NEW YORK – The Associated Press announced today that AP Assistant Managing Editor and Washington Bureau Chief Julie Pace has been named the global news agency’s senior vice president and executive editor, effective immediately.
Pace, who joined AP in 2007 as a video producer, spent the last four years directing multiformat coverage of U.S. politics and elections, national security and domestic policy, leading a team that broke agenda-setting news and collaborating regularly with AP’s network of journalists around the world.
In her new role as senior vice president and executive editor, Pace, 39, will lead AP’s global news operations and oversee news content in all formats from journalists based in 250 locations in 100 countries. She will relocate from Washington to AP headquarters in New York.
“This is a very exciting time for the AP – we’re a 175-year-old news organization with a new CEO and a new executive editor,” said AP President and CEO Gary Pruitt, who will retire at the end of the year. “Julie Pace has a vision for AP’s future that is in line with our longstanding values but also forward-thinking. She will do an excellent job.”
“Time and time again Julie has demonstrated strong, collaborative leadership and exceptional news judgment,” said Daisy Veerasingham, AP executive vice president and chief operating officer, who becomes president and CEO in January. “Julie’s experience working in Washington, video background and strong connections with our global staff are a winning combination that will drive AP into the future.”
“I am honored to be leading AP’s team of talented and courageous journalists, who work tirelessly to break news and tell impactful stories from every corner of the world,” said Pace. “We have great opportunities ahead to modernize our news report and better serve the needs of our customers and audience, while always maintaining AP’s standing as the world’s preeminent fact-based news organization.”
Pace is the third consecutive woman to serve as AP executive editor. A woman has held that role since 2002. Pace will report to Veerasingham, who is the first woman, first person of color and first non-U.S. citizen to hold the position of president and CEO.
As Washington bureau chief, Pace played a leading role in AP’s coverage of many of the world’s biggest stories, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the racial justice movement in the U.S., and two presidential impeachments. She also pushed for press freedom and access, oversaw efforts to bolster AP’s fact-checking operation and launched explanatory journalism around AP’s race calls in the 2020 presidential election.
Pace previously spent a decade anchoring AP’s news report from the White House. As a White House reporter and chief correspondent, she traveled to more than 50 countries, interacting regularly with foreign officials, including questioning presidents and prime ministers at high profile press conferences.
Pace joined AP in 2007 as a video producer and AP’s first multimedia political journalist, traveling throughout the U.S. during the 2008 presidential campaign and developing the cooperative’s plans for live video coverage of Election Day and the inauguration of Barack Obama.
In 2003 Pace began her reporting career at e.tv, South Africa’s first independent television network, and worked as a freelancer in southern Africa before joining The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune as a general assignment reporter in 2005.
Pace is the recipient of the White House Correspondents’ Association Merriman Smith Award for writing on deadline and AP’s Oliver S. Gramling Award for Journalism, the news agency’s highest internal honor. This fall she will be inducted into the Medill School of Journalism Hall of Achievement.
A native of Buffalo, New York, Pace holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School. She completed a fellowship at Georgetown University’s Institute of Politics and Public Service.
About AP
The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day. Online: www.ap.org
Contact
Patrick Maks
Media Relations Manager
The Associated Press
212-621-7536
pmaks@ap.org
