Elaine Welteroth is an American journalist, editor and best-selling author. In April 2016, she became editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue, and the youngest Condé Nast editor in its 107-year history as well as the second African-American person to hold the title of editor-in-chief at the company. In January 2018, it was announced she would be stepping down from her role, after signing with talent agency CAA. In June 2019 her memoir, More Than Enough: Claiming space for who you are (no matter what they say), was published by Viking.
Welteroth was influential in the magazine’s revitalisation, expanding its focus to feminism, culture and politics — including in depth coverage of the 2016 US election. “I think that stirred up a larger conversation around how we think about young girls,” Welteroth told The Guardian. According to Condé Nast, subscriptions for Teen Vogue increased 535% year-over-year during her tenure. “Elaine is incredibly in tune with the Teen Vogue audience, and has used that unique insight to engage and connect with her readers on a very personal level,” said Anna Wintour on Welteroth’s appointment to editor-in-chief. “Over the last year, she has demonstrated a fearless leadership in her pursuit to make Teen Vogue the voice of a new generation.”
Her break in the media world came as an intern at Ebony magazine, where she moved up the ranks to become beauty editor between 2008 and 2011. After a stint at Glamour magazine, Welteroth joined Teen Vogue in 2012.
In 2016, Welteroth was named 47th in The Root’s list of 100 influential African-Americans. Welteroth speaks at varying conferences like the 2017 PATH forty-year celebration and the 2017 Women of Power Summit through Black Enterprise magazine.
