Bob Steele

Bob Steele works with questions. Some he answers. Most he asks. He’s worked with professional journalists from across the country and around the world – from reporters and photographers to editors and corporate news executives – on issues of ethics, values and leadership. He’s taught thousands of journalists in seminar sessions; conducted workshops for over 100 news organizations; and written case studies, articles, handbooks and book chapters on journalism ethics issues. His favorite role is coaching and guiding journalists on real-time ethics challenges. Bob spent 19 years on the faculty of The Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, FL leading the ethics program during much of that time. He is still the Nelson Poynter Scholar for Journalism Values and an adjunct faculty member at Poynter. In 2008, he returned to his undergraduate alma mater, DePauw University, where he is the Director of the Janet Prindle Institute for Ethics and a Distinguished Professor of Journalism Ethics. Bob earned his Ph.D. at the University of Iowa writing his dissertation on journalism ethics and he has received two honorary doctorates. In 2010 he was named a Fellow of the Society of Professional Journalists, the highest honor given by SPJ to recognize extraordinary contribution to the profession.