Alina Panek

Senior Associate, Local Partnerships

Alina Panek is a Chapel Hill–based development leader for nonprofit newsrooms whose time at ONA deepened her conviction that community, trust, and service aren't editorial extras but the foundation of sustainable revenue strategy.

What event or training did you attend? And what moment or insight will stay with you and why?

What will stay with me is the core lesson from every session I attended. Community, trust, and service are not just editorial extras. They are the foundation of sustainable business models.

What did you learn that shifted your perspective or will influence your work in a lasting way?

I learned that civic impact, reporting, and revenue strategy work best when built together, not in sequence. I usually translate community listening into cases for philanthropic investment. Attending ONA showed me the strongest strategy connects what communities need with what funders and partners can support and measure. Impact becomes more than a narrative. It guides every decision.

How did the Shackelford Shines Stipend open a door for you–personally or professionally?

Professionally, the stipend helped me participate fully. I could attend sessions and build relationships that move work forward. Personally, it showed me how much access matters. Being present in my hometown, reconnecting with my Chicago network, and strengthening mentor relationships did more than feel good. It expanded the professional community I rely on as I build pathways for others, especially first-generation and underrepresented talent, in newsroom revenue and sustainability work.