The media has always been critical for releasing information to the masses and keeping people informed on what’s happening in the world around them. Over the years, this has often centered around hard-hitting publications like “The New York Times” or “The Washington Post.”
By contrast, magazine media, especially of the pop-cultural or women’s focused variety, historically wasn’t viewed as a true example of investigative journalism. These outlets often shied away from tackling tough topics like birth control, gun control, women’s rights and more. But as mediums continue to evolve, many publications have had to change too.
The print world had to adapt both in terms of topics and mediums to maintain relevance and profitability — but not all publications were capable of doing that effectively. The ones that did had smart leaders at the helm who knew how to pivot to meet the needs of an ever-changing digital-first landscape.
Elaine Welteroth is a visionary in the publishing and media space, proving time and again that she has what it takes to lead top tier platforms. This renowned editor, author, and television host proves time and again that she’s forward-thinking and able to predict shifting trends to the benefit of any publication or platform she leads.
Elaine Gets Her Start in Media
Elaine Welteroth is a West Coast girl at heart who hails from Newark, California but also lived in Fremont. In 2004, she graduated from Newark Memorial High School before continuing to Sacramento State University. There she graduated in 2007 with a major in mass communications and media studies and a minor in journalism.
While in college, Welteroth secured an internship at powerhouse publicity firm Ogilvy & Mather and then later served as a producer after showing that persistence is the secret ingredient every go-getter needs. She shared that she didn’t just send a query to the then editor-in-chief of “Ebony” magazine, Harriette Cole, requesting an informational interview. But to further show her desire to work for the famed publication, Elaine also sent emails and placed several calls with Cole’s assistant.
From Intern to Editor
Her persistence paid off since Cole chose to fly Welteroth out as an unpaid intern to work under the editor-in-chief. From assisting on cover shoots with Serena Williams and beyond, Elaine eventually became Harriette Cole’s official assistant. Later, she was promoted to the Beauty & Style Editor at “Ebony”, a position she held between 2008 and 2011.
The “Teen Vogue” Years
After her time at “Ebony”, Welteroth moved to another titan in the publishing industry, Condé Nast where she began as a Beauty & Style editor at “Glamour” magazine in 2011. After a promotion to the Senior Beauty Editor position, she shifted within the portfolio to become the Beauty & Health Director at “Teen Vogue” in 2012.
She was the first African-American to hold that position and most notably pushed for a more inclusive approach to beauty. Specifically, she tackled topics like the growing influence of the natural hair movement, which was just gaining widespread momentum around this time.
By 2016, Elaine took over Amy Astley’s position as editor-in-chief — making her the second person of African American heritage to hold that position at Condé Nast, and the second-youngest person to hold that role at just 29 years old.
Even as the Beauty & Health Director at “Teen Vogue”, Welteroth also adopted a multipronged approach to media and publishing which allowed the publication to reach a broader audience. She focused on expanding “Teen Vogue”’s social presence with behind the scenes content from photoshoots, London and New York Fashion Week coverage, and even incorporating content from her personal life.
One of the most notable parts of Elaine’s time at “Teen Vogue’s” helm is how she reshaped the magazine’s coverage. She expanded the brand by venturing beyond typical “teen-friendly” topics like fashion and dating to embracing politics and social activism especially during the 2016 presidential election cycle. Other bold choices included inviting celebrity guest editors like Yara Shahidi, having American actress Zendaya Coleman interviewing former First Lady Michelle Obama, launching the “Teen Vogue” Book Club, and encouraging celebrity takeovers of “Teen Vogue’s” social accounts.
Welteroth’s digital-360 approach was reflective and adaptive of the fact that “Teen Vogue” stopped printing actual magazines in 2017 and shifted to a digital-only model (which is the norm these days in publishing). During this time, she also worked to boost “Teen Vogue’s” YouTube channel and even targeted intercultural topics such as Black nepotism.
In short, Welteroth worked to make “Teen Vogue” more inclusive and relatable, words that aren’t usually used to describe the publication’s older sibling “Vogue” magazine. The writing world also took notice of Elaine Welteroth’s fresh approach to running a major publication and how she deftly expanded the “Teen Vogue” brand by boosting its relevance across demographics while also emerging as a beacon of investigative journalism that was unafraid to ask the hard questions.
During her tenure at “Teen Vogue”, Welteroth received countless accolades for her achievements with the publication. In particular, she was recognized by The Root as 47th on the title’s list of 100 influential African Americans in 2016 and later as one of the BBC’s 100 women of 2017.
Life Beyond “Teen Vogue”
While Elaine enjoyed her time at “Teen Vogue”, she also recognized that there were other passions she wanted to pursue. In January 2018, she decided it was time to step down from “Teen Vogue”. Shortly after, she signed with CAA, a talent agency, and began appearing occasionally as a public speaker. She also has several acting credits, having appeared on popular broadcast and cable television shows such as “Black-ish”, “Grown-ish”, and “Insecure.”
Elaine Becomes an Award-Winning Author
After a storied career (that’s still not over), Elaine was ready to pen her memoir. In 2019, she released “More Than Enough: Claiming Space for Who You Are (No Matter What They Say)” which was published by Viking. It became a bestseller on “The New York Times” and was also recognized for the 2020 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work — Biography/Autobiography. The book not only took an honest look at her personal and professional life, but also shared insights Welteroth learned along the way.
“Project Runway” and “The Talk”
Even though Elaine stepped away from publishing, her time at “Ebony” and “Teen Vogue” made her a natural fit as a celebrity judge on “Project Runway” in 2018 when the series returned to Bravo. Not only was she a judge on the show, but she also served as an associate producer. She went on to co-host on “The Talk” in 2020, replacing former co-host and rapper, Eve.
The Future is Bright for Elaine Welteroth
At just 37 years old, Elaine Welteroth’s resume is impressive, and the proof is in the legacy she’s left behind at just “Teen Vogue” alone. The media maven, author, and television host understands storytelling and how to captivate an audience. The only question now is how she will continue to weave her influence in the media landscape.
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