Meg Alexander Downey ’73 spent most of her career as a journalist. A two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, Downey was executive editor of the Poughkeepsie Journal and managing editor of The Tennessean in Nashville. Downey has won more than 40 national journalism awards including the Edward J. Meeman Award for Environmental Reporting. She has been an editor and contributing writer for 10 books, including “The Hudson Valley, Our Heritage, Our Future” and “West Point, Legend on the Hudson.” In her career she has also been a magazine editor and a television news co-host and additionally served as chief marketing officer for the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York. She also taught a journalism writing and ethics seminar at Vassar College for nine years.
Meg is active as an environmentalist and serves as chair of the Hudson River Valley Greenway Communities Council and co-chair of the Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area. She is also on the board of the Hudson River Foundation, a resource and advocate for science and environmental research. For half of each year, Meg is an avid vegetable gardener. She is grateful to be able to participate in the Friends of the Botanic Garden Leadership Council and is inspired by the groundbreaking work being done by the botanic garden.
