Ruby L. Bailey is Editor-in-Chief of the Illinois Answers Project. She
provides executive leadership across strategy, partnerships, and
performance—helping align ambitious accountability reporting with the
philanthropic support and collaborations that sustain public-service
journalism.

Bailey has more than 30 years of newsroom experience, including
leadership roles at USA TODAY, The Indianapolis Star, The Sacramento
Bee, and the Detroit Free Press. Earlier in her career, she served as
a Washington Bureau correspondent and was embedded with the U.S. Navy
during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Her enterprise reporting has been
nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and recognized with industry awards.

Bailey earned a B.A. in communications from Wayne State University and
an M.A. in theology from Biola University.
The Detroit native earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from Wayne State University and a Master’s degree in theology from Biola University.