Leigh Spann, a 2001 University of Georgia graduate built her career in broadcast meteorology across the southeast, from Macon, Georgia to Charleston, South Carolina before spending over 10 years in Tampa, Florida as a morning meteorologist. Today, she’s taken her experience to being a talent agent for broadcasters, getting her clients to exactly where they want to be. 

In this episode, Spann shares her story on how she found her voice and her sense of home through broadcast meteorology and how her journey ultimately led her to this new chapter. She highlights her journey through time and how students and early career professionals looking to break into broadcast can find their own niche in the industry. 

Find The Lead podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts at the link in bio.

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Guest: Leigh Spann, OTA Talent Agent

Mikaela Cohen is a reporter at HR Brew covering workplace strategy and trends at a moment when the future of work is evolving faster than ever. A proud University of Georgia alumna, she previously reported on workplace and business issues for CNBC.com, CNBC Make It, and AARP.org, approaching complex organizational challenges through an employee-first lens.

In this episode of The Lead, Cohen joins host Sophie Davenport to discuss how she found her way into workplace journalism, why reporting on burnout, layoffs, and leadership strategy looks different from traditional business coverage, and how artificial intelligence is reshaping both the workplace and the media industry. She also reflects on the rise of creator-led journalism, the growing importance of individual bylines, and offers advice for journalism students navigating an especially challenging job market.

Find The Lead podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts at the link in bio.

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Guest: Mikaela Cohen, HR Brew 

Jennifer Duck has spent her career on both sides of the newsroom, first as a multimedia journalist covering the Bush and Obama campaigns, global politics and producer for Award-winning shows, and now as a journalism professor teaching students how to navigate truth in a digital, algorithm-driven world. 

In this episode, Jennifer breaks down how social media distorts reality and why sensationalism thrives on platforms like TikTok and Youtube. Drawing from her research on disinformation and polarization, she provides key tips on how consumers can receive factual information in order to rebuild trust in journalists and newsrooms. Although Jennifer has a drive for research, her main goal is teaching students innovative tips through Grady newsource to practice health skepticism, reporting and minimizing news deserts to become a versatile journalist.

Find The Lead on Spotify and Apple Podcasts at the link in the bio.

Guest: Jennifer Duck, journalism professor

Host: Clarice Henry

John Bednarski, the longtime sports editor of the Marietta Daily Journal and the Cherokee Tribune. With 19 years at the helm of a local sports desk and a past presidency of the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE), John brings a wealth of wisdom on how to survive—and thrive—in the changing landscape of sports journalism.

In this episode, John dives into the “bread and butter” of local news: high school sports. He shares why building trust with coaches, parents, and athletes is the secret to outperforming national outlets and how those relationships follow athletes all the way to the professional level.

Find the Lead Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcast at the link in our bio 

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Guest: John Bednarowski, sports editor  

David Carson has been a staff photojournalist at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch since 2000 and covered events from New York City during 9/11, presidential debates and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. His photos are featured in the staff’s 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography and received a regional Emmy award in 2008. Most recently, he was a 2024-2025 John S. Knight journalism fellow at Stanford University, studying the impacts, both good and bad, of artificial intelligence on photojournalism and potential solutions for increasing public trust. 

In this episode, Carson talks about the trajectory of his career to the present, analyzing AI’s increased presence and threat to journalistic integrity. From detection tools to ethical considerations, he explains how the power of AI can and should be harnessed for good. 

Find The Lead podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts at the link in bio.

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Guest: David Carson, staff photojournalist at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 2024-2025 John S. Knight journalism fellow at Stanford University

Freelance photojournalist Valerie Plesch, based in Washington, D.C., has documented a range of topics, including politics, refugee resettlement and immigration, through her photos. Valerie also serves as vice president of Women Photojournalists of Washington, whose mission is to educate the public about the role of women-identifying visual journalists and cultivate their professional success.

In this episode, Valerie talks about the changes faced within photojournalism in an ever-evolving digital age. She encourages journalists and photojournalists to never lose their curiosity and to continue learning from each story they go out to cover.

Find The Lead podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts at the link in bio.

bit.ly/m/coxinstitute

Guest: Valerie Plesch, freelance photojournalist

As editor in chief of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Leroy Chapman Jr. sits at the top of the newsroom, overseeing every aspect of life in Georgia. Chapman began his political journalism career in his home state, South Carolina, before moving to Atlanta and working his way through several different roles at the AJC. 

In this episode, Chapman discusses the future of the AJC, particularly their digital future as the publication ceased producing printed newspapers in December of 2025. Leroy talks about meeting his audience where they are at and sees the future of journalism as increasingly more digital. He urges young, aspiring journalists to be adaptable, flexible and knowledgeable of this ever-changing field. 

Find The Lead podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts at the link in bio.

bit.ly/m/coxinstitute

Guest: Leroy Chapman Jr., Editor in Chief at the AJC

Jenni Watts, executive producer at CNN International, took an unconventional path into journalism. Beginning as a philosophy major at Auburn before moving into radio and eventually television. Her work spans environmental, cultural and technology features, with a career defined by adaptability and curiosity rather than following a linear path.

In this episode, Watts reflects on how her early career shifts shaped her approach to storytelling and why technical knowledge and strong interpersonal skills are essential in modern journalism. She also shares how covering the events of 9/11 solidified her commitment to the field, and offers advice to early-career journalists on embracing opportunity, staying curious and maintaining integrity as AI reshapes the industry.

Find The Lead podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts at the link in bio.

bit.ly/m/coxinstitute 

Guest: Jenni Watts, Executive Producer at CNN International

Samira Jafari works at the intersection of timeliness and truth. As the head of standards and practices at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, she guides journalists in “bringing light, not heat” to ensure ethical codes are followed and truth prevails. With more than 20 years of experience producing news content across broadcast and digital platforms at CNN and the Associated Press, Jafari works to balance editorial integrity with creative storytelling.

In this episode, we talk about determining newsworthiness, staying up-to-date on ethics codes, and building relationships with sources.

Guest: Samira Jafari, head of standards and practices at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Host: Alexis Derickson.

Drew Kann’s reporting has taken him to the critically dwindling Colorado River, the citrus farms of the rural South, and the nuclear reactors currently under construction in Georgia. While each story may focus on one geographic area, the core of Kann’s reporting lies in the environmental implications for the globe in its entirety. As a climate, environment and energy reporter at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he intertwines written stories with immersive visuals and data analyses, focusing on the real, human impact of breaking and developing climate news.

In this episode, we talk about key Georgia climate trends, how to break down complex stories, and overcoming news fatigue.

Guest: Drew Kann, climate, environment and energy reporter at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Host: Alexis Derickson.