Danielle Decker Jones
Danielle Decker Jones brings almost 30 years of Washington media experience to her role helping companies strategize on talent, content and operations.
A lifelong journalist, Danielle's behind the scenes work from 2007-2023 were intrinsic to the launch and growth of Axios, Axios HQ, POLITICO, and POLITICO Europe, among the most successful digital media startups of the 21st Century.
Prior to consulting, Danielle served as Axios' Head of Editorial Talent, where she created a new newsroom-specific hiring process and led a team responsible for identifying, recruiting, and developing exceptional journalists who exhibited Axios' core values.
From 2016-2022, she supported content, culture, strategy and operations across Axios as the company's Executive Advisor, with an extensive focus on talent and management. During that time, she helped launch Axios' brand journalism studio, Axios HQ, Axios Pro, and Axios Local, and she traveled around the world teaching audiences how to communicate more effectively using Axios' signature Smart Brevity style.
Among her signature Axios accomplishments: the rapid recruitment of reporters and editors at every level throughout the newsroom, in 30 cities across U.S., and for new subscription verticals to help the company expand at breakneck pace.
Danielle previously spent almost a decade (2007-2016) on the leadership team at POLITICO. In her role as executive vice president for expansion (2014-2016), Danielle launched and managed POLITICO’s growth internationally with POLITICO Europe and with new teams throughout the U.S. As her mission, Danielle ensured that POLITICO’s editorial style, culture, operations and strategy were integrated into all new ventures.
Before that, Danielle managed the news side of POLITICO's headquarters as the deputy editor in chief (2012-2014), where she helped lead more than 150 journalists. As her chief responsibilities, Danielle oversaw the personnel, content and budget for the entire Washington newsroom, growing a culture that reflected POLITICO's journalistic and entrepreneurial values.
Danielle joined POLITICO after its 2007 launch as the managing editor for special projects, but she was quickly promoted to become the company's first managing editor online. For five years, Jones helped create and run the editorial content on politico.com and its mobile and social media platforms. She also built POLITICO’s web staff and operation in the newsroom, and she was a chief architect of the company’s web design.
She previously spent nine years (1998-2007) at The Hotline, National Journal’s daily briefing on politics, where she managed day-to-day editorial operations as senior editor. Danielle's roles at The Hotline ranged from features editor to managing editor, and she was the longtime editor of the popular morning and afternoon briefings, Wake-Up Call! and Last Call! She also spent two years writing the “Hotline Extra” column for National Journal magazine, and she co-wrote a column for National Journal’s “Convention Daily.”
From 1996-1998, Danielle worked as a coordinator at the CBS News Washington bureau, where she scheduled personnel for the network's DC-based programming and breaking news coverage as part of the operations team. She also contributed as a field producer for the network.
Before joining CBS, she ran media relations and wrote speeches and marketing material for the National Foundation for Women Legislators, a nonpartisan educational foundation, where she served as director of marketing and public relations.
Danielle is also involved in the broader journalism community, as a member of the Gridiron Club and as a past member of the National Press Foundation’s board of directors.
A native of Virginia Beach, Danielle graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts in Rhetoric and Communication Studies. Her interests include fundraising for Coaches vs. Cancer, volunteering for hospice, and supporting Old Dominion University Men’s Basketball, coached by her husband, Jeff Jones. They live in Norfolk, Virginia.