One of the most creative and optimistic voices in media today is the newest member of the Video Consortium’s Board of Directors.

Kevin Merida has a strong track record in media leadership and innovation. He’s currently working on a variety of film and documentary projects, and most recently served as the Executive Editor of the Los Angeles Times. Prior to that, he was the founding Editor-in-Chief of The Undefeated (now called Andscape) and a senior VP at ESPN, where he expanded into documentaries and television specials. He also spent 22 years rising through the ranks of the Washington Post. He was ultimately Managing Editor, helping lead the paper to four Pulitzer Prizes.

“I believe deeply that video is one of the most important storytelling forms,” says Merida. “It has the power to reach new audiences and captivate them, to drive attention to the untold stories that matter most. I love to see work on any screen that is visually commanding and enchanting. I’m impressed by The Video Consortium and the opportunities ahead for us.”

The Video Consortium is a global nonprofit supporting and connecting more than five thousand journalists, filmmakers and organizations in 400+ cities and 70+ countries to catalyze positive change. As VC nears its ten year anniversary, it is continuing to expand in local communities and newsrooms around the United States and to support documentary fellowships across Latin America and Asia.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Kevin to the board,” says Sky Dylan-Robbins, founder and executive director of VC. “He thinks about the industry in such a clear-eyed yet optimistic way that’s infectious. We’re lucky to have him, especially during this pivotal moment of expansion.”

Merida joins a board that includes creatives like Vox Video Co-Founder Joe Posner and award- winning director Rodrigo Reyes, educators like Columbia University’s Duy Linh Tu and UC Berkeley’s Betsy Rate, media executives like New York Times trailblazers Ann Derry and Richard Samson, and industry leaders like Jane McDonnell, CEO of Free Range Media and former Executive Director of the Online News Association, and multifaceted producer Sue Dickey MacArthur.

The board is chaired by Andy Pergam, a media executive formerly of Meta, McClatchy and The Washington Post, where he worked with Kevin. He adds: “Kevin’s always been an exceptionally collaborative partner and a strong, vocal supporter of video journalism and documentary storytelling. I’m certain he’ll stretch the organization’s thinking about ways to support the people telling the world’s stories.”

VC is supported by Press Forward, Knight Foundation, MacArthur Foundation and Skoll Foundation, among others. The organization aims to help democratize the media landscape by fostering compassionate storytelling, supporting professional and artistic growth and inspiring audiences. VC remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting local media ecosystems and the talented storytellers who drive the industry at large.

Learn more about Kevin Merida, our impressive Board of Directors, and VC team here.