Board of Visitors

The University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism is assisted in its work by a distinguished Board of Visitors. The board, established in 1983, provides a source of professional support and guidance by experienced journalism and media professionals.

The board meets twice a year, providing students and faculty with an opportunity to interact with board members over informal discussions or in workshop panels.

The current Board of Visitors:

  • Chair: Cathy Merrill Williams, president and publisher, The Washingtonian, Washington, D.C.
  • Bonnie Bernstein '92, ABC/ESPN Sports, New York, NY.
  • Jerry Ceppos '69, dean and professor, Manship School of Mass Communication, Louisiana State University.
  • Connie Chung '69, former anchor/correspondent, CBS, CNN, NBC, ABC and MSNBC, New York, NY.
  • Ralph Crosby '56, chairman, Crosby Marketing Communications, Annapolis, Md.
  • Robert Doherty '79, U.S. general manager, Thomson Reuters, Washington, D.C.
  • Geoffrey Gonella '90, president and co-founder, Cornerstone Government Affairs, Washington, D.C.
  • Christopher Harte, journalist and inventor.
  • Jane Healy '71, columnist, Orlando Sentinel (retired).
  • Gerald Hroblak, president, Richard Eaton Foundation, Chevy Chase, Md.
  • John Jenkins '72, publishing executive, journalist and author, Washington, D.C.
  • Jay Kernis '74,  producer, NBC News, New York, NY.
  • Sandra Long Weaver '74, president, Dawson Media Group, Elkins Park, Pa.; former Vice President, Newsroom Operations, The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  • Doyle McManus, columnist, The Los Angeles Times.
  • Adam Ostrow '04, chief strategy officer, Mashable.
  • Susan Patrick, MBA '85, Managing Partner, Patrick Communcations LLP, Elkridge, Md.
  • Roy Schwartz '98, MBA '01, chief revenue officer, Politico.
  • John Seng '79, president and founder, Spectrum Science Communications, Washington, D.C.
  • Scott Van Pelt, anchor/reporter, ESPN, Bristol, Conn.
  • Katharine Weymouth, publisher and CEO, Washington Post Media.
  • DeWayne Wickham, Distinguished Professor of Journalism and Chair, Communication Studies, Morgan State University and former columnist, USA Today and Gannett News Service.
  • Eun Yang '95, anchor/reporter, NBC4 Washington, D.C.
  • Chair Emerita: Eleanor Merrill, Chairman, The Washingtonian, Washington, D.C.

Past members of the Board of Visitors:

  • Joe Adams, president, The Adams Group, Rockville, Md.
  • Arnold Barach, secretary, The Kiplinger Foundation.
  • Jeanne Viner Bell, public relations counselor, Washington, D.C.
  • Cathie Black, publisher, USA Today.
  • John Carroll, editor, The Baltimore Sun.
  • Hodding Carter III, president Main Street TV Productions, Washington, D.C.
  • Barbara Cochran, president emeritus, Radio Television Digital News Association, Washington D.C.
  • Walter Cronkite, news anchor, CBS News
  • Paul Delaney, senior editor, The New York Times.
  • Hal Donofrio, president, Richardson, Myers and Donofrio, Baltimore.
  • Paul Duke, senior commentator, Public Broadcasting System.
  • Tim Franklin, editor, The Baltimore Sun.
  • Donald Graham, chairman, The Washington Post.
  • Mireille Grangenois, vice president, marketing and interactive media, The Baltimore Sun.
  • Gwen Ifill, moderator and managing editor, "Washington Week."
  • Tom Johnson, former president, CNN.
  • Bo Jones, chairman, The Washington Post.
  • William Marimow, editor and senior vice president, The Baltimore Sun.
  • Reg Murphy, publisher, The Baltimore Sun.
  • Jack Nelson, Washington bureau chief, Los Angeles Times.
  • Gene Patterson, editor and president, St. Petersburg Times.
  • Ken Paulson, editor, USA Today.
  • Peter Perl, senior editor, The Washington Post.
  • Thomas Phillips, chairman, Phillips Publishing International, Potomac, Md.
  • Marion K. Poynter, retired director, Times Publishing Co., St. Peterburg, Fla.
  • John Quinn, senior VP and chief news executive, Gannett Co., Inc.
  • William Raspberry, columnist, The Washington Post.
  • Gene Roberts, executive editor, The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  • Charles S. Rowe, retired co-publisher and editor, Free Lance-Star, Fredericksburg, Va.
  • John Seigenthaler, trustee and former chairman, The Freedom Forum First Amendment Center, Vanderbilt University.
  • Claude Sitton, editor, The (Raleigh, NC) News & Observer.
  • William Sutton Jr., Reynolds Visiting Professor, Grambling State University.
  • Mortimer Zuckerman, chairman and editor-in-chief, U.S. News & World Report.