Welcoming Tanya Haider to FERN’s board

By Tom Laskawy

FERN is in a phase of growth and evolution to meet the changing media landscape for food and environmental journalism.

We are fortunate to announce that Tanya Haider has agreed to join FERN’s Board of Directors, giving our organization the benefit of her years of business strategy experience in media, education, and nonprofits.

Tanya comes to the board as the founder of Seaview Advisory, working with media and ed-tech start-ups to scale and grow their businesses. She focuses on helping these companies find product market fit, build strategic partnerships, and develop their fundraising strategies. Before that, she was the chief strategy officer and head of impact research at Sesame Workshop. She also managed Sesame Ventures, a fund that seeds media and education technology start-ups. She is currently an adjunct professor at Rutgers University’s School of Communication and Information, teaching a class on Media Management and Strategy.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Tanya to FERN’s Board of Directors,” said FERN’s Board Chair Nathaniel Brown. “With her deep expertise in strategy, media, and education—and a remarkable track record of driving impact at organizations like Sesame Workshop—Tanya brings a unique and powerful perspective to our work. Her passion for innovation, education, and social good aligns perfectly with FERN’s mission, and we’re excited for the insight and energy she’ll bring to our board.”

We look forward to Tanya’s contribution at FERN, which will help our organization formulate new ways of engaging with our audience and making it grow. The only constant in media is change, and FERN needs skilled and smart leadership to ensure our ongoing stability and to identify new opportunities.

Tanya shared, “I am delighted for the opportunity to serve on the FERN Board of Directors. In today’s rapidly shifting media world, the importance of independent, fact-based journalism has never been higher, especially in the area of food and the environment. I look forward to working with the FERN team to ensure they continue to build and expand on their powerful legacy of impact.”

It is through the expertise of committed and accomplished people like Tanya that FERN will position itself to maintain and expand its impact in the years to come. We can’t wait for her to get started.