Manny García is the Knight Foundation’s founding Executive Director of the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media at Florida International University. In his new role, Manny will help shape and guide the school’s long-term vision, academic strategy and develop external partnerships - driving a bold, innovative direction to journalism at FIU.
Manny, a graduate of FIU, is a nationally recognized newsroom leader whose career has been defined by transformational leadership, groundbreaking journalism, and a deep commitment to mentoring the next generation of journalists. Over more than three decades, he has steered some of the nation’s most influential newsrooms, earning Pulitzer Prizes, national Edward R. Murrow Awards and the Benjamin C. Bradlee Editor of the Year distinction.
Most recently, García served as Editor in Chief of Houston Landing, where he led award-winning daily and enterprise and investigative reporting, from Houston to Mexico. Under his leadership, the nonprofit newsroom created coverage partnerships, funding streams to support beat reporting, and produced two finalists for the prestigious Livingston Award.
From 2021 to 2024, García was Executive Editor of the Austin American-Statesman. There, he directed nationally acclaimed coverage of the Uvalde school tragedy that was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist and earned duPont-Columbia, Murrow, and Taylor Family awards. During this tenure, he co-founded the García-Silva Leadership Academy to mentor and elevate journalists.
Previously, García helped launch the ProPublica–Texas Tribune Investigative Initiative, overseeing investigations that reshaped accountability in the state. At Gannett, he served as Senior Director of Standards and Ethics, where he shaped industry-leading coverage protocols and eliminated exploitative content practices. He previously managed more than 50 newsrooms as the East Region Editor for the USA TODAY Network.
Earlier in his career, García was Executive Editor of The Naples Daily News. He also served as Editor and General Manager of el Nuevo Herald, championing bilingual journalism and leading Pulitzer-finalist coverage. As an editor at The Miami Herald, he helped guide Pulitzer-winning projects in local reporting and photography. As a Herald reporter, his projects changed Florida law, led to the convictions of public officials and helped free an innocent man from life in prison.
Beyond the newsroom, García has been a driving force in journalism’s professional community. He serves on the board of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and is past-president of Investigative Reporters & Editors. His mentorship has opened doors for countless journalists worldwide.
García’s honors include the IRE Ring of Honor, reporting on two Pulitzer Prizes, the Goldsmith Prize, and recognition on POLITICO’s Power List. Born in Havana, Cuba, and raised in Miami, Manny is a distinguished alumnus of FIU and of Miami Dade College.
Throughout his career, García has dedicated himself to paying it forward by helping others. His leadership continues to shape the future of the profession he has championed for 35 years.