Bruce G. Willson Jr

Bruce G. Wilson Jr. is Chief University and Foundation Relations Officer at The Conversation US, which he helped launch in 2014, following earlier careers at NBC Learn and as publisher of The Chronicle of Higher Education and The Chronicle of Philanthropy.

Org The Conversation US Role Chief University & Foundation Relations Officer

Notable work and positions

The Conversation US — Chief University and Foundation Relations Officer
NBC Learn (NBC News) — former Director of Higher Education
The Chronicle of Higher Education & The Chronicle of Philanthropy — former Publisher (2003–2009)

Biography

Bruce G. Wilson Jr. has spent his career at the intersection of academic leadership and media. He served as publisher of The Chronicle of Higher Education and The Chronicle of Philanthropy from 2003 to 2009, and subsequently worked as Director of Higher Education at NBC Learn, a division of NBC News. In October 2014, Wilson helped launch The Conversation US, the American edition of the nonprofit news publisher that pairs academic experts with professional editors; at launch, the U.S. operation was hosted by Boston University with an editorial team led by Margaret Drain, formerly of WGBH, while Wilson headed the organization's development and university relations efforts.

Wilson's role at The Conversation US expanded in the years following its launch. Speaking at a Darien, Connecticut, nonprofit event in September 2018, he was described as co-CEO of the organization; by 2020 and 2021 he held the titles of Chief Innovation Officer and Chief Innovation and Development Officer, respectively, discussing with university communicators and academic audiences how to expand The Conversation's network of member institutions and turn scholarly research into publicly accessible journalism. He currently serves as Chief University and Foundation Relations Officer, a role in which he continues the fundraising and partnership-building work he began at the organization's founding, having played a central role in raising the majority of its funding from universities and foundations.

Career highlights

1. Launch of The Conversation US, 2014Helped establish the U.S. edition of the nonprofit news network, leading development and university relations from its founding at Boston University.

2. Founding University Partners announcement, 2016Co-authored the announcement welcoming 19 U.S. research universities as founding partners of The Conversation US.

3. Publisher, The Chronicle of Higher Education and The Chronicle of Philanthropy, 2003–2009Led the publishing operations of the two Washington, D.C.-based academic and nonprofit-sector trade publications.