Kelly has extensive experience in delivering high impact programmes, designed to fulfil the strategic aims of organisations, well suited to the foundation’s broad portfolio of activities, says The Guardian.
Kelly joined the Guardian five years ago as a programme director, managing major change and transformation initiatives including the shift from Berliner to tabloid, as well as re-launches of Guardian Weekly and the Guardian Live app. Over the last 18 months, she has been voluntarily supporting the Foundation team with their strategy and mission of supporting media under threat, promoting diversity in the media and empowering children and young people to engage with the news.
Prior to Guardian News & Media, Kelly worked at Ascential (formerly Top Right Group and EMAP), where she led the programme for the implementation of a customer intelligence platform spanning 50 brands. Before this, Kelly worked with IDG and Fairfax overseeing their data management, strategy and operations.
Liz Forgan, Chair, the Guardian Foundation, said: “We are delighted to share the news that our new executive director of the Guardian Foundation will be Kelly Walls. She has been a long-time supporter of our work and has previously worked closely with the former executive director Ben Hicks and interim executive director Kirstine Føge Jensen focusing on how to further support independent media under threat across the world.”
On her appointment, Kelly said: “I am incredibly excited to join The Guardian Foundation, they are a much-needed force for good in an ever-challenging media landscape. I have been a great admirer of theirs and given support wherever I could. I now look forward to working in an official capacity with a very talented team to grow the impact of the organisation.”
Last month, the Guardian Foundation’s NewsWise program received a UNESCO GAPMIL Global Media Information Literacy Award for its ground-breaking contributions to promoting media and information literacy for all. NewsWise is hosting, in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust hubs team, UK-wide family news festivals to help parents support their children to tackle fake news.
The Guardian Foundation is an independent charity with a focus on supporting media under threat, promoting diversity in the media and empowering children and young people to engage with the news.
