Elaine Welteroth

Elaine Welteroth is an award-winning journalist, author and the former Editor-in-Chief of Teen Vogue. At age 29, she became the youngest person and the second African-American to hold the Editor-in-Chief title at the magazine's parent company, Condé Nast. During her tenure, she transformed Teen Vogue into a platform that not only focused on fashion but also significantly increased its coverage of news and politics, particularly during the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Her break in the media world came as an intern at Ebony magazine, where she moved up the ranks to become beauty editor between 2008 and 2011. After a stint at Glamour magazine, Welteroth joined Teen Vogue in 2012.

In addition to her editorial achievements, Welteroth is the author of the bestselling memoir "More Than Enough: Claiming Space for Who You Are (No Matter What They Say)," which chronicles her personal and professional journey while exploring themes of identity, race, and ambition. It garnered the 2020 NAACP Image Award for outstanding literary work in autobiography. She has also been a co-host on the daytime television show "The Talk," and has doled out fashion industry advice as a judge on "Project Runway." She hosted the American Express podcast "Built to Last," which highlighted the stories of Black founders.

Welteroth has been appointed a Cultural Ambassador for Michelle Obama's When We All Vote initiative and co-founded the 15 Percent Pledge to support Black-owned businesses. In addition, she founded The Birth Fund, which is dedicated to expanding access to midwives, and ensuring families have the resources they need for a safe and supported birth experience. Their mission: to help create a more equitable maternal health system for all.

Welteroth's voice reaches a wide audience through her advice column “Ask Elaine” in The Washington Post, where she addresses life’s pivots with insight and guidance. In addition to The Post, her writing appears in the New York Times, British Vogue and Time.