Jill Ellen Abramson, born on March 19, 1954, in New York City, is an American journalist and former executive editor of The New York Times, notably the first woman to hold the position, serving from 2011 to 2014. She graduated from Harvard College in 1976 with an A.B. degree in history. Abramson began her journalism career with investigative reporting at The Wall Street Journal from 1986 to 1997, where she worked as a reporter and later deputy bureau chief of the Washington bureau, covering major stories including the Clarence Thomas hearings and the Clinton White House. She joined The New York Times in 1997 as Washington bureau chief, was promoted to managing editor in 2003, and became deputy executive editor in 2011 before her appointment as executive editor. Her tenure ended abruptly in May 2014 when she was dismissed by publisher Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. amid controversies over her management style, disputes with deputies, and allegations of granting herself a higher pay raise than her male predecessor Bill Keller, sparking debates about gender equity in newsrooms. After leaving The New York Times, Abramson has taught at Harvard Kennedy School as a professor of communication and public policy. She co-authored books including "Strange Justice: The Selling of Clarence Thomas" (1994) and "The Nixon Tapes" (2014), and published her memoir "The Road to Power: How Grandma's Best Friend Got Me Into Harvard" (2024). Her awards include the Goldsmith Career Award for Excellence in Journalism.