Edited on Sep 8, 2026
Ken Kurson is the American editor, journalist and political operative best known as editor-in-chief of The New York Observer from 2013 to 2017 under publisher Jared Kushner. Across three decades, Kurson moved between political consulting, financial journalism, music, cryptocurrency media and book authorship, touching the Giuliani political infrastructure, Kushner-era media properties and the early cryptocurrency media ecosystem inside a single fifteen-year window.
Ken Kurson Quick Facts
- Full name: Ken Kurson
- Known for: Editor-in-chief of The New York Observer (2013 to 2017) under Jared Kushner
- Earlier role: Deputy Director of Communications, Giuliani Partners (2002 to 2006)
- Co-author: Leadership by Rudy Giuliani, more than 25 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, five weeks at No. 1
- Founder: Modern Consensus (2018), a cryptocurrency news site, and Sea of Reeds Media
- Board service: Ripple Labs (February 2017 to October 2020)
- Award: Journalist of the Year, Algemeiner (2014), for Israel coverage
- Family: Younger brother of bestselling author Robert Kurson
- Education: Glenbrook North High School, Northbrook, Illinois (1986)
Where Did Ken Kurson Start His Career?
Ken Kurson graduated from Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook, Illinois, in 1986. He is the younger brother of bestselling author Robert Kurson, known for Shadow Divers and Crashing Through. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Kurson played in the Chicago-based rock band Green.
After leaving Green in 1990, Kurson founded The Lilacs with David Levinsky, John Packel and Tom Whalen. The band released a debut EP, The Lilacs Love You, followed by The Lilacs Hate You, then a full-length CD, The Lilacs Rise Above the Filth, produced by Brad Wood, known for his work with Liz Phair, in 1992.
How Did Ken Kurson Build a Finance Journalism Career?
Kurson moved to New York in 1993 and held internships and editorial positions at Rolling Stone, Harper's and Worth. In 1995, while working at United Media, he launched a small finance publication called The Kenny Quarterly, written for friends seeking financial advice.
Later that year, The Kenny Quarterly evolved into Green magazine, which Bankrate acquired in 1999. From 1997 to 2001, Kurson served as a contributing editor at Esquire, where he wrote the magazine's "Green" section on finance and investing.
What Was Ken Kurson's Role in the Giuliani Campaigns?
Between 2002 and 2006, Kurson worked as Deputy Director of Communications for Giuliani Partners, the consulting firm founded by former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. During this period, Kurson co-authored Giuliani's book Leadership, which spent more than 25 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and held the No. 1 position for five weeks.
In 2003, Kurson ran in the New Jersey General Assembly election for the 34th Legislative District as a Republican, finishing third with 17.6 percent of the vote. When Giuliani launched his 2008 presidential campaign, Kurson joined as one of the earliest staff members, serving as Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Campaign Manager with responsibility for the Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland regions. He remained in the role until Giuliani withdrew from the race in January 2008.
What Did Ken Kurson Do as Editor of The New York Observer?
Jared Kushner, publisher of The New York Observer, named Kurson editor-in-chief in January 2013, saying at the time: "Ken knows the ideas, stories and voices that make up New York better than anyone. He is a journalist and an author and through his years as a consultant observed the figures who create the framework of business, politics, media, tech, culture and real estate in our city."
Over his tenure, the publication moved from a print-led weekly to a digitally focused national outlet. By figures Kurson cited from Google Analytics and Quantcast, the Observer grew from 1.1 million monthly unique users and 3 million page views to 6 million unique users and 20 million page views, and the site's national traffic rank improved from 3,698th to 275th.
Kurson oversaw the decision to end the Observer's printed edition and drop "New York" from the publication's title, consolidating the brand around its digital identity. He made talent identification a recurring priority, bringing in writers and editors who went on to senior roles at the Atlantic, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. In 2014, the Algemeiner named him Journalist of the Year for his coverage of the Israel beat.
Kurson resigned as the Observer's editor-in-chief in May 2017 to join Teneo Strategies. In a statement at the time, Observer Media said Kurson "played a pivotal part in our transformation from a local print publication."
What Did Ken Kurson Do After Leaving the Observer?
After leaving the Observer, Kurson joined Teneo Strategies as a senior managing director. Teneo is the corporate advisory firm founded by Declan Kelly, staffed with senior figures from the Bill and Hillary Clinton political orbit.
In 2018, Kurson launched Modern Consensus, a cryptocurrency focused news site built on the premise that mainstream financial media was not adequately covering the technical and cultural dimensions of blockchain and digital assets. He co-founded the site with Wall Street trader and journalist Lawrence Lewitinn, who served as co-founder and editor-in-chief. Kurson also founded Sea of Reeds Media, a Washington, D.C. based media company that publishes Modern Consensus, California Globe, New Jersey Globe, Rock and Roll Globe, Wine and Whiskey Globe, Book and Film Globe, and Fine Art Globe.
Where Else Has Ken Kurson Been Involved?
Kurson served on the board of cryptocurrency payments company Ripple Labs from February 2017 until October 2020. In 2010, he co-authored the personal memoir of biotechnology executive John Crowley, Chasing Miracles: The Crowley Family Journey of Strength, Hope and Joy.
What Editorial Leadership Lessons Come From Kurson's Career?
Kurson's Observer tenure produces five operating principles for editorial leadership, drawn from how he ran the newsroom and its talent pipeline.
- Identify talent early. The writers and editors who define a publication's voice are recruited before they have name recognition, not after.
- Combine audience growth with editorial credibility. Traffic growth without editorial integrity is unsustainable. Editorial integrity without traffic growth produces an unviable business.
- Maintain access without losing independence. Editors with access to senior decision makers in business and politics can produce better journalism, provided that access never determines editorial choice.
- Train successors as part of the leadership job. Editorial leaders who do not develop the people around them produce single cycle publications.
- Operate consistently across contexts. The same editorial principles applied at a weekly print newspaper, a digital national publication, a corporate advisory firm and a cryptocurrency media venture.
