Julie Makinen named CEO and publisher of Embarcadero Media Foundation

Julie Makinen has been appointed as the incoming CEO and publisher of the Embarcadero Media Foundation, the nonprofit parent organization of The Almanac and The Weekly. The announcement was made by foundation board chair Bill Johnson.

Makinen is a veteran news executive with over three decades of experience. Her career includes roles as a reporter, editor, and executive editor at major outlets such as the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and International New York Times. Most recently, she served as the editor-in-chief of the San Francisco Standard.

Her previous leadership roles include serving as executive editor of the Desert Sun in Palm Springs, where she oversaw nine Gannett publications in California and helped negotiate the paper’s first editorial labor agreement in 2024. Makinen is scheduled to begin her new role at Embarcadero on October 19.