Hi Revealer,
This is Robert Rosenthal, the new CEO of The Center for Investigative Reporting. I want to take this opportunity to introduce myself and make sure you know about the recent changes here at CIR.
We had to make the painful and difficult decision to lay off nine talented and committed staff members earlier this year. And with that came three leadership departures. As a result, I have returned as CEO to CIR, an organization I ran and built and have a deep personal commitment to. Since my return Aug. 15, I have met with the staff regularly, calmed their concerns and done all I can to allow them to focus on what they do best, investigative reporting and storytelling.
Our financial position has begun to stabilize, too. But we are not out of the woods. To ensure our future, I am asking you to support CIR and to ask others you know to do the same. We're a nonprofit that relies on donations. If you value the service we provide and have the means, I call on you to support us and our mission.
If you've been a supporter for a while, you may recognize me as the former executive director of CIR from 2008 to 2017. Since my departure, I maintained a close connection with CIR as the board treasurer. Why at the age of 74 would I come back to a crisis? Because I have a deep passion for journalism, storytelling, investigative reporting and, most importantly, a mission to protect and enable talented journalists to do the work that serves the public interest and holds power accountable. Investigative reporting has never been more relevant than it is today.
Now I look forward to getting to know our work, vision and audience members like you even better. I’m bringing my energy, passion and leadership to CIR, as well as my absolute commitment to doing the highest-quality journalism.
I learned some of my most important lessons about the role of journalists in a democracy when I was 22 and a few months out of college. As an editorial assistant at The New York Times, I worked on the historic and Pulitzer Prize-winning project known as The Pentagon Papers. (If you’re interested in hearing more about this, please listen to our episode on Reveal.)
After The Times, I worked at The Boston Globe as a reporter and at The Philadelphia Inquirer and San Francisco Chronicle, where I had leadership roles.
I am as passionate as I have ever been in my work as CEO of The Center for Investigative Reporting, and particularly energized by the commitment, talent and reporting of our staff. Please show your support by donating today.
Thank you,
Robert “Rosey” Rosenthal
Chief Executive Officer
The Center for Investigative Reporting
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