John Osborn is the editor-in-chief of the Harvard Press, where he also regularly covers town government and finance, Devens, and regional issues that impact the town. A longtime Harvard resident, he has served as editor since 2013. Under his leadership, the paper has twice won first place for overall excellence in the New England Newspaper and Press Association’s Better Newspaper Competition.
John began his career as a news assistant in the Washington Bureau of the New York Times and later as a reporter for United Press International (now Reuters) covering north Florida and the Florida Legislature. He spent three decades in technical book publishing, leading teams at Digital Equipment Corporation, IDG Books, and O’Reilly Media. But journalism was always his passion, and the opportunity to lead a small town newspaper drew him back in 2013.
Before entering the world of technical book publishing, John taught for three years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malawi and another seven in Maine. Those years awakened a love of teaching that shaped his commitment today to the next generation of journalists. In 2023, NENPA inducted him into its Hall of Fame largely for his work with students.
When not seen with notebook and recorder in hand, John is likely to be found on a trail, on his bike, or in his kayak.
