RTDNA head Shelley to retire at end of 2025

Dan Shelly, the president and CEO of the Radio Television Digital News Association, has announced he will retire after 25 years with the organization.

“It has been the honor of my career to serve broadcast and digital journalists through my roles at RTDNA,” Shelley said in a statement. “Throughout my travels around the world on behalf of our association, I have been heartened to see the insatiable thirst for truth and transparency among people even in autocratic societies. During my travels around this country – in the U.S. and state capitols, at journalism schools and professional conferences, and with the general public – I have proudly been a standard bearer for those same principles.

In addition to his 25 years leading the organization, Shelley has been a member of the group for about 40 years. He has also served on the board since 2000, including a term as board chair from 2005 to 2006.

The organized hired him as executive director in 2017, later moving into the spot of president and CEO.

Prior to shifting to the organization, Shelley worked at iHeart Media, Urban One, as well as a news director, executive producer and reporter in several markets. His experience spanned radio, television and interactive mediums. 

“Now, though, after 45 years working tirelessly, day after day, I have decided it’s time for a new generation of RTDNA staff leaders to finish building our association’s bridge to the ever-changing landscape of what our business will be in the future,” Shelley noted.

RTDNA Executive Director Tara Puckey will succeed Shelley effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Puckey has more than a decade of experience leading journalism associations. She first joined RTDNA in 2018 as director of strategic initiatives before becoming chief staff officer in 2020, according to the organization’s announcement. Before RTDNA, she held several leadership roles at the Society of Professional Journalists.

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“I’ve spent most of my career serving the inspiring journalists who work each and every day to hold the powerful accountable and tell the stories of their communities,” Puckey said in the announcement. “It’s an incredible honor to take the torch from Dan — and a challenge because of the standard of excellence he set — but I am thrilled to continue this work with the smart and talented RTDNA staff and leadership.”

“Dan’s commitment to journalism is truly inspiring,” said Sheryl Worsley, Chair of RTDNA’s Board of Directors. “When Dan talks about the rights of journalists, he always underscores that these rights exist so that journalists can better serve their communities. He’s driven by a mission to improve journalism so that journalism can improve the lives of all citizens. That calling has made RTDNA one of the most respected organizations fighting on behalf of journalists everywhere. What a remarkable legacy.”

RTDNA traces its roots to the National Association of Radio News Editors, which was first proposed in the summer 1946. After a convention later that year, the name of the group was changed to the National Association of Radio News Directors. 

It switched its name to Radio-Television News Directors Association, or RTNDA, in 1952 in order to include professionals from the television industry. It also opted to remove the word “National” from its name to be more welcoming to members from countries outside the U.S.

In 2009, the organization changed its name again to the present-day Radio Television Digital News Association, or RTDNA, a change that removed the reference to “news directors,” which became simply “news,” and the addition of “digital.” Both changes were made to expand the appeal of the organization to include more newsroom personnel while also becoming inclusive to digital journalism organizations.

The name change notably involved flipping the “N” and “D” in the organization’s initialism.

The organization provides advocacy and resources for journalists as well as maintaining a code of ethics and its own annual convention. It is also known for its efforts to protect First Amendment rights, particularly those that support freedom of the press and speech. 

It also runs several journalism scholarship and fellowship programs as well as administering several awards programs.

These include the Edward R. Murrow Awards for achievement in electronic journalism, a diversity awards slate called Kaleidoscope, the Paul White lifetime achievement award, a distinguish service award and the First Amendment Awards. It also works with the National Endowment for Financial Education on a personal finance reporting honor and Gannett Foundation on the Al Neuharth Award for Investigative Journalism.

It also runs its own standalone convention.

Previously, the organization partnered with NAB to co-locate this event in Las Vegas alongside NAB Show, but exited that deal in 2021. 

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