Three decades after leaving the Hill, Bill Abrams, A75, A11P, A16P, had hit a media trifecta, working as a journalist and senior executive at The New York Times, ABC News, and the Wall Street Journal. But he had become impatient with just reporting about what was happening in the world—he wanted to get directly involved.

“As a manager in journalistic enterprises, you could at times feel like you were doing something good for the world,” he said. “But you’re not allowed to be a participant.”