KENDALL TRAMMELL.

Kendall Trammell is a digital news leader focused on finding and cultivating audiences wherever they are on the internet. She is CNN's Director of Distribution & Weekend Programming. Based in Atlanta, Trammell and her two teams collaborate with editorial, product and data partners to create multi-platform programming plans around the organization's most premium journalism, distinctive storytelling and engaging products.

 

Trammell previously was the senior producer who led weekend planning and programming for CNN Digital. She guided teams of producers creating sharp frames into the day's top news through headlines, alerts and social posts that appear on and off CNN's platforms. She has covered some of the world’s most pivotal moments, including Israel launching war against Hamas, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, the protests that followed George Floyd’s death and the global response to Covid-19. Her work in breaking news, audience development and content strategy led to CNN's audience records, including reaching highs on mobile.

 

Also a content creator, Trammell has years of experience reporting on both culture and news. She launched CNN's first entertainment newsletter Pop Life Chronicles and guest hosted the cable network's digital show Pop Life Pop Off. Trammell is frequently tapped for brainstorming, planning and executing innovative ways for news outlets to engage with next generation audiences, such as experimenting with hooks on TikTok.

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Trammell was one of the 26 journalism changemakers in the Online News Association's 2023 Women's Leadership Accelerator. Selected applicants received leadership training as they work to create change that will advance the digital journalism landscape. Trammell is known for exploring ways to continue to improve newsroom workflows and better support journalists as they serve communities around the world. She cites open communication and feedback for achieving these key results.

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Trammell was a Cablefax Thrivers Under 30 honoree, a list recognizing young senior leaders for their creativity and commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in the workplace. She partners with executives to go beyond creating forums for voices to be heard and equip people with the tools and preparation needed for them to learn how to use their voices effectively and create change.

 

A 2022 Gwen Ifill Fellow, Trammell is passionate about mentorship and knowledge sharing. She coaches individuals as they discover their personal talents, unlock their potential and reach their goals. She also speaks on panels, delivers keynotes and facilitates workshops for universities, conferences and private organizations.

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Trammell graduated from the University of Georgia in 2016 and joined CNN a year later from Cox Media Group, where she developed Rare.us’ video distribution strategy across websites, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. She also produced multimedia stories, including how a Black man befriended the Ku Klux Klan, and co-hosted a video series addressing the divides among older and younger generations called Generation Gap.

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Education has always been a cornerstone in Trammell's life.

 

Trammell's mother taught her about her Vietnamese heritage. While she's not fluent in the language like her mother is, she's proud to celebrate the culture (and eat spring rolls) every day. Her father taught her the game of football. So in the fall, you can find Trammell cheering on the Dawgs and the first team she was taught to love, the Buffalo Bills. And her husband's background is in museums, which means every time they travel, they're on a cultural excursion learning all they can about the area's history.