LOS ANGELES—The Television Academy Foundation has announced the appointment of Anne Vasquez as its executive director effective May 13.
In her new role, Vasquez will oversee daily operations and provide strategic leadership of its programs and fundraising to fulfill the charitable organization’s mission to identify, advance and empower future television leaders while honoring television’s legacy, the Foundation said.
Vasquez will report to Television Academy Foundation chair Tina Perry and Television Academy president and CEO Maury McIntyre.
“We are delighted to announce Anne’s appointment to lead the Foundation’s team,” said McIntyre. “Anne’s background championing education will be critical as we look to expand the scale of the Foundation’s programs, focusing on the impact we can make in nurturing and developing the next generation of television leaders.”
“With her expertise in the nonprofit, education and media sectors, Anne is uniquely qualified for the Foundation’s executive director role,” said Perry. “Her perspective and experience will be instrumental in driving the Foundation’s mission to educate and inspire students, promote diversity within the industry, and preserve the oral history of television.”
Vasquez is a veteran media and nonprofit executive who will step down as CEO of EdSource, Inc., an award-winning California nonprofit news organization with the state’s largest newsroom devoted to education.
During her five years at EdSource, she established groundbreaking new partnerships, expanded funder and donor support by more than $2 million, oversaw a website redesign and brand refresh, as well as led the organization through a strategic plan to position it for the future.
Prior to her time at EdSource, she served as senior vice president of strategic initiatives and chief digital officer at Tribune Publishing, where she led digital strategy across 10 news markets. Before that, Vasquez was managing editor of the Sun Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., when the newsroom won its first Pulitzer Prize — the 2013 Gold Medal for Public Service. She’s also an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California (USC) where she teaches a graduate course in narrative storytelling.
The daughter of Cuban immigrants, Vasquez was raised in Miami, Fla., and began her career as a reporter for The Miami Herald and later for the San Jose Mercury News in California. A passionate champion of diversity and inclusion, she became the editor of one of the country’s first race and demographics teams.
Vasquez has served on the boards of the American Society of News Editors and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. She is on the Leadership Council of the Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication at Florida International University, Vasquez’s alma mater.
“I am thrilled and honored to be joining the Television Academy Foundation,” Vasquez said. "It’s never been more important to tell the stories of our time with nuance. I’m eager to lead the Foundation in its mission to support and prepare emerging talent from all walks of life while also preserving television’s rich history.”
