NEW YORK, July 31, 2025 — Hearst Magazines, the world’s largest lifestyle media publisher, today announced that Elspeth Velten has been named editor-in-chief of Good Housekeeping. In this role, she will oversee content strategy and editorial operations across all platforms, including the Good Housekeeping Institute and Seal. The announcement was made by Hearst President and CEO Steven R. Swartz and Hearst Magazines President Debi Chirichella.
Velten was most recently at Dotdash Meredith (DDM), where she served as senior vice president and group general manager of Travel + Leisure and Parents. Previously, she was associate group general manager for DDM’s Beauty & Style group and GM for two of the company’s food brands: Serious Eats and Simply Recipes.
“Elspeth has an exceptional track record of creating compelling content that not only engages but empowers audiences to live better, more informed lives,” said Chirichella. “Her strong business acumen and profound understanding of Good Housekeeping’s rich legacy has helped shape a forward-looking vision that promises to expand the brand’s reach and further elevate its industry-leading approach to product testing and recommendations.”
Velten succeeds Jane Francisco, who has decided to step down after serving as editor-in-chief of the brand for the past 12 years, while also serving as editorial director of Country Living, Prevention and Woman’s Day.
Chirichella continued: “Jane has brought creativity, passion and dedication to everything she has accomplished during her time at Hearst. We thank her for her many contributions over the years and for the lasting impact she has made on our business.”
Earlier in her career, Velten was a founding editor of TripSavvy and an editor at Luxury Escapes, an Australian e-commerce site based in Melbourne.
“I am excited to take the reins at Good Housekeeping, one of the most iconic brands in media, at a time of extraordinary potential and opportunity,” Velten said. “With the unparalleled product-testing capabilities of the Institute and the unrivaled influence of the Seal, Good Housekeeping is well positioned to deepen its audience relationships, spark new forms of engagement and unlock game-changing growth.”
“Elspeth possesses sharp digital instincts, including a data-first mindset paired with a deep respect for print,” said Ronak Patel, general manager of the Lifestyle Group. “She’s exactly the kind of leader this brand needs to scale its next chapter. Her passion for food, travel, family and home mirrors our audience and uniquely positions her to drive relevance, creativity and innovation.”
In addition to Good Housekeeping, Velten will also serve as editorial director of Prevention and Woman’s Day.
Velten graduated from Fordham University with a B.A. in Communications and Media Studies with a concentration in Journalism and a minor in Environmental Studies.
She will begin her new role on August 18.
About Good Housekeeping
Celebrating 140 years, Good Housekeeping is a leading lifestyle media brand inspiring a monthly audience of 53+ million readers to discover genius innovations, delicious ideas, style-savvy trends, compelling news and best-in-class products for their homes, families and themselves. The Good Housekeeping Institute’s state-of-the-art labs combined with Good Housekeeping’s seasoned editorial talent is unparalleled. Staffed by top engineers, scientists and technology experts, the GH Institute tests and evaluates thousands of products each year for the magazine, website and for the Good Housekeeping Seal and the Green Good Housekeeping Seal, which are among the most recognized and trusted consumer icons in the world today. Good Housekeeping, which has one international edition in the UK, is published by Hearst Magazines, a unit of Hearst, a leading global, diversified media, information and services company.
