JACKSON, Miss.—The Mississippi Free Press is excited to announce that the Mississippi Business Journal has named Donna Ladd, our co-founder, editor and CEO, as one of Mississippi’s Top CEOs. Each year, MBJ selects Mississippi’s top leaders and change-makers from across Mississippi. This year, 28 CEOs were honored.
Donna started the statewide Mississippi Free Press in March 2020 with her co-founder and publisher Kimberly Griffin after the two journalism and entrepreneurial leaders worked together for more than a dozen years at the Jackson Free Press, which served the capital city and surrounding areas. Donna also served as the editor and CEO of the Jackson Free Press, which she co-founded in 2002.
Under Donna’s leadership, the Mississippi Journalism and Education Group—the nonprofit that publishes the Mississippi Free Press as well as runs the Mississippi Youth Media Project and its website Jxnpulse.com, which Donna founded—has grown rapidly, starting with one $50,000 gift and a handful of small donations and gradually becoming Mississippi’s most inclusive newsroom with 20 team members to support reporting across the state and revenue over $1 million in 2023. To date, the outlet has received 76 awards, including the inaugural Poynter Institute’s inaugural Diversity Leadership Award earlier this year.
“This award floored me, especially happening right here in my home state where women business and nonprofit leaders have often had to struggle over the years for recognition and support of our team’s accomplishments,” Ladd said. “I co-founded both the JFP and the MFP with a better future for Mississippi’s people as the primary goal of our journalism, and I thank Kimberly and our hard-working staff for working together to use honest journalism to help reach that goal daily.”
Ladd was in San Diego as part of a panel of U.S. nonprofit journalism leaders speaking about strategic planning when the awards ceremony occurred today, but sent a message to MBJ Publisher Tami Jones: “I thank the Business Journal and the judges for this tremendous honor. I dedicate this award to our entire amazing and radically inclusive team who make this work possible and fun daily. This wouldn’t be happening without them and their dedication and support.”
Ladd is an award-winning editor and journalist with a bachelor’s degree in political science from Mississippi State University and a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University, which recently awarded her an Alumni Award. She has won more than 100 awards for both her journalism and her entrepreneurial efforts, including previously being named one of the top businesswomen in the state by the Mississippi Business Journal for her leadership at the Jackson Free Press. She is also a popular speaker from state and national journalism gatherings to Rotary and other civic groups across Mississippi.
“Donna’s vision of creating a statewide nonpartisan news outlet fueled by solutions journalism with a team of mostly Mississippians who look like our state is why the Mississippi Free Press exists today,” Publisher and MFP co-founder Kimberly Griffin said.
This award was announced the same week that the new Mississippi Free Press website launched and the 2024 Youth Media Project convened in MFP’s newsroom for its fifth summer. The students will spend six weeks focusing on creating an election coverage guide for media use.
In July, the Mississippi Business Journal will publish a special issue with biographies and photos of all of the 2024 CEO honorees. The publication will be distributed to all print and online readers of the Mississippi Business Journal, and will also be available at select distribution outlets around the state. Reach out to MBJ Publisher Tami Jones tami.jones@msbusiness.com for advertising or other information.
Individual supporters can give to the nonprofit Mississippi Free Press at mfp.ms/donate or advertise on the MFP website by emailing kimberly@mississippifreepress.org. Story tips go to tips@mississippifreepress.org. Media outlets or community organizations interested in observing or partnering in solutions circles can write solutions@mississippifreepress.org. Requests for Donna, Kimberly or other MFP team members to speak can go to erica@mississippifreepress.org.
