The Marshall Project, the Pulitzer-winning nonprofit media organization covering criminal justice, has hired Ana Graciela Méndez for the new role of Product Manager. Méndez will work closely with designers, developers and stakeholders across the organization to elevate our award-winning journalism, engage our audiences by improving our product offerings and scale our internal tools and processes as we expand our operations.
“Ana's experience contributing to and managing projects at the intersections of investigative, engagement and local journalism is undeniable,” said Elan Ullendorff, Director of Product. “Her spirit of collaboration and commitment to creating news products for people who are most directly affected by the injustices we report on will make her a tremendous asset as we continue to expand both our national and local ambitions.”
Méndez began her career as an investigative reporter in Panama, her native country. In 2015, she was awarded a Magic Grant from the Brown Institute for Media Innovation to develop Nueva Nación’s El Tabulario, the country’s first open data repository for journalists — an experience that set her on a path for product work. Most recently, she led strategy and research for The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Lenfest Local Lab, a community-centered, experimental product team.
Méndez, along with a small group of New York Times journalists, was also awarded a 2017 Gerald Loeb Award for graphics for an investigation into the construction of the Panama Canal’s new set of locks.
“I’m excited to join an organization that is truly committed to covering one of the most critical civil rights issues of our generation," Méndez said. "I really look forward to working with a cross-disciplinary, collaborative team that strives to make The Marshall Project’s crucial reporting more accessible and impactful, particularly for people who are incarcerated or are disproportionately affected by the criminal justice system.”
Méndez's first day was on October 12th.
