Kathy oversees the Foundation’s Journalism and Media program, which supports the foremost institutions of public service journalism, documentary storytelling, and participatory civic media. During her tenure, MacArthur has contributed to numerous impactful and award-winning investigative reports and documentary films. She also led the Journalism and Media program’s work to center racial equity and dramatically increase the number of grants awarded to organizations led by and serving communities of color. Between 2023-2024, Kathy led the Foundation’s exploration and development of a local news funder collaborative, which culminated in the launch of Press Forward and the creation of a new Big Bet program in Local News at MacArthur.
Kathy is a recognized leader in philanthropy and media and the author of several editorials and essays about press freedom, media diversity, and the connection between media and democracy. She is currently the Chair of the Advisory Board for the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, a member of the Harris Council of the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy Studies, a Board Member of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a member of the European Journalism Funders Forum Steering Committee, and a member of the Advisory Board for the Media Forward Fund for the DACH countries. She was previously a Board Member of Media Impact Funders, the Center for Asian American Media, and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy.
Kathy earned her Master’s in Public Policy from the Harris School of Public Policy Studies at the University of Chicago and her Bachelor’s in Government Studies from Smith College.
