Danielle McKinney is a journalism graduate of California State University, Sacramento, who began her career in community news and nonprofit communications.

She currently serves as executive director of the California Press Foundation, where she leads statewide efforts to strengthen journalism education and support emerging newsroom talent.

Raised in the rural Sierra Nevada Foothills, Danielle experienced firsthand the power of local news as a tool for connecting people and shaping civic understanding. She works to advance equity in media by building meaningful partnerships and developing funding pathways that support storytelling, education and community engagement.