James Trengrove

Country:	USA
LinkedIn:	[James Trengrove James Trengrove]
Twitter:	@trengrovej
Currently ICANN Staff

James (Jim) Trengrove is the Senior Director of Communications at ICANN, where he has been since 2009, previously as Media Consultant Strategist. He has worked as a journalist for 32 years, spending 21 years as an executive producer for The News Hour, and also working in local and international news. He is the President and Founder of the Barnaby Woods Group, a media consultant company.

ICANN

Mr. Trengrove's responsibilities with ICANN include developing, implementing, and maintaining the communications plan regarding new developments there; much of this work surrounds the new gTLD program. Thus, he is often labelled as a Spokesman for ICANN when talking to major media outlets regarding the historic developments currently being made by the body. He produced the documentary, Fathers of the Internet, about Vint Cerf, Robert Kahn, and other Internet pioneers; there was a screening of the film at ICANN 40 in San Francisco before Vint Cerf gave a speech as part of a NARALO showcase.

Following the April 2013 appointment of Duncan Burns as Vice President of Global Communications, Mr. Trengrove's focus shifted from leading the communications department to the expansion of ICANN’s media platforms.

Background

Much of his extensive career was spent as a Senior Producer for "The News Hour with Jim Lehrer"; he was responsible for the content surrounding national politics and activities in Washington D.C., and eventually created a special "Capital Hill Unit". He was also responsible for developing the program's famous presidential election coverage.

Since becoming a media consultant in 2008, Mr. Trengrove has spent some 3 months in Daku, Azerbaijan helping create and produce a news-based debate program. He worked with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and negotiated their contract with the Public Television Network. He was responsible for the show's dynamic multi-location format, set design, audience participation elements, and other important format decisions.

Awards

James Trengrove wrote and produced a documentary in 2000, Debating Our Destiny: Forty Years of Presidential Debates, it was later nominated for an Emmy.

Mr. Trengrove was granted Harvard University's prestigious Nieman Fellowship in 2001. The grant allows mid-career journalists to pursue projects of special or unique interest; there are about 12 individuals from the U.S. selected every year.

During his time at The News Hour, his Congressional News unit was a 3 time recipient of the Joan Barone Shorenstein Award for Washington-based reporting. When he was working with "Chicago Tonight" they received 2 Emmys.

Fun Fact

He has interviewed the last 5 presidents, including Barack Obama.