand, this ONA presentation offers tactics and strategies to make newsroom offerings more friendly and relatable, with case studies on addressing news avoidance in an era of unending content.

Bringing Readers Back: Real-World Tactics for Combating News Fatigue
Newsroom transformation

What happened when the Chicago Sun-Times freed the news

By Jane Elizabeth, Nieman Lab
Read →
Business models

Why we dropped our paywall

By Nykia Wright, Jennifer Kho and Celeste LeCompte, Chicago Sun-Times
Read →
Audience engagement

Audience engagement is a diversity strategy

By Jennifer Kho, Nieman Reports
Read →
Hiring & careers

The true cost of a job search

By Jennifer Kho, Editor & Publisher
Read →
Hiring & careers

Hiring for the future

By Jennifer Kho, Editor & Publisher
Read →
Membership

Lessons from newsrooms building member-driven journalism

By Jennifer Kho, Membership Puzzle Project
Read →
Also in the archive

Thought leadership, coverage and past work

See all →
Chicago Sun-Times
Two years ago, we stopped charging readers for Sun-Times stories online. Here’s what happened
The Washington Post
‘Show the bodies’: Mass shootings spark media debate on gory photos
Podcast · The Sage Sayers
How do we save and honor the industry we love?
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Work together

Tell me what you want to build or change.

Get started with a free consultation. Schedule a meeting and bring me the messy version of your issue or opportunity.

Let’s talk!

Consulting for organizations, teams and collaboratives, or confidential one-on-one coaching for individual leaders and founders — we’ll figure out the right fit together on the call.

Book a free intro call →

Prefer email? jenn@kholab.org

Jennifer Kho
COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION
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