ABOUT WIL
Wil LaVeist, Ph.D. is an award-winning print, radio, TV and Internet veteran of a variety of major media companies.
Journalist/Online Media Pioneer
Wil was on the original team that launched AZCentral.com, the website of the Arizona Republic in Phoenix, the state’s newspaper of record. He was also a copy editor and reporter there. Wil then led the web team of the original BlackVoices.com (now Huffington Post Black Voices), and also Ebony.com.
He was the first Black metro columnist at Tribune’s Hampton Roads Daily Press in Newport News, VA where he was affectionately named “Wil.The.Beast,” by readers. His provocative commentaries also appeared in newspapers such as the Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun and Philadelphia Daily News, the Norfolk New Journal and Guide. He also led Mix Magazine, Virginia’s first multicultural print, online and television product of The Virginian-Pilot Media and covered the historic Presidential election of Barack Obama.
Educator
During his media career, Dr. LaVeist has also been a professor at institutions including Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Hampton University’s Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications and the University of Maryland Global Campus.
Education
Dr. LaVeist is an alumnus of The Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, the University of Arizona Graduate School of Journalism, and Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia where he earned a Ph.D. in English: Technology and Media Studies. His research interest is in how to accomplish culturally competent communications via online. Wil is also a graduate of the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education, Tufts University’s Digital Health, and the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
Entrepreneur
Through LaVeist Enterprises (LELLC), Wil consultants with science, tech, health, and faith-based organizations in the areas of media, marketing, and internal/ external communications. LELLC also engages in tech startup ventures and multimedia publishing projects such as documentaries. Dr. LaVeist is available for speaking engagements.