By Megan Rowe | Falcon Media
In the constantly changing world of media and communications, Bowling Green State University (BGSU) alumna Nancy Nussbaum steadily climbed the ranks to become a Senior Director of Global Customer Communications at none other than the Associated Press (AP) News.
“I’ve always said that the AP is the best job in journalism. It’s the biggest stories in the world,” said Nancy.
As a seasoned journalist, Nancy is familiar with the challenges and rewards of working in the media landscape. During her time at BGSU, she was a part of the BG News staff and also DJed with her husband Rob at WFAL. After graduating in ‘86, she began her career as a copy editor at The Chronicle-Telegram in Elyria, Ohio.
“[The Chronicle-Telegram] is what really opened doors for me because everyone likes a byline but it’s harder to find good editors,” says Nancy.
After her time at the Chronicle-Telegram, she made the move to New Orleans to work for the (New Orleans) Times-Picayune as a makeup editor/copy editor, and in 1992, she joined the AP as a newsperson. Since joining the AP, she has held multiple positions such as broadcast editor, news editor for Ohio, Assistant Bureau Chief for Ohio and Michigan, Director/Training & Engagement, Global Director of Engagement, Senior Director of Global Engagement and most recently, the Senior Director of Global Customer Communications.
“AP makes you a utility player and the rush is that we’re always covering the biggest stories of the day across the globe, so we always say we’re the first draft of history and you’re there witnessing it,” said Nancy.
Because the AP is known for its factual and unbiased reporting, Nancy has the responsibility to emphasize that in her work. She explains her new role as Senior Director of Global Customer Communications is versatile, involving news, informational webinars for customers, and more.
The AP has been the lead organization for counting US elections since 1848, making elections an important aspect of Nancy’s job and the 2024 election is already keeping her busy. She explained that after going through an election during the Covid-19 pandemic, a significant amount of the public feels a sense of distrust in US elections.
“There is a lot of misinformation out there that elections aren’t valid and it’s our job to communicate that elections may be messy but if it takes a while for the votes to be counted, it doesn’t mean that there is something nefarious going on,” says Nancy.
To get a foot in the door at AP, Nancy stressed having multimedia journalism skills is crucial.
“It’s important to be very versatile,” she said. “You have to be able to write for a broadcast, shoot video, take pictures, even if it’s just on your phone.”