Home > About SPJ > Committees > Legal Defense Fund

Committees
Legal Defense Fund Committee Roster

This committee oversees the Society's Legal Defense Fund, a unique account that can be tapped for providing journalists with legal or direct financial assistance. Application to the fund is approved by either a small committee or the national board, depending on the level of assistance sought. The committee works throughout the year raising funds for LDF.

Legal Defense Fund Committee Chair

J. Israel Balderas, Esq.
National board member, Society of Professional Journalists
Assistant professor of journalism, Elon University
Email
@jisraelbalderas

Legal Defense Fund Committee Members

Voting Members

Rebecca Aguilar
Previous President, Society of Professional Journalists
@RebeccaAguilar
Email

Mark Bailen
BakerHostetler
Email

Matt Hall
Former president, Society of Professional Journalists
@sduncovered
Email

Kyra O'Connor
Member, Student Trustee Council of the Society of Professional Journalists
@KO_reports

Kristen Rasmussen
BakerHostetler
Email

Claire Regan
President, Society of Professional Journalists
@clairemariereg1
Email

Roy S. Gutterman
Associate Professor/Director, Tully Center for Free Speech
S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
Email