Capital B Makes Two New Hires on its Audience Team

Capital B is excited to announce two new additions to our growing team. Mark S. Luckie has joined as Director of Audience and Innovation, and Kuwilileni Hauwanga will serve as Deputy Director of Audience and Innovation.

Luckie joins us from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, where he was the director of digital strategy. He has led media partnerships for some of the most influential social platforms in the world, including Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit. Luckie has also led digital initiatives for The Washington Post, the Center for Investigative Reporting, The Los Angeles Times, and Entertainment Weekly.

Hauwanga is an accomplished multimedia storyteller who comes to Capital B from the Brookings Institution, where she most recently served as Director of Multimedia, crafting innovative strategies to enhance the organization’s digital presence. Prior to Brookings, Hauwanga was Director of Video at IndieWire, launched award-winning series at Businessinsider.com, and was a founding producer of Cocoa Butter, BuzzFeed’s Black content vertical.

“We are ecstatic for Mark and Kuwilileni to join Capital B and grow our audience team,” said Akoto Ofori-Atta, Capital B co-founder and Chief Audience Officer. “As we approach our third anniversary, we’re excited to expand our reach and deepen our connection with audiences. Mark and Kuwi bring the spirit of innovation and experimentation we need to deliver high-quality journalism to Black communities nationwide — helping us push back against the misinformation that too often goes unchecked.”

In their new roles, Luckie and Hauwanga will help bridge the gap between Black readers and trustworthy information they need. Together, they will revamp Capital B’s SEO and social video strategies and pioneer innovative approaches to engage Black audiences online. Their combined expertise in online strategy, video production, and media partnerships will help cultivate new Black audiences for Capital B now and into the future. 

Both part of Capital B’s national team, Luckie is based in Atlanta and Hauwanga is based in Washington, D.C.