About Daniel Petty

I’m a journalist who currently works for the non-profit news organization ProPublica, where I am director of audience strategy and lead a team focused on growing the reach of ProPublica’s journalism. It includes overseeing strategy and execution of social media, email newsletters, search engine optimization and more.

 

Previously, I worked as digital director of audience development at Denver-based MediaNews Group, the parent company of publications including The Denver Post, Orange County Register, San Jose Mercury News, the Boston Herald and the St. Paul Pioneer-Press. I worked on building loyal and engaged audiences across digital platforms, both owned-and-operated and social platforms. I helped our publications grow paid digital subscriptions and advised our newsrooms on strategy for content, storytelling, email newsletters, mobile apps, video, still photography, social media and our own platforms, using analytics and other tools to spot trends and help our newsrooms establish direct relationships with their audiences.

 

Outside of my day job, I work as an independent consultant. Past clients have included the International Center for Journalism, the U.S. State Department and Local Independent Online News Publishers. I have traveled to Kazakhstan and Sri Lanka to advise media outlets on best practices for digital storytelling, audience development and business stability.

 

Prior to MediaNews Group, I spent seven years at The Post in a variety of digital roles, including director of audience development, senior editor for a breaking news team, digital director of sports and social media editor. As social media editor, I was a part of the Denver Post staff that was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in April 2013 for our breaking news coverage of the Aurora theater shooting. The board cited, among other efforts, the staff’s use of social media, including Twitter and Facebook, in covering the tragedy. I’ve covered multiple Super Bowls, the Stanley Cup Finals and the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials.

 

I received a bachelor of science in biology and journalism from the University of Richmond and an MBA with honors from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 2022.

 

In my spare time, I enjoy running, cycling, snowboarding, and hiking. I competed for four years at Richmond in cross country and track and field.

 

You can follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook, or connect with me on LinkedIn.