Tracy Brown

Tracy Brown is Chief Partnership Officer at Chicago Public Media, leading partnership strategy, focused on revenue growth and business, editorial, community, and philanthropic alliances. She also oversees advertising, sponsorship and new innovation initiatives. She recently led the launch of an advertising network for 30 newsrooms.  

Tracy joined WBEZ in 2019 as managing editor, leading daily news, investigations, and enterprise. In 2021, she became Chief Content Officer, with editorial oversight at WBEZ and The Chicago Sun-Times, broadcast programming, podcasts, events, and Vocalo.  

Tracy is a former news leader at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Dallas Morning News. Tracy is board member of the Lincoln Park Zoo, Local Media Association, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and Word in Black, Black America’s digital daily. 

She’s a member of the Economic Club of Chicago, The Chicago Network and a committee member for the James Beard Foundation. She is the past chair of UGA’s ournalism alumni board and a member of the National Association of Black Journalists.  

In 2023, she was named one of Chicago’s Most Powerful Women, and Crain’s named her among Chicago’s Who’s Who.