Samantha Barry, the Irish digital journalist who has led CNN's Social and Emerging Media initiatives, has been named as the new Editor-in-Chief of Condé Nast's Glamour magazine.  

Barry, 36 and originally from Co. Cork, attended Dublin City University and got her start at Newstalk and RTE, Ireland's national broadcaster. She worked as a social media trainer for the for the US State Department and with the BBC before landing in the US in 2014 to head CNN's social media strategy. Her approach to CNN's social media coverage of the 2016 election received widespread praise. 

She will be the eighth Editor-in-Chief in the history of Glamour magazine since it was founded in 1939. She takes over from Cindi Leive, who announced in September that she would be stepping down after 16 years at the helm. 

Thank you so much @cindi_leive. I’ve got impressive shoes to fill. https://t.co/b7fXrC0qek

— Samantha Barry (@samanthabarry) January 8, 2018

The choice is a signal from Condé Nast that the future of their print publications is digital. Barry has not worked at a print publication before but has the digital and social media savvy to ensure a strong new chapter for Galmour. 

“We recognized at once that Sam would be the perfect editor for a new more ambitious era of Glamour’s future,” Anna Wintour,  Editor-in-Chief of Vogue and Condé Nast's Artistic Director, said in a statement. “We can not wait to see her vision unfold.”

In an interview with the New York Times about the announcement, Barry noted that the Irish are "such storytellers." 

“At the end of the day, I bring to the table being an expert in content,” she told the Times. “I also bring to the table the ability to pivot.

“Glamour is a brand—it’s not just a magazine,” she added. 

Samantha Barry is one of the nominees in the Media & Innovation category of IrishCentral's upcoming Creativity & Arts awards - you can check out all of the nominees and cast your votes here.