The Vineyard Gazette Media Group announced today the appointment of a new publisher to succeed Jane Seagrave, who is retiring after more than a dozen years as head of the venerable Martha’s Vineyard publishing company.
Monica Brady-Myerov, a journalist and digital entrepreneur, will take the reins of the media group effective March 11, said Pam Kohlberg, chair of the Gazette’s board of directors. Ms. Seagrave will continue her affiliation with the Gazette as a member of the board.
Ms. Brady-Myerov worked for 15 years as senior reporter for WBUR, the NPR affiliate in Boston, where she also served as interim managing editor. In 2013, she left daily journalism to found an education technology start-up, Listenwise, serving as its chief executive officer and growing the company over the next decade before selling it to a British-based media-content company in 2021.
“Saying goodbye to a beloved and highly successful publisher like Jane is extremely bittersweet.” Ms. Kohlberg said. “But after interviewing many very competitive candidates, we have great confidence in Monica’s leadership and management skills as we enthusiastically anticipate her arrival to lead the Gazette in its next chapter.”
Ms. Brady-Myerov has devoted her career to promoting excellence and innovation in journalism that connects with and reflects the community. “I’m thrilled to be chosen to lead this historic yet forward-thinking media organization. It’s the perfect position for me to get back to my roots in local journalism as well as apply the business skills I gained from being an innovative social entrepreneur,” she said.
Founded in 1846, the Vineyard Gazette Media Group is the oldest and largest media company on Martha’s Vineyard. In addition to its award-winning flagship, the Vineyard Gazette, its portfolio includes more than a dozen print and digital products, including Martha’s Vineyard magazine, Island Weddings magazine, the Island Guide and The Broadsheet and Cook the Vineyard newsletters. The company also hosts various events, including the annual Best of the Vineyard awards celebration, and sponsors the Martha’s Vineyard Book Festival.
A graduate of Brown University, Ms. Brady-Myerov was a Washington correspondent for Christian Science Monitor Radio and later worked as a reporter for National Public Radio in the capital. An award-winning journalist, she is the author of Listenwise: Teach Students to be Better Listeners and is fluent in Portuguese, having lived and worked as a freelance journalist in Brazil. She and her husband Adam Brady-Myerov will relocate to the Vineyard from Brookline this spring.
She joins an experienced staff whose senior members include Vineyard Gazette editor Bill Eville, general manager Sarah Gifford, Martha’s Vineyard magazine editor Vanessa Czarnecki, special projects editor Susie Middleton, advertising sales manager Frederica Carpenter and marketing and events manager Alessandra Hagerty.
Her appointment follows a nationwide search that began last summer.
“At each successive meeting, we were impressed by Monica’s strong credentials in mission-driven journalism, digital media and entrepreneurship. We look forward to her joining the team and her active engagement in the Vineyard’s diverse communities,” said Sarah Bartlett, former dean of the Craig Newmark School of Journalism at the City University of New York, who chaired the search committee.
Ms. Seagrave was hired as publisher in 2011, just a few months after Jerome and Nancy Kohlberg acquired the Gazette from its longtime owners, the Reston family. Under her leadership, the company has expanded its presence across media platforms through a combination of acquisitions and product line extensions. The Vineyard Gazette’s website is now accessed by 2.5 million unique visitors per year. All the company publications have earned recognition for journalistic and advertising excellence in recent years.
“In addition to being both extremely competent and diplomatic, Jane has been collaborative and skilled at building a team,” said Ms. Kohlberg. “She leaves with a groundswell of appreciation for her hard work and stellar reputation as she passes the baton to a highly qualified new publisher.”
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