Caryn Ward

Caryn Ward is an associate professor at Northwestern University’s Medill School. She is also the master’s project/thesis director for journalism students. 

Ward teaches graduate and undergraduate students in all facets of multimedia journalism, but her specialty is video storytelling and newscast production. Prior to joining the faculty she spent more than 25 years in television newsrooms as a reporter, editor, executive producer, managing editor and news director. Positions include executive producer for WBBM-TV, CBS in Chicago, where she oversaw reporters, photographers, and editors for the station’s daily 10 p.m., 6 p.m. and 5 p.m. newscasts, executive producer for WGN-TV’s morning news. 

Ward has a bachelor’s degree from Smith College and a master’s in journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. She has won five Emmy awards for television coverage, four of them for breaking news. 

Ward has also written op-eds for publications including Chicago Tribune, Al Jazeera, Huff Post and Truth Out.

Ward lives in Chicago, and is the mother of three adult sons.