Tyson Wheatley
About Tyson Wheatley
Tyson Wheatley is the Director of Instagram at The New York Times, where he has worked since 2020. He has a diverse background in journalism and photography, having held various roles at CNN and contributed to the Instagram travel influencer space.
Current Role at The New York Times
Tyson Wheatley serves as the Director of Instagram at The New York Times, a position he has held since 2020. In this role, he focuses on leveraging Instagram as a platform for storytelling and audience engagement. His work involves strategizing content that resonates with the newspaper's readership while enhancing the brand's presence on social media.
Previous Experience at CNN
Wheatley worked at CNN in various capacities from 2004 to 2013. He began as a Writer for HLN and progressed to roles including Producer for CNN iReport, News Manager for CNN iReport, and Senior Editor for Digital. He also served as Executive Producer for CNN Digital in the Asia/Pacific region, where he led the team based in Hong Kong. He played a significant role in launching CNN iReport, a participatory journalism project.
Freelance Photography and Influencer Work
For nearly six years, Wheatley worked as a freelance photographer and became a pioneer in the Instagram travel influencer space. His photography has been featured in various online publications, and he has sold prints in mobile photography exhibits. He has collaborated with major brands such as Apple, Canon, and United Airlines on various projects.
Education and Professional Development
Wheatley studied Journalism at the Ernie Pyle Journalism School at Indiana University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He also taught online courses at Skillshare from 2014 to 2018, focusing on Instagram and photography, with over 35,000 students enrolled in his classes. He conducted his first photography and travel workshop in Hong Kong in 2019.
Community Engagement and Initiatives
Wheatley has actively engaged with the photography community, leading more than 20 Instagram photo walks in Hong Kong. He co-founded HK Instayay and organized the first-ever InstaMeet in the region. Additionally, he produced a podcast about the creative process and delivered a TedX talk in 2012 discussing his experiences.