MediaShift
2026 NABJ Reception

Errin Haines

Errin Haines is an award-winning journalist and a leading voice at the intersection of race, politics and gender in America. She is the editor-at-large and a founding mother of The 19th, an independent nonprofit newsroom that aims to elevate the voices of women, people of color and the LGBTQ+ community in American journalism and democracy. Haines is also a political contributor on MSNBC. 

Prior to joining The 19th, Haines worked at the Associated Press, The Washington Post, the Orlando Sentinel, the Los Angeles Times and the Atlanta Daily World. Her work has been featured in publications including Time, Politico and The Philadelphia Inquirer. Haines’ coverage spans the White House, Congress, campaigns and grassroots movements — with a sharp focus on how policy impacts Black women and marginalized communities.

Her expertise on issues of race, gender and politics make her a sought-after thought leader in her industry. Haines was a visiting professor at the Georgetown University Institute of Politics and Public Service and Princeton University, teaching classes on Black women and democracy. She has served as a leader, mentor and advocate for newsroom equity throughout her career.

Haines is currently writing a book on Black political leadership in Atlanta and the legacy of the city’s Black mayors. Whether in print, on air or on stage, she is known for telling the truth with empathy, urgency and unmatched clarity.

Tirrell D. Whittley

Tirrell D. Whittley is an entrepreneur, media executive, and filmmaker who built one of the country's most influential cultural marketing agencies from the ground up.

After graduating cum laude from Florida A&M University with a B.S. in Accounting, Whittley launched his career in information technology at Lyondell Chemicals in Houston, Texas, before rising to become an executive at SAP America, Inc., one of the world's premier enterprise software companies. While building that corporate career, he was quietly laying the groundwork for something bigger.

In 2001, he founded LIQUID SOUL, a full-service, culturally driven marketing and advertising agency now headquartered in Atlanta with offices in Los Angeles and Dallas. The agency's client roster reads like a who's who of American business: Disney, AT&T, Walmart, Amazon, Warner Bros., ESPN, HBO, and NBCUniversal. Under his leadership, LIQUID SOUL has supported marketing campaigns for more than 300 feature films that collectively grossed over $3 billion at the box office including Black Panther, Guardians of the Galaxy, Girls Trip, 42: The Jackie Robinson Story, and Hunger Games: Catching Fire. That work includes 35+ films that opened at #1 and seven (7) Academy Award-winning campaigns.

His passion for storytelling also took him behind the camera. As a filmmaker, Whittley executive produced COPWATCH, which premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, and produced the critically acclaimed Aretha Franklin documentary Amazing Grace, for which he received a 2019 NAACP Image Award. He is the Executive Producer of the feature film Brian Banks, starring Morgan Freeman and Aldis Hodge. Whittley produced the independent film Waterboyz, starring Quavo, La La Anthony, and Omar J. Dorsey which won Best Director at the 2025 American Black Film Festival (ABFF) and executive produced Little Brother, starring Daniel Diemer and J.K. Simmons that won the top Audience Award at the 2025 Atlanta Film Festival.  He is a member of both the Producers Guild of America and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Whittley is a sought-after speaker, regularly giving talks on entrepreneurship, leadership, branding, and marketing. He has been recognized by numerous organizations for his achievements, including being named as Atlanta Business League’s “Entrepreneur of the Year”.

A cum laude graduate of Florida A&M University and life-member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., member of the 100 Black Men of Atlanta, and Vice-Chairman of the FAMU Foundation. Whittley sits on several other boards and is an ordained deacon. He is married to his college sweetheart with two adult daughters.

— Tirrell D. Whittley