PULLMAN — The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication announced Monday the appointment of Jody Brannon as program manager for the new Murrow News Fellowship at Washington State University.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jody to our team at the Murrow College of Communication,” said Benjamin Shors, chair of the Department of Journalism and Media Production at the Murrow College. “With her extensive background in state and national journalism and her passion for education, Jody will be an outstanding leader for this innovative program.”

In her capacity as program manager, Brannon will oversee the Murrow News Fellowship program, a state-funded initiative that offers early-career journalists the opportunity to report on civic affairs in underserved communities, both rural and urban. According to the press release, the program is one of the first of its kind in the country.

Brannon, who holds a doctorate in mass communication from the University of Maryland, has also held senior roles at the Washington Post, USA Today and the Online News Association. The announcement stated that Brannon started her journalism career in Washington state at the Tacoma News Tribune and the Seattle Times. Brannon also previously served in roles at the Center for Journalism and Liberty, the Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism and the Carnegie-Knight News 21 initiative, stated the announcement.

“Our nation needs brave new approaches to informing communities, and this fellowship program holds great promise in being one of them,” said Brannon in the release. “I am excited and humbled to be among those individuals, groups and funders across the country trying new things. Here in Washington state, our goal is to direct sharp minds to embolden local reporting in communities that need more.”