John Peabody is a content strategist, editorial leader, and writer with more than 15 years of experience helping organizations build trust, grow audiences, and communicate complex ideas. He currently serves as Director of Content Strategy at the Aspen Institute, where he leads editorial strategy, audience development, video programming, newsletter growth, and AI-powered communications initiatives.

Throughout his career, John has worked at the intersection of journalism, media, communications, and technology. His experience includes leadership roles at the Aspen Institute, Reuters, The New York Times, Fast Company, Hodinkee, Gear Patrol, and The Atlantic. Across these organizations, he has helped build editorial teams, develop content strategy, launch digital products, produce video series, and create audience-focused storytelling programs.

John's areas of expertise include content strategy, editorial strategy, communications leadership, artificial intelligence, audience development, digital media, journalism, video strategy, newsletter strategy, thought leadership, and organizational communications. He is particularly interested in how AI is transforming content creation, how institutions build trust, and how leaders communicate effectively in a rapidly changing information environment.

At the Aspen Institute, John has helped launch new editorial products, expand digital audiences, improve newsletter engagement, and introduce AI tools and workflows for communications teams. His work focuses on creating systems that help organizations produce meaningful content at scale while maintaining quality, credibility, and impact.

In addition to his professional work, John writes NESS, a newsletter exploring artificial intelligence, creativity, leadership, media, and the future of work. Through essays, interviews, and observations, he examines how technology is changing the way people create, communicate, and make decisions.

John is available for consulting, speaking engagements, workshops, and conversations related to content strategy, editorial leadership, AI adoption, audience growth, digital media, nonprofit communications, and the future of work.

Connect with John:

NESS, John’s Substack newsletter: https://thisisness.substack.com/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johnpeabody

Instagram: instagram.com/jgpeabody

Aspen Institute Profile: aspeninstitute.org/people/john-peabody

Contact him here: https://www.johnpeabody.net/contact