BenitoLink Executive Director Leslie David received recent recognition in an article titled “14 Local News Leaders Who Are Shining Examples To The Field.”

The Medium article by Mark Glaser, a consultant and journalist with the Knight Foundation and MediaShift, examines fourteen successful nonprofits throughout the United States. The article features acknowledgements from Sue Cross, executive director and CEO of the Institute for Nonprofit News.

“Leslie David has done remarkable things,” Cross said. “She shows how an entrepreneurial news leader can serve and inspire support for strong community news. BenitoLink’s coverage has earned both financial and civic support. It pulls people together across ethnic groups, the political spectrum, town life and ranch life.”

David commented on the recognition.

“It is great for a little nonprofit like BenitoLink to be credited on a national level and to hear about other local nonprofits that are also succeeding in a difficult news climate. Studies are showing that there is more reader trust on a local level than in the large markets. This article looks at the leaders behind news sites that are really out there serving neighborhoods and distinct communities,” she said. “Knight Foundation and Institute for Nonprofit News deserve a lot of credit for this because the’ve been working day in and day out to rebuild news around the country. They aren’t just focused on high quality journalism, but on business models and re-training journalists to understand revenue streams and survival as a business.”

“We feel deeply connected to the communities of San Benito County and try our best to include every regional, economic and cultural segment in our reporting over time,” BenitoLink board member Lois Locci said. “Sure we’ve a long way to go, but we are joined by other similar news sites throughout the United States making their way into and through the new media environments. We are all, together, defining a new industry. We are extremely proud of Leslie and the team she leads.”