Maribel Perez Wadsworth

At-a-Glance

Named one of the leaders in Time 100 Philanthropy 2025.
Serves as President & CEO of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation since January 2024.
Previously President of the USA Today Network and publisher of USA Today from November 2018 to December 2022.
Serves on the governing board of the Pew Research Center and on the board of the Associated Press.
Received her B.S.C. in Journalism from the University of Miami in 1993.
Led Gannett Newsrooms to be awarded 5 Pulitzer Prizes in five years.

Biography

Maribel Pérez Wadsworth is the 7th president and CEO of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, a role she assumed in January 2024.

She is the first woman to lead the foundation since its founding in 1950. In this capacity, she champions the First Amendment and focuses on initiatives that empower communities and support journalism.