Knight Foundation appoints Alex Meza as Chief Financial Officer

MIAMI (July 28, 2026) – The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation today announced the appointment of Alex Meza as its next chief financial officer and treasurer. A seasoned finance leader with deep experience across operations, planning and corporate development, Meza will help advance the foundation’s mission and steward the resources that support its grantees. He begins his tenure this week and has already spent time getting to know Knight staff, grantees and partners.

“For decades, Alex has worked in service of strengthening communities as a local news publishing executive,” said Maribel Pérez Wadsworth, president and CEO of Knight Foundation. “We’re excited to have his deep commitment to mission, rigor and collaborative spirit in this critical role.”

“Knight Foundation’s commitment to helping communities thrive is both inspiring and essential,” said Meza. “I’m honored to join this exceptional team and to help ensure that this work remains possible for years to come.”

Most recently, Meza served as vice president of corporate development at Gannett Co., Inc., where he was a member of the executive leadership team and led the company’s investment processes and strategic business relationships. Earlier, he served as vice president of finance for Gannett’s U.S. Community Publishing Division, overseeing the finance function for a $2.5 billion revenue division with 87 subsidiaries.

In that role, Meza helped shape long-term planning that informed the company’s decision to spin off its publishing business as a separate publicly traded company in 2015. Over the course of his career, he also held a range of finance and operational roles across local publishing, financial planning, technology and business operations.

Throughout his career, Meza has helped organizations navigate their financial futures with care, creativity, discipline and a long-term perspective, helping leaders make confident decisions in times of both uncertainty and opportunity. At Knight, he will help guide the resources that power the foundation’s work across the country.