Bill Keller

Bill Keller
Name	Bill Keller
Birth date	18 January 1949
Birth place	Pasadena, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Pomona College (B.A.)
Occupation	Journalist, editor, columnist
Known for	Executive editor of The New York Times, Columnist for The Marshall Project
Spouse	Emma Gilbey Keller (m. 1993)

Bill Keller. An American journalist and editor who served as the executive editor of The New York Times from 2003 to 2011, a period marked by significant digital transformation and major investigative reporting. He previously worked as a foreign correspondent and won a Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Following his tenure at the *Times*, he became a columnist and the founding editor-in-chief of the nonprofit news organization The Marshall Project, focusing on criminal justice.

Early life and education

Born in Pasadena, California, he is the son of George M. Keller, a former chairman of the Chevron Corporation. He attended Pomona College in Claremont, California, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1970. During his college years, he worked for the student newspaper, the *Student Life*, and developed an early interest in journalism and political affairs.

Journalism career

He began his professional journalism career in 1970 as a reporter for the *Oregonian* in Portland, Oregon. In 1979, he joined the Congressional Quarterly in Washington, D.C., covering the United States Congress and national politics. His work there led to a position with the Dallas Times Herald in 1982, where he served as a national correspondent based in the White House press corps, reporting on the administration of President Ronald Reagan.

The New York Times tenure

He joined the staff of The New York Times in 1984, initially serving as a domestic correspondent. He was soon appointed the newspaper's bureau chief in Johannesburg, covering the final years of apartheid in South Africa. In 1989, he became the Moscow bureau chief, and his insightful reporting on the collapse of the Soviet Union earned him the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting in 1992. He later served as the newspaper's foreign editor and managing editor before being named executive editor in 2003, succeeding Howell Raines. His tenure oversaw the launch of significant digital initiatives, the publication of the Pentagon Papers-inspired series on warrantless NSA surveillance, and the paper's adaptation to the challenges of the Internet age, while also navigating controversies such as the Jayson Blair scandal.

Post-New York Times career

After stepping down as executive editor in 2011, he became a regular columnist for the *Times* Op-Ed page, writing on politics and media. In 2014, he became the founding editor-in-chief of The Marshall Project, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to covering the American criminal justice system. Under his leadership, the organization won numerous awards, including a Pulitzer Prize for explanatory reporting. He has also been a contributor to publications like *The New Yorker* and served on the board of the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Personal life

He married British journalist Emma Gilbey Keller in 1993. The couple has three children and resides in New York City. His wife is a former columnist for *The Guardian* and the author of several books. He has been involved in various civic and journalistic organizations and has occasionally been a subject of media scrutiny himself, particularly regarding family-related columns.

Awards and recognition

His career honors include the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting for his work in the Soviet Union. Under his leadership as executive editor, *The New York Times* won numerous Pulitzer Prizes, including the 2009 award for public service for reports on Wall Street practices. He received the George Polk Award for career achievement in 2012. The Marshall Project won a Pulitzer Prize during his tenure as editor-in-chief, and he has been awarded honorary degrees from institutions including Bard College and the University of Michigan.

Category:American journalists Category:Pulitzer Prize winners Category:The New York Times people