Our Board

The five-member governing board of the Suncoast Searchlight consists of veteran journalists, a media attorney and a retired corporate executive. They meet regularly to provide guidance and oversight of our operations.

They are:

Keith Woods is the chief diversity officer at NPR, where he leads efforts to enhance diversity in the organization’s audience, content, and staffing and serves as a resource for NPR leadership, staff, and public radio leaders from more than 260 member stations nationwide.

Before joining NPR, Keith was dean of faculty at The Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he taught for 15 years on topics including reporting, ethics, covering race relations and personal essay writing. A co-author of The Authentic Voice: The Best Reporting on Race and Ethnicity, Keith has conducted workshops nationwide to deepen understanding of diversity in journalism.

A New Orleans native, Keith graduated from Dillard University and Tulane University’s School of Social Work. Before his teaching career, he spent 16 years at the New Orleans Times-Picayune as a sportswriter, news reporter, city editor, columnist and editorial writer.

Kelly McBride is the senior vice president and chair of the Craig Newmark Center for Ethics and Leadership at The Poynter Institute based in St. Petersburg, Florida. In this role, she helps news organizations adopt best practices to serve citizens, build trust, and strengthen democracy.

Kelly also serves as NPR’s Public Editor, where she and her team engage with audience feedback and ensure NPR stays true to its mission of serving the American public.

Previously, Kelly was a newspaper reporter at The Spokesman-Review, covering crime and religion. She has also served as a public editor at ESPN and co-edited The New Ethics of Journalism: Guiding Principles for the 21st Century, a guide to navigating ethical challenges in modern journalism.

A trusted voice in the field, McBride continues to shape the future of ethical journalism. She lives with her family in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Chris Davis is the deputy investigations editor for The New York Times’ Local Investigative Reporting Fellowship, a role in which he helps local journalists across the country produce signature investigative work focused on the state or region in which they’re based. That work is then published in The New York Times, as well as by local media outlets.

Prior to joining The New York Times, Chris was the executive editor and vice president of investigations for Gannett and USA TODAY, where he oversaw national investigations, as well as those across the media company’s chain of more than 150 local newsrooms.

Chris came to Gannett from the Tampa Bay Times, where, as investigations editor, he led the staff to win three Pulitzer Prizes. Before the Tampa Bay Times, he was investigations editor at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, which had also won a Pulitzer Prize and twice been named a finalist during his tenure.

Carol LoCicero is the managing partner of Thomas & LoCicero’s Tampa office and a nationally recognized authority in media law. She represents clients in trial and appellate courts, focusing on defamation, privacy, public records, court access, and First Amendment issues. Known for her expertise, Carol frequently speaks at national and statewide conferences and leads advocacy efforts on media law matters, including Florida’s anti-SLAPP law and court access. She provides pre- and post-publication guidance for investigative journalism and addresses challenges in newsgathering and technology.

In addition to media law, Carol is experienced in marketing, web law, and intellectual property. She manages trademark portfolios, oversees enforcement programs, and handles complex litigation for corporations. Her published cases reflect her deep impact on the field.

Carol is a Past Chair of the First Amendment Foundation’s Board of Trustees. She co-chairs the Media Law Resource Center’s Litigation Committee and serves on the ABA Forum on Communications Law governing committee. Beyond her legal work, she coordinates End 68 Hours of Hunger – Tampa, combating childhood hunger, and is active in Hyde Park Presbyterian Church. A dedicated advocate and community leader, Carol combines professional excellence with a commitment to service.

Sam Scott III is the retired Chairman, President, and CEO of Corn Products International, Inc. (now Ingredion), a global leader in food ingredients. With a distinguished career in corporate leadership, he has also served on the boards of major organizations, including BNY Mellon, where he chaired the Corporate Governance, Nominating, and Social Responsibility Committee, as well as Motorola Solutions,where he served as Lead Director, Abbott Laboratories, and GCM Grosvenor, where he serves as Lead Director. Sam remains active in civic and educational initiatives, serving on the boards of Ringling College of Art and Design, and Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation. He is a former board member of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, The Northwestern Memorial Medical Group, Chicago Urban League, World Business Chicago, and Chicago Sister Cities International, where he served as Chairman.

A native of Jersey City, New Jersey, Sam earned a bachelor’s degree in Engineering and an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Longtime snowbirds, Sam and his wife now reside full-time in Sarasota and Longboat Key, Florida, where Sam continues to contribute his expertise to organizations that drive innovation and community development.