Eugenia Harvey named inaugural Footsteps Award winner

 

This story was originally published on UGA Today on Feb. 9, 2022.

The University of Georgia named Eugenia Harvey (ABJ ’82) as the recipient of the inaugural Footsteps Award during the university’s annual Holmes-Hunter Lecture on Tuesday, Feb. 1.

The award recognizes a UGA graduate who follows in the pioneering footsteps of Charlayne Hunter-Gault (ABJ ’63), Hamilton Holmes and Mary Frances Early, UGA’s first enrolled Black students and first Black graduate, respectively, by making a significant positive impact in human rights, race relations or education in their community.

“When I received my acceptance letter from UGA, my mother reminded me that I was following in the footsteps of those who paid the price for me to attend my desired school,” said Harvey, who graduated with a Broadcast Journalism degree. “I bring those words up from deep within my heart today as I receive the inaugural Footsteps Award from this, my university. With gratitude and purpose, I walk forward, hoping to brighten the path for those yet to come.”

Harvey serves as the Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer for The WNET Group and is part of the organization’s senior leadership team. She plays a central role in the efforts to build a more inclusive, equitable and anti-racist organization. The WNET Group is the community-supported home of New York’s THIRTEEN – America’s flagship PBS station – WLIW21, operator of New Jersey’s statewide public television network NJ PBS, and Long Island’s only NPR station WLIW-FM.

In addition to her role as Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Harvey also oversees The WNET Group’s Community Engagement team, which has partnered with thought leaders from over 400 community organizations to convene solutions-oriented discussions around systemic racism in New York City and across the country.

Harvey is also an award-winning producer, and continues to serve as Executive Producer for The WNET Group’s Chasing the Dream: Poverty & Opportunity in America, providing critical programming on poverty, opportunity and justice in America; Peril & Promise: The Challenge of Climate Change, a reporting initiative reporting on the human stories of climate change and its potential solutions; and Exploring Hate: Antisemitism, Racism and Extremism, examining the roots and rise of hate in America and across the globe.

Harvey was inducted in the Grady Fellowship in 2021.

“Eugenia brings diverse and underrepresented stories to light and diversifies the talent behind and in front of the camera,” said Yvette Daniels, president of the UGA Alumni Association board of directors. “Her impactful work promotes social justice and inspires audiences to improve the world. We are honored to call her a Bulldog and honored to name her the winner of the inaugural Footsteps Award.”

“Eugenia is such a great example of UGA alumni at their best: she went out into the world, she is excelling in her field and she is making a real difference,” said Meredith Gurley Johnson, executive director of the UGA Alumni Association. “The work she has done and will continue to do makes her a perfect choice for this first Footsteps Award.”

Harvey will be honored in Atlanta at the spring reception of The 1961 Club, a UGA giving society named for the year of desegregation at UGA and composed of donors to the university’s Black Alumni Scholarship Fund. Nominations for the 2023 Footsteps Award will open in the fall.

Fellow Profile: Eugenia Harvey (ABJ ’82)

Grady Salutes will be virtual this year. Plan to join our celebration on Facebook and YouTube at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 16.

 

 Video credit: Atlanta Image Arts

Many describe Eugenia Harvey (ABJ ’82) as a journalist who has impact as a storyteller and a legacy of connections and relationships.

“Being able to grow—whether it is moving into the digital landscape, or learning to work from home, or working with people who politically and socially disagree with you—all of that is a part of having gone to Georgia,” Harvey said.

Harvey serves as the Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer and a member of the senior leadership team at WNET, a family of PBS television and radio stations, websites and programming in New York and New Jersey. She also is an executive producer for WNET, directing the station’s major initiatives including “Chasing the Dream: Poverty & Opportunity in America and “Peril & Promise: The Challenge of Climate Change.” The “Chasing the Dream initiative was nominated for two New York Emmys in 2019 for its “Getting Off the Streets series and  for two in 2020 for its series “A Dream Deferred.”  Harvey has also served as a producer for “Race Matters: Solutions” on PBS NewsHour with Charlayne Hunter-Gault (ABJ ’63).

Prior to WNET, Harvey left an indelible mark on the world of news media as a veteran broadcast journalist on ABC News’ “PrimeTime Live” and “48 Hours” (CBS), as well as serving as an executive producer for “Third Rail with OZY,” and shows on CNN and BET.

After graduating Grady College with a degree in broadcast journalism and minors in political science and Spanish, Harvey went on to earn a master’s degree in journalism at Columbia University.

Harvey said when she entered UGA, she intended to study medicine, but while taking a journalism class with Dr. Beverly Bethune, she was mesmerized by the notion that one could make a career by being nosy. When her student broadcasting project won a prestigious Esther Award (named for Georgia Association of Broadcasting legend Esther Pruett), Harvey took that as a sign she had made the right decision.

“My degree has taken me places and shown me things and introduced me to people that I did not even know existed, and so for that I will be forever grateful for the journalism program at UGA.”

In addition to Clark, other members of the 2020 Fellowship class include Allison Ausband (ABJ ’83), Chris Clark (ABJ ’61), Carol Ramos-Helton (ABJ ’79) and Dick Helton, and Ken Woo (ABJ ’78).

 

Editor’s Note: The Fellowship induction, along with recognition of the 2020 Alumni Awards recipients, will take place virtually on April 16, 2021 at 7 p.m. on our YouTube and Facebook pages. Visit our Grady Salutes webpage for the latest updates.

 

2020 Grady Fellowship Inductees

Grady College proudly announces the newest class of Grady Fellows, a recognition honoring friends of the college whose accomplishments, friendship and service to the industries they serve have made a positive impact on the college and its students.

“This year’s class of Grady Fellows represents the full breadth and depth of the college,” said Charles N. Davis, dean of Grady College. “From senior leaders in business to broadcast icons and radio legends, it’s a true testament to the quality of the nominations for this, our highest recognition.”

The Fellowship induction, along with the recognition of the 2020 Alumni Awards, will take place Thursday, Oct. 1 at Grady Salutes: A Celebration of Achievement, Commitment and Leadership.

The 2020 Fellowship class includes:

Allison Ausband (ABJ ’83)

Current job: Senior vice president – in-flight service, Delta Air Lines
Grady College major: Journalism

Allison Ausband has spent her professional career at Delta Air Lines, a company she joined in 1985 as a flight attendant. Working her way through positions of greater responsibility, Ausband currently leads a team of 24,000 flight attendants, supervisory and support personnel around the globe, as well as Delta’s onboard global food and beverage operation and experience. Her key responsibilities include leading her team to ensure 200 million Delta customers have an enjoyable flight experience while maintaining a focus on safety.

Chris Clark (ABJ ’61)

Current job: Adjunct professor of broadcast journalism, Middle Tennessee State University
Grady College major: Journalism

When Chris Clark retired as news anchor at WTVF in Nashville, a station he served for nearly 41 years, he was one of the longest-tenured anchors in American television history.  In the earlier years of his tenure, Clark also served as the station’s news director, leading the station’s conversion from film to electronic news coverage, among the first to convert to what is now the broadcast standard throughout the world. Following his retirement in 2007, he was appointed to the Seigenthaler Chair of Excellence in First Amendment Studies at the university, leading to his current position as adjunct professor.

Clark serves on the Grady Board of Trust.

Carol Ramos-Helton (ABJ ’79) and Dick Helton

Current jobs: U.S. correspondent for radio New Zealand (Carol); host KNX morning show (Dick)
Grady College major: Journalism (Carol)

Carol and Dick Helton have each earned strong reputations in radio and television broadcasting that have resulted in several Emmy and Golden Mike nominations and awards.

Prior to working in international radio, Carol was the news director and morning drive news anchor and talk show host at KABC Talk Radio in Los Angeles. She moved to LA in the mid 90s to become morning drive anchor at All-News KFWB.

In addition to his host responsibilities at KNX, Dick also works as senior political correspondent for the station and has been at the heart of the station’s political coverage for the past twenty-two years.

Eugenia Harvey (ABJ ’82)

Current jobs: Executive producer and project director of the multi-platform initiatives at WNET, New York
Grady College major: Journalism

Eugenia Harvey has left an indelible mark on the world of news media as a veteran broadcast journalist on ABC News’ “PrimeTime Live” and “48 Hours” (CBS), as well as serving as an executive producer for “Third Rail with OZY,” and shows on CNN and BET.

Harvey has also served as a producer for “Race Matters: Solutions” on PBS NewsHour with Charlayne Hunter-Gault (ABJ ’63).

Ken Woo (ABJ ’78)

Current jobs: Freelance director of photography and cameraman work
Grady College major: Journalism

Ken Woo has an incredibly varied background in his nearly 40 years of serving as director of photography, cameraman and documentary producer.

Woo’s big break came at CBS where he worked numerous shows like the “Young & the Restless,” “Bold & the Beautiful,” “Price Is Right,” “Archie Bunker’s Place” and “Mama’s Family.”

In 1987, Woo turned to fulltime freelance work focusing on live sports, news magazines, documentaries and features. Woo became a director of photography in the early 1990s, working on everything from the Olympics, IronMan and Tour de France to several Super Bowls, Final Four Championships and several US Open tournaments for tennis and golf.