This is Brian Boyer's résumé.
I began my career as a technologist and became a leader of software teams. But I wanted to do more to help people. So, I ditched the tech startups and found a new career in journalism.
It’s been a decade since I made the switch, and I believe my unusual experience has provided a helpful perspective on the many challenges we face.
Work
Chief Product Officer
Chicago Reader (2024-present)
It's awesome to get to work on a product that has been so important to me for so much of my life, and where we all love Chicago. Feels like home.
Consultant and coach
Independent (2019-present)
I've developed and taught a masters course in analytics for the NewStart program at WVU, led CMS migrations with Reveal and VTDigger, coached local startup newsrooms with LION Publishers and the National Trust for Local News, and helped design the Campaigns feature of Newspack. And I've had the opportunity to help with product, analytics, and membership efforts at many other small, usually local, usually non-profit newsrooms. It's been a fun few years.
Steering Committee Member
News Product Alliance (2020-2021)
We're building the first professional community for product people working in the news. Join us!
Chief Product Officer, Interim
Hearken (2019)
Hearken asked me to join their team for the summer of 2019. I implemented product and project management best practices, role and goal setting tools, and coached the team on inter- and intra-team communications – the stuff you've gotta do to have a happy and healthy team.
I interviewed current and potential customers, established a product roadmap based on their needs, and lead the implementation of a robust system for tracking analytics and measuring the success of what we built. Fun!
VP, Product and People
Spirited Media (2017-2019)
Spirited Media created a new model for sustainable city journalism. Shortly after joining, I led the launch of membership programs in our three cities — including everything from coordinating our messaging, measuring success, and leading the design and development of our website, emails, and every other audience touchpoint.
Since we were a scrappy young company, I also led a wide range of HR and operations efforts, including goal setting, measuring success, employee on- and off-boarding, IT and OPSEC, knowledge management, and otherwise supporting team management and success.
Senior Supervising Editor, Visuals
NPR (2012-2016)
I was hired to build a newsroom development team, but we soon merged with the multimedia team to form Visuals. We made all kinds of special things on the web, including NPR’s elections, books and music projects, as well as bespoke story presentations — all the while serving as the newsroom’s service desks for photo, video, data and graphics.
We believed strongly in user-centered design, evidence-driven decision making, and sharing what we learned.
Grant Recipient and Leader
The Carebot (2016) and PANDA Project (2011)
The Carebot is a prototype for a better way to create, measure and communicate meaningful analytics for newsrooms, built with help from a Knight Foundation grant.
PANDA is a newsroom data library, also built with help from a Knight Foundation grant. It is currently in use at dozens of news organizations worldwide.
News Applications Editor
Chicago Tribune (2009-2012)
Chicago Tribune hired me to start their first newsroom development team. We built the Tribune’s elections, crime and schools products, and worked with reporters on data journalism and investigations. We designed and built a number of news properties, including ChicagoNow, TribLocal (now defunct) and Hoy Chicago. Our team became the model for many newsroom development shops: releasing open-source code, blogging about our methods, and working for the newsroom — not the IT department.
Intern
ProPublica (2009)
I was the first intern on the news applications team at ProPublica. I helped the team implement best practices for software development, and wrote some pretty fun code and stories.
Co-Founder, Software Architect
Daixo (2006-2007)
Daixo was an effort to build an awesome electronic medical records system designed for small, private practices. I led software development and marketing until leaving to pursue my master's degree.
Director of Product Development and Senior Software Architect
SAVO Group (2005-2006)
I led all aspects of the product development process at SAVO. This included architecture, APIs and interoperability, and automated testing, as well as creation of coding standards and best practices. Organizationally, I led the creation and implementation of new practices in project management, hiring and knowledge sharing.
Software Architect
kCura (2001-2005)
I was the first employee at kCura, where I learned the craft of software development. We created desktop, server and web applications, and worked in both consulting and product development. We were early adopters in many technologies and processes, including advanced source control, automated testing procedures, and Agile development methodologies.
Consultant
Lante (2000-2001)
Lante was a dot-com consultancy that went belly-up as the bubble burst, just as I was getting started there.
Education
Master of Science: Journalism
Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University
I was one of the first two students enrolled in a Knight-funded program to bring experienced software developers into journalism. At Medill, I learned the craft of reporting, and for our final project, prototyped a set of alternative commenting models for online news — some of which are now commonplace.
Bachelor of Science: Computer Science, Minor: Technology and Management
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
I studied computer science at UIUC, but spent most of my time in the ceramics studio. Unfortunately, engineers were forbidden from minoring in art, so I instead studied in the brand-new Technology and Management program, a sort of a mini-MBA for undergraduates.
You in?
Let's talk! I’d love to learn more about your team, and your vision for the future.