The Catholic Leaders Podcast
ABOUT THIS EPISODE What role does faith play in bearing witness to suffering? How do you remain hopeful while covering humanity’s darkest moments? And what qualities define authentic leadership? Anne Thompson shares personal stories from her remarkable career in journalism and discusses how faith has sustained her through tragedy, why forgiveness is one of humanity’s greatest gifts, and why listening is essential to good leadership. She also offers wisdom for aspiring journalists, reflects on the importance of mentorship, and recounts unforgettable moments — including baking chocolate chip cookies for Pope Francis and how she broke the story on Pope Leo’s favorite baseball team. Join hosts Kim Smolik and Kerry Alys Robinson as they welcome Anne and listen to her take on “the first draft of history.” Special Spotlight: The episode also highlights the leadership of Kelley Tuthill, president and CEO of Catholic Charities Boston, who reflects on the common thread between her career in journalism and her service to Catholic Charities. KEY TAKEAWAYS * Tragedy offers no easy answers, but faith can provide strength * Forgiveness is one of the greatest gifts people can offer one another * Journalism should pursue truth through careful listening, verified facts, and thoughtful storytelling * What makes covering Pope Leo XIV so special * The challenges of addressing issues of selfishness, poverty and division in our country * The role of Catholic Charities as “agents of hope” in a time of rising need * How listening is a spiritual discipline and the foundation of leadership EPISODE CHAPTERS * 00:00 [https://the-catholic-leaders-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/anne-thompson-writing-the-first-draft-of-history] Introduction * 04:35 [https://the-catholic-leaders-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/anne-thompson-writing-the-first-draft-of-history?t=4m35s] A lifetime of stories: faith and resilience * 09:40 [https://the-catholic-leaders-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/anne-thompson-writing-the-first-draft-of-history?t=9m40s] The extraordinary gift of forgiveness * 12:02 [https://the-catholic-leaders-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/anne-thompson-writing-the-first-draft-of-history?t=12m02s] Responding to — and reporting on — unimaginable tragedy * 14:50 [https://the-catholic-leaders-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/anne-thompson-writing-the-first-draft-of-history?t=14m50s] The changing newsroom, “a perfectionist in an inherently imperfect business,” and journalism’s commitment to truth * 19:09 [https://the-catholic-leaders-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/anne-thompson-writing-the-first-draft-of-history?t=19m09s] Mentorship, supporting women in journalism, and career advice * 27:40 [https://the-catholic-leaders-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/anne-thompson-writing-the-first-draft-of-history?t=27m40s] Reporting on Pope Francis, chocolate chip cookies, and the power of prayer * 31:09 [https://the-catholic-leaders-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/anne-thompson-writing-the-first-draft-of-history?t=31m09s] Covering the election of Pope Leo and unforgettable Vatican moments * 36:18 [https://the-catholic-leaders-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/anne-thompson-writing-the-first-draft-of-history?t=36m18s] The final question and leadership lessons from Pope Francis * 41:28 [https://the-catholic-leaders-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/anne-thompson-writing-the-first-draft-of-history?t=41m28s] Catholic Charities spotlight: Kelley Tuthill, Catholic Charities Boston, on journalism, leadership, collaboration, and hope ABOUT OUR GUESTS ANNE THOMPSON Chief Environmental Affairs Correspondent, NBC News Anne Thompson covers the Catholic Church and environmental and economic issues, with her reports appearing across all platforms of NBC News including “NBC Nightly News,” “Today,” MSNBC and NBCNews.com. She first joined NBC News in 1997 as a national correspondent. She shared two Gerald Loeb Awards for business journalism: the 2004 Television Short Form award for "The Jobless Recovery," and the 2006 Television Deadline award for "The Katrina Effect." From March 2005–April 2007 she was Chief Financial Correspondent, covering issues such as the economic impact of Hurricane Katrina and Martha Stewart’s trial. In April 2007 she became chief environmental correspondent and has covered many economic and environmental issues, particularly the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. She also covers the Catholic Church, including the late Pope Francis and the election of Pope Leo XIV. Education: B.A. from University of Notre Dame Connect with Anne: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-thompson-4504555/] | X [https://x.com/annenbcnews] More Resources * NBC News [https://www.nbcnews.com/] * Panel Moderated by Anne at Catholic Charities USA’s 2025 Annual Gathering: “Peace Be With You All”: Early Inspirations from Pope Leo XIV [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-v21uPYUnY] KELLEY TUTHILL, ED.D. President and CEO, Catholic Charities Boston Kelley Tuthill, Ed.D., was appointed president and CEO of Catholic Charities Boston in 2024. In her role, she develops the vision and strategic plan for the $50 million agency and works closely with leaders and policymakers across key organizations to advance Catholic Charities Boston’s mission to welcome and serve all those in need with dignity and respect. A seasoned fundraiser, her team has achieved remarkable success under her leadership in securing major gifts from private donors and foundations including doubling the revenue from both the annual gala and Ash Wednesday collection. She has led the agency’s emergency response to humanitarian and social service crises, modernized the agency’s brand identity and website, and oversees efforts to revitalize agency multi-service centers and expand affordable housing opportunities. Before her current role, Tuthill acted as chief operating officer for Catholic Charities Boston. She also previously served as Regis College’s first vice president of marketing and communications. Tuthill also worked for more than two decades as a news anchor and reporter. She won awards for her multiplatform coverage of the Whitey Bulger trial and was part of a National Headliner and Emmy awards-winning team that covered the Boston Marathon bombing. A breast cancer survivor, Tuthill poignantly shared her journey and became a champion of local and national breast cancer organizations, raising both money and awareness. Tuthill received the 2017 Jimmy Award, which honors celebrities who have committed themselves to the mission of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund. Tuthill received her doctorate in higher education leadership from Regis College, a master’s degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, and her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame. She served for 25 years on the Notre Dame College of Arts and Letters Advisory Council and the Gallivan Journalism Board. She was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation in 2024. She received an honorary doctorate in 2025 from Merrimack College. Education: B.A. from University of Notre Dame | M.A. from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism | Ed.D. from Regis College Connect with Kelley: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelleytuthill/] More Resources * Catholic Charities Boston: https://www.ccab.org [https://www.ccab.org/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/charitiesboston/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/CharitiesBoston/] | X [https://x.com/CharitiesBoston/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/CharitiesBoston/] * Breast Cancer Research Foundation: https://www.bcrf.org [https://www.bcrf.org/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-breast-cancer-research-foundation/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/TheBreastCancerResearchFoundation/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bcrfcure/] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@bcrfcure] * The Jimmy Fund: https://www.jimmyfund.org [https://www.jimmyfund.org] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/the-jimmy-fund/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/thejimmyfund/] | X [https://x.com/TheJimmyFund] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thejimmyfund/] | JOIN THE CONVERSATION Love this episode? Leave us a review and share it with someone who would love to hear from Anne about her meaningful career and her message of resilience and hope. Also, be sure to follow Catholic Charities USA on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/catholiccharitiesusa], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ccharitiesusa] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/catholic-charities-usa/]. The Catholic Leaders Podcast is a space where we host conversations with inspirational leaders to talk about their leadership and how faith informs it. The Catholic Leaders Podcast is hosted by Kim Smolik and Kerry Robinson, CEO and President of Catholic Charities USA.
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