Linda Solomon Wood
Linda Wood founded Canada's National Observer in 2015 with the mission of putting climate change front and centre in Canada. CNO's team of climate experts and journalists have done just that, highlighting the economic, human rights and public health impacts of global warming.
With an audience of more than 3.5 million people over the last year, CNO covers issues and challenges associated with climate, such as public health, disinformation, corporate overreach and environmental justice. Under Linda's leadership, CNO's reporting has received more than 50 honours and awards, primarily for investigative work. Our subscribers include The Government of Canada, universities, libraries and civil society organizations as well as thousands of individuals and foundations who make our journalism possible. In 2020, Linda kicked off CNO's podcasts with "Conversations", interviews with leaders tackling global warming. Linda served for seven years as editor-in-chief of Canada's National Observer, before stepping into the role of publisher in the fall of 2022.
In 2009, Linda founded the Vancouver Observer and developed it into a popular hyper-local publication. As the publication evolved to fill a gap in Canada with environmental reporting, critical coverage of the oil industry, and political reporting with a progressive voice, it outgrew the local brand. As a result, Linda launched National Observer in 2015 with a new team based in Ottawa and Toronto. That year she received a Vancouver Board of Trade award for entrepreneurial innovation.
Linda has freelanced for The International Herald Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, and Orion Magazine. As a reporter at The Tennessean newspaper, Linda received numerous awards for investigative reporting, including The United Press award for Best Investigative Journalism, the John Finney Award for Best Economic Reporting, and the United Press award for Best Public Service Reporting.
Born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Linda has lived in Nashville, Paris, and New York City. She travelled throughout Asia and Africa to write about women leaders in the developing world improving their societies against the greatest odds. Her short stories have been published widely in literary reviews and freelance journalism has appeared in various publications, including The International Herald Tribune and the Los Angeles Times. She has lived in Canada since 2001 and is a dual citizen of Canada and the United States. She received a BA from Northwestern University in American Culture, and an MFA from Vermont College. Linda's married and the mother of four.