Former USA Today Reporter, Editor and Media Executive Named 2011 Virginius Dabney Distinguished Professor

By Mike Porter

Lee Ivory, a former USA Today reporter, editor and media executive, is serving as the 2011 Virginia Commonwealth University Virginius Dabney Distinguished Professor.

Ivory, 51, will teach print and multimedia courses to undergraduate and graduate students in VCU’s School of Mass Communications during the 2011 spring and fall academic semesters.

“We're thrilled to have someone of Lee's professional achievements as our Dabney Professor this coming year,” said Terry Oggel, Ph.D., interim director of the School of Mass Communications.  “With more than 28 years of experience as a journalist in both news and sports with USA Today, as well as extensive work as a media executive and media consultant, Lee will provide wonderful opportunities for our students."

The Virginius Dabney Distinguished Professorship was established in 1988 through an endowment from the Richmond Times-Dispatch and Media General Inc. in honor of the late Virginia newspaper editor, historian and Pulitzer Prize winner. Awarded annually, the professorship brings a distinguished print journalist to VCU to teach a writing intensive course to senior mass communications majors.

In addition to his career with USA Today, Ivory served for several years as a news editor, managing editor and national editor for Gannett News Service. At Gannett, Ivory helped manage coverage of presidential elections, the White House, Capitol Hill and other high-profile national stories.

As publisher and executive editor of USA Today Sports Weekly, Ivory managed a multimillion dollar budget, along with public relations and marketing campaigns that included television, radio and print buys. Ivory also co-chaired a committee to explore the diversity breakdown and the culture of the newspaper.

Ivory currently runs Ivory Communications, a media-consulting firm, and serves as president of the Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ), an affiliate chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ).

Ivory received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Henderson State University.

Former Dabney recipients include James J. Kilpatrick, a columnist, author and former editor of the Richmond News Leader; David Shribman, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter at The Boston Globe; and Leonard Pitts, also a Pulitzer Prize winner who writes columns for the Miami Herald.