Women in Journalism

Thank you to the Washington Women in Journalism. It’s an honor to be named as the Star to Watch and be recognized among such extraordinary women whom I personally admire.

Coming from a small farming community in North Dakota, my place in the Washington press corp was anything but sure. I went to a small school in Minnesota and didn’t have connections or know anyone in the District. More than 15 years later, with some help, perseverance, hard work and luck, I’ve cemented my position as a journalist covering some of the biggest stories of our era. When I first started out, I covered lobbying and advocacy which at the time was a profession filled mostly by one group — older men. Since then, one of the most gratifying changes I have seen during my career is the ascendance of women in Washington — be it running newsrooms or heading up lobbying firms, corporate offices, winning political office and holding leadership positions in Congress and the administration.

My portfolio at POLITICO includes leading our Women Rule franchise as editorial director. Over the past several years, we have become a preeminent convener of professional women. Our guiding principle is more women in leadership is a good thing. Women Rule has become an international platform fostering much-needed discussions and forums about women in the workplace, including journalism and public service.

At POLITICO, women are in senior leadership positions in the newsroom, in developing new products and in sales. As the first woman to co-author POLITICO’s flagship newsletter Playbook, I believe we have a responsibility to promote women within our organization at all levels ensuring the next generation of women is ready to captain the journalism ship in these turbulent but important times for media. The perspective women bring to the table is vital to our survival and success as a profession and industry.

Anna Palmer, senior Washington correspondent for POLITICO, co-author of POLITICO’s Playbook and editorial director of Women Rule