He has worked for many years in sports media, including as the Editor-in-Chief of The Topps Company (yes, baseball cards!) and the VP/GM of Sports at Quidd, Inc.

He is a longtime associate adjunct professor and director of graduate journalism at Hofstra University, his alma mater. He instituted graduate specializations in community and investigative journalism and sports and entertainment journalism. Vaccaro is pursuing his doctorate in leadership studies through Louisiana State University, where he is researching the impact of transformational leadership on fostering innovation in newsrooms. In 2023, he was chosen as a Fulbright Scholar by the U.S. Department of State.

His journalistic work has been published in hundreds of newspapers, magazines, and websites worldwide, including The New York Times, Rolling Stone, ESPN, The Associated Press, New York Daily News, Toronto Globe, Baltic Times, Ottawa Citizen, and much more. He has produced eight documentaries and written 10 books, including a journalism textbook on strategic storytelling that SAGE will publish this fall.

For his service to the Press Club of Long Island and SPJ, Vaccaro was inducted into the Long Island Journalism Hall of Fame. He has won two Emmy Awards (nominated for 12) and nine Murrow Awards. He lives with his wife and three children on Long Island.

Candidate Q&A

Why are you seeking this SPJ office?

Leaders lead, and SPJ needs strong leadership to evolve and transform. I have climbed the ladder at every level and observed the good and bad this organization has endured in recent years. I believe in the organization and would like to take the next step in my SPJ journey by combining my leadership experience with my love of journalism advocacy to help during this transformational period.

What is a specific change you have made or helped make within SPJ?

I launched the SPJ Northeast Summer Journalism Institute, which has given 60-plus high school students real-world reporting and editing experience. I was also on the national board, which approved hiring new SPJ Executive Director Caroline Hendrie. I’m looking forward to working with her for years to come.

What is a specific change you would make within SPJ if you were elected?

We need more depth. We need more future SPJ leaders. We need to make connections with students (more summer institutes beyond the northeast!). To do any of this, we must get back to basics and own the values on which SPJ was built. I believe in leadership institutes, student workshops, chapter empowerment, and strong idea-sharing through open and honest communication. My priority over the next year is also to work with incoming SPJ President Emily Bloch and SPJ Executive Director Caroline Hendrie on executing their vision to evolve the organization.

Why is SPJ important to you?

SPJ matters. And there is no reason we should let this organization die. It has been part of my life for many years, and fighting for journalism and journalists is an honor. We must fight for press freedom. We must fight for the next generation. We must tout the incredible work being done by our local chapters. We must build more future SPJ leaders. We must pound our chests and beat our drums to remind people that SPJ is still here ... and it’s not going anywhere.

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My leadership experience is grounded in years of reporting, writing, editing and newsroom management. I’ve chased breaking news at the Los Angeles Times and Reuters, crafted long-form features at Mother Jones and the LA Weekly and led news teams at AOL/Patch and NBC.

Past roles include editorial director at Zócalo Public Square, West Coast Editor in Charge for Reuters, editor at Global Press Journal and head of digital news at NBC4 Southern California, where my team won the station its first Sigma Delta Chi Award for digital news from the Society of Professional Journalists. I also taught reporting and writing to undergraduate and graduate students for nearly a decade as an adjunct at USC's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

Before NBC I was a regional editor at AOL's hyperlocal Patch.com, where I supported the launch of the first sites in Southern California. I have worked as a Mother Jones contributor, as a staff writer specializing in long-form storytelling for the LA Weekly and as a cub reporter at the Los Angeles Times, where I contributed to the Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of the Northridge Earthquake.

I hold a master's degree in journalism from U.C. Berkeley and a bachelor's degree in philosophy from St. John's College. I serve on several boards, including the Society of Professional Journalists Los Angeles Chapter and on the program committee for the JSK Journalism Fellowship at Stanford, where I was myself a fellow.

Candidate Q&A

Why are you seeking this SPJ office?

For the past six years I’ve worked at a national non-profit journalism support organization where I’m dedicated, every day, to forging a sustainable path for journalism and democracy. A big part of this work is focused governance and fiscal responsibility. I’m fortunate to have these skills in my journalism toolbox. Now I’d like to bring my good fortune to bear in service all SPJ members, as secretary treasurer on the SPJ board. In this role I commit to showing up with a generative and curious mindset to ensure that SPJ fulfills its fiduciary responsibility and is financially sound.

What is a specific change you have made or helped make within SPJ?

In my two-plus years on the board of SPJLA I've led two key initiatives:

1. As chair of the nominations committee for the Distinguished Journalist Awards, I created a robust nomination recruiting process to ensure a strong pool of nominees that centers equity and inclusion and expands far beyond the "friends and family" of board members to ensure that the excellent work of committed journalists across the greater Los Angeles region is recognized and celebrated. Longtime board members said that our 2023 awards banquet was both the most resonant and most joyous that they could remember.

2. In the spring of 2024 I partnered with a leader at Poynter (we cooked up the idea over coffee at a cafe halfway between where we live) and led an ad hoc committee of SPJ board members to host a live and in-person SoCal Journalism Mega Mixer. The response was overwhelmingly positive-- 10 journalism organizations signed up as sponsors, covering the cost of the venue. It was a gorgeous spring day and an all-too-rare opportunity for journalists from across the region to come together for local brew, mutual affirmation and more than a few laughs.

What is a specific change you would make within SPJ if you were elected?

I know from conversations with many folks in SPJ leadership that there is a lot of positive change underway. And I know that change is hard. That said, if elected to the position of secretary treasurer at SPJ I would work to ensure organizational discipline, clarity and as much transparency as possible about the financial health and well being of SPJ.

Why is SPJ important to you?

SPJ's Code of Ethics is the professional gold standard for journalism. I knew this as a student heading to an internship at Daily Union Democrat in Sonora California. I knew it as a cub reporter at the Los Angeles Times, as head of digital at the NBC station in Los Angeles, as West Coast Editor in Charge at Reuters. There is no other organization or entity that carries this responsibility. Preserving SPJ and its role in upholding this core tenet of journalism, and ensuring that SPJ is a healthy, robust beacon for journalists everywhere, is at the heart of my commitment.

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Beyond reporting, I've contributed to the broader journalistic community through leadership roles, including serving as a board member and president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and UNITY: Journalists of Color, and a board term with SPJ. In essence, I am both a dedicated journalist and a staunch advocate for our profession.

In the past few months, I led the reporting and photo staff of the South Florida Sun Sentinel in our effort to form a union to protect our interests before our company's owners at Alden Capital. Our organization was one of the fastest in the recent history of the News Guild-CWA, a testament to what can be accomplished in a short time with dedicated teamwork.

Teamwork has been my m.o. for much of my career. At NAHJ, we worked as a team to revitalize the association and raise its profile both within and outside the industry. At the Sun Sentinel, I was part of teams that were Pulitzer Prize finalists in 2005 and 2006, and a team that won the Pulitzer in 2019. And, as a team, we at the Sun Sentinel are now protected as a union.

Candidate Q&A

Why are you seeking this SPJ office?

SPJ's current leadership did a stellar job addressing the financial crisis that built up in recent years. I intend to follow in the footsteps of Israel Balderas, who sounded the alarm when he held this office two years ago. I will view my role as both a protector of our financial integrity as well as a grower of our long-term stability. First, I put my money where my mouth is by becoming a lifetime member. Next, I intend to identify and solicit funding from sources other than the same foundations and companies that have held us up for years. We need to diversify our funding sources so that when one falls, others are there to keep us afloat. And those sources cannot compromise our integrity as journalists.

We are up to the task, together.

What is a specific change you have made or helped make within SPJ?

I can point to two concrete differences I made in my tenure as a board member and a committee member from 2020-2023.

I was the deciding vote against unilaterally and prematurely pulling out of our hotel contract for the 2021 conference, a decision that both preserved the health of our members and saved SPJ from a $150,000 expense we would not have been able to afford. That decision was made without the advanced knowledge of the precarious position we would face two and three years later. It was a warning to us all to protect our integrity at all times, not just during fiscal emergencies.

I was also vice chair of the bylaws committees that proposed and then won the elimination of our outdated "delegate" system, resulting in each SPJ member having a direct voice in the decisions we need to make for SPJ's future.

What is a specific change you would make within SPJ if you were elected?

SPJ's current leadership did a stellar job addressing the financial crisis that built up in recent years. I intend to follow in the footsteps of Israel Balderas, who sounded the alarm when he held this office two years ago. I will view my role as both a protector of our financial integrity as well as a grower of our long-term stability. First, I put my money where my mouth is by becoming a lifetime member. Next, I intend to identify and solicit funding from sources other than the same foundations and companies that have held us up for years. We need to diversify our funding sources so that when one falls, others are there to keep us afloat. And those sources cannot compromise our integrity as journalists. We are up to the task.

Why is SPJ important to you?

SPJ has been at the forefront of fighting for journalism ethics and preservation of the First Amendment. At NAHJ and UNITY, we recognized the need to get SPJ's buy-in when we spoke to issues that transcended ethnicity and diversity. SPJ should be America's leading voice on behalf of our profession. Seeing this association take its proper place among our peers has been and will continue to be my long-term goal as a leader in this society.

On December 1, 2021, by decree of President Emmanuel Macron, he was decorated with the rank of chevalier (knight) in the Légion d’Honneur, France’s highest civilian decoration. He was awarded the Deadline Club Award for Best Opinion Writing for his CNN commentaries in 2018 and again in 2019 for his Reuters columns. He served for seven years as Editor & Publisher of World Policy Journal. Previously he served as an executive editor of Forbes. Earlier, he was domestic and foreign correspondent for The New York Times in New York and Washington, as Southeast Asia bureau chief, based in Bangkok, then East European bureau chief, based in Belgrade. He then moved to CBS News where he served for seven years as Paris correspondent. There followed service as a Washington correspondent for CNBC, news editor of Bloomberg News and Business Editor of the New York Daily News. He has traveled through and reported from 86 countries. He was awarded the 2017 New York Press Club award for best political commentary for his USAToday columns. He is the author of five books, The Peacemakers, published by Harper & Row, and The Fourth World War, published by William Morrow, which he co-authored with the Count de Marenches, long-time head of French intelligence. His third book, A Shattered Peace: Versailles 1919 and the Price We Pay Today was published in a Centenary Edition with foreword by Sir Harold Evans. He has translated from the French and written an epilogue to An Impossible Dream: Reagan, Gorbachev, and a World Without the Bomb published in June 2019 by Pegasus/Norton. Andelman has written for Harpers, The Atlantic, The New Republic, The New York Times Magazine, Readers Digest, Foreign Policy and Foreign Affairs. He is a graduate of Harvard University and Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, and is a member of the Century Association, Council on Foreign Relations, Harvard Club of New York, National Press Club and the Grolier Club. He is President-emeritus of the Overseas Press Club of America and leader of its press freedom committee, and The Silurians Press Club, the oldest club in America for veteran journalists.

Candidate Q&A

Why are you seeking this SPJ office?

I believe there are enormous opportunities to extend SPJ's reach and influence, especially in these days of global media, beyond America's immediate shores.

What is a specific change you have made or helped make within SPJ?

N/A

What is a specific change you would make within SPJ if you were elected?

Sensitize the organization to the challenges abroad as well as at home.

Why is SPJ important to you?

No other media organization (not a union) is so broadly represented in American media and journalism today, which carries with it enormous challenges, responsibilities and opportunities to which it has long risen and could, I am confident, rise even further.

Now he applies his years of contacts, eye for talent, insight in the business of television for the benefit of Talent Dynamics clients and the job seekers throughout our industry.

For Gary his career started at WTVG in his hometown of Toledo Ohio in 1988 as a sports intern while in high school! After graduating from Kent State and working in various producer and executive producer roles across the country, Brown was named news director at WTOV in Steubenville Ohio at the age of 25! At the time he was one of the youngest news managers in the country. Gary’s career came full circle back to Toledo when he launched the news operation for the Fox affiliate, WUPW. It is also where he met Patrick McCreery, co-owner of Talent Dynamics. After Toledo, Brown’s news director career took him to Providence, Hartford, San Diego. It was in San Diego another pivotal moment, when his former owner, Sandy DiPasquale called him and said he was buying a tv group and would Gary like to interview for a GM role or VP of News. Brown said VP of News and the rest was history, he went through almost five years of learning the business of tv during the recession of 2008 and 2009. Then, another pivot to being a talent agent for five years and then another career defining moment. Patrick McCreery called and said he was getting promoted and would Brown replace him as the VP of News with Meredith’s Local Media Group. In that role he oversaw news, marketing, digital and oversaw the creation and launch of People Magazine’s People the TV Show! The show ran for almost two years. When Meredith was sold in 2021, Gary was forced to pivot as his role ended and that is when he and Patrick McCreery formed Glass City Talent, LLC to purchase Talent Dynamics in June 2022. Since then, the mission has been to build on the legacy of the company and evolve our industry leading database and on-camera performance training. That mission continues today.

Candidate Q&A

Why are you seeking this SPJ office?

To help raise the profile of the organization.

What is a specific change you have made or helped make within SPJ?

To help make the organization more top of mind within the industry.

What is a specific change you would make within SPJ if you were elected?

Make sure there are dual paths and programs that are interesting to both print and broadcast members.

Why is SPJ important to you?

The industry needs the organization.

Nicole currently serves as the Region 5 Coordinator for the Society of Professional Journalists and serves as at-large directors for the SPJ Florida Board and the Freelance Community Board. She also served as the Regional Coordinator Caucus Chair, as chair for the Generation J Community and as Region 5 Assistant Coordinator. In addition, Nicole completed a 10-month grant writing fellowship and has secured more than $50,000 in grants throughout the last two-years, mostly for nonprofit news. She graduated from DePauw University in 2016 and was a recipient of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program in 2012.

Candidate Q&A

Why are you seeking this SPJ office?

To put it simply, I am running for this SPJ office because I believe that I have the skills needed to help SPJ not only survive but thrive throughout this financial crisis. And, I believe that because of the wide breadth of my SPJ leadership experience, I can help make decisions that are mindful of the needs of some of the underrepresented areas of our national board, specifically that of my fellow regional coordinators and the Freelance Community. I’ve been a proud member of SPJ for more than a decade, and I believe that I embody both a healthy respect for our tradition and history and fresh ideas to help move our organization forward. In addition, I specifically believe that my experience in nonprofit news, fundraising and grant writing will help SPJ secure firm financial footing and open the door to partnerships with organizations such as The Institute for Nonprofit News (INN).

What is a specific change you have made or helped make within SPJ?

Throughout my most recent term as Regional Coordinator in Region 5, there are two things I am most proud of.

First and foremost, this year, as RC Caucus Chair, I helped seek clarification surrounding the regional conference stipends. These stipends granted to each region to help offset the cost of hosting a regional conference. Through asking questions and advocating for another region, each region was awarded an additional $250 from SPJ Headquarters, for a total of $750 in support ($500 from SPJ and $250 from The Kiplinger Program in Public Affairs Journalism).

Secondly, in my first year as Regional Coordinator, two of Region 5’s chapters achieved the honor of winning Chapter of the Year. My role was to support, advocate for and nominate these exceptional chapters, but the real credit goes to the chapter leaders who put in the hard work and dedication that earned this recognition. I was glad to see them recognized for the amazing work which included offering continued public records training to journalists through FOIA Fest and advocating for and successfully changing Indiana law to allow cameras in the courtroom.

What is a specific change you would make within SPJ if you were elected?

If I am elected to the board, it is my goal to work with the other board members to help SPJ continue toward financial stability. This has to be the number one priority. That being said, I believe that one key way that we can move toward that goal is through programming and partnerships with other journalism organizations. This not only opens the door for additional grant funding and fundraising opportunities, but it also draws journalists to SPJ.

Additionally, regardless of whether or not I am elected, it has been one of my goals to provide grant writing training and support to chapter leaders so they can continue to provide programming and support for journalists in their areas. It is my goal to bring the training that I have offered at the College Media Association conference and our combined Region 4/ Region 5 Spring Conference to the wider SPJ Community.

Why is SPJ important to you?

Personally, I owe much of the journalist I am today and the career that I have had to SPJ either directly or indirectly. I know that I am not the only journalist that has benefited from the work that SPJ does. I am constantly working to find new ways to support SPJ's mission and to volunteer for it. At the end of the day, I want to constantly serve SPJ, give back to it and play a role in improving it along the way.

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Newberry returned to daily journalism in 2022, retiring from Miami University as director of its journalism program. Newberry joined Miami in 1997 as an adjunct instructor — after about 15 years in the news world — and ended up staying 25 years. Her favorite Miami experiences included running a travel course called NYC Media, chairing the student media committee, sitting on the university-wide Lecture Series committee, advising the SPJ chapter and working directly with students on reporting and writing. She now relishes her role as a boomerang to the newsroom, covering all kinds of wonky and wonderful news about how Cincinnati spends taxpayer funds. Newberry and her stalwart spouse of 34 years, Doug Newberry, are parents to three pretty cool adult children (Frances, Arthur and Beatrice) and an awfully nice Basset hound named J.J. Off-hours, her favorite things are walking, reading, cooking, Wordle, Michigan, friends and family.

Candidate Q&A

Why are you seeking this SPJ office?

I’m seeking to rejoin the national board to promote SPJ’s critical position among media advocates. SPJ needs strong and seasoned leaders as it fights to protect press rights, grow membership, produce relevant programming and maintain a balanced operating budget. I consider myself a collaborative, no-nonsense thought-leader, long dedicated to the best interests of SPJ and its members. While I have enjoyed my time on the SPJ Foundation board, I would welcome the chance to return to the Society’s board and play a more hands-on role in helping our new(ish) executive director and newly elected officers move forward on all priorities.

What is an example of a change you have made or helped make within SPJ?

During my time on the national board, I played key roles in programming for national conventions, elevating the Fellows of the Society program, reducing the size of the board, creating a strategic plan and hiring an executive director.

What is a specific change you would make within SPJ if you were elected?

I have two top goals: 1.) Conducting a top-to-bottom assessment of SPJ’s many, many iniatives and determining which are worth growing and which are worth sunsetting; and 2.) working with our staff to generate revenue from new sources.

Why is SPJ important to you?

SPJ’s mission — to protect and promote journalism — is central to our democracy and central to my life’s work as a journalist and journalism educator. In addition to our successful, high-profile advocacy work, we provide programming and services that help journalists and educators do their jobs better. Finally, and very importantly, we create community — bringing together people from across the country and beyond who believe in the power of journalism and necessity of fighting for press freedoms. That’s essential, too, with increasing threats to journalists and journalism on the national political stage.

My work—reportage and fiction—has been published in newspapers and magazines across the United States and in Israel, and my novel, Blurred Vision, is scheduled to be published by Red Adept Publishing in 2025. I’ve been honored by the National Council of Young Israel, the Zionist Organization of America, the Jewish Action Alliance, and Israel’s Arutz Sheva (Channel 7), as well as by the South Jersey Writers Group. I speak often for Jewish, Christian, and secular audiences and have been a guest on numerous radio and television programs. A graduate of New York University with an undergraduate degree in Comparative Literature and a Master’s in Education, I’m married to Dr. Richard Rosenbluth. We have three married children,13 grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter.

Candidate Q&A

Why are you seeking this SPJ office?

As a senior citizen, longtime journalist covering all fields of interest to the niche community I serve, and an active member of and advocate for the Jewish community, I think I can add a perspective to SPJ that I sometimes feel is missing.

What is an example of a change you have made or helped make within SPJ?

As a member, I think I've helped bring an awareness that for many in the Jewish community, Friday night and Saturday events are impossible to attend. When one group's sensitivities are considered, it's easier to universalize that awareness, making SPJ open and user-friendly for journalists representing all communities.

What is a specific change you would make within SPJ if you were elected?

I would encourage more members of the observant-Jewish community to become involved in the group.

Why is SPJ important to you?

When journalists do their job correctly, no one's work is more important. At our core, we are teachers with some of the biggest classrooms in the world, and, as such, we should abide by a few truths I consider so fundamental they're plaques on my office wall: "Be Clear;" "The Proper Response to the Outrageous Is Still to be Outraged;" and "Never Underestimate Your Reader's Intelligence; Never Overestimate Your Reader's Information."

Those early years reading Associated Press news as it happened ultimately led — with an LSU journalism degree in hand— to a 34-year AP career that led to bylines from 12 states. After retirement, I sat in as city editor at my hometown paper, The Advocate in Baton Rouge, and this year was named managing editor at WBRZ in Baton Rouge, in the same newsroom where I read the wires decades ago.

I like to think of myself as a natural storyteller. Every job has seen me yearning to tell the best story to the widest audience.

I’ve learned over the years, thanks to guidance from brilliant bureau chiefs, to make my own luck, even if the path isn’t obvious or the tactics aren’t logical. Some examples say a lot about me:

Feeling mired in West Virginia and wanting to return to the Deep South, I took my supervisor's advice to move to Pennsylvania — farther from home. His reasoning was that succeeding with high-profile stories in a high-profile state would let me write my ticket anywhere.

Four years later, I was Arkansas news editor covering President Bill Clinton and the scandals that came with the territory. I took on Oklahoma amid a restructuring that included the layoffs of several friends.

Once, on a hunch during a night of bad weather, I went to the Little Rock airport after a photo stringer had called the desk to say his girlfriend's flight hadn't arrived. I arrived so quickly that the police directed me to a holding pen for families. A plane carrying 143 people had crashed.

Eventually, airline representatives came by to read a list linking passengers to the hospitals where they had been taken; there were about 80, as I recall. Shortly thereafter, a bus carrying those not injured pulled up. It held about 50.

Some quick math left around 13 unaccounted for and a few common sense questions later revealed that at least nine were dead. Other reporters thought I had a family member on the flight; in fact, I had just used instincts to beat them on an important story.

At the end of the day, and toward the end of a career, success comes from being prepared, being crafty and recognizing opportunities. I hope that when I finally walk away from the newsroom that's a message my colleagues will hold dear.

Candidate Q&A

Why are you seeking this SPJ office?

I've watched in horror as SPJ drifts aimlessly. Who are we, and who do we want to be?

What is a specific change you have made or helped make within SPJ?

With deep regrets, I backed SPJ’s decision to shrink its board of directors from 23 to nine. The move was promoted as a way to make the organization “nimbler” and improve the way we react to events and emergencies in real time. Instead, it led to our losing our broad base of representatives and concentrated power in the hands of a ruling clique.

About the same time, we made some bad hires for headquarters and those of us exiting the board didn’t leave clear enough instructions to the membership about how to keep things pointed in the right direction.

We broke away from tradition, having our leaders move up the chain and keep us focused on helping all journalists. We also allowed and the membership accepted a lack of transparency for which we have all suffered.

What is a specific change you would make within SPJ if you were elected?

I'd like us to concentrate on core journalistic principles - the First Amendment, Professional Development and Ethics. These are our bread-and-butter issues. Yes, all specialty journalism groups benefit from them, but by their very names it's obvious that something is more important to them. We are for all professional journalists; it's in our name. We've spread ourselves too thin by trying to be everything to all people.

Why is SPJ important to you?

I joined SPJ as a junior in college, but let my membership lapse as I moved into states where SPJ wasn't particularly active. I returned in the 2000s in Arkansas, drawn in by its Gridiron-style Farkleberry Follies.

Journalism is arguably the most important profession in the world and for 100 years SPJ was *the* voice of the journalism community. We've abdicated that role, but for what? We need to get it back, and I want to do my part.

It isn't about SPJ being important to me; its about SPJ being important to the country.

Candidate Q&A

Why are you seeking this SPJ office?

I believe my experience in the office and other SPJ positions is needed during this difficult time for the organization.

What is a specific change you have made or helped make within SPJ?

I was on the board for the discussions about making it smaller. I also participated in discussion about the ethics code, although not on the Ethics Committee. On the state level I worked to get the chapter leadership out of a geographical rut of holding all events in Central Jersey.

What is a specific change you would make within SPJ if you were elected?

I hope to bring the regional coordinators together for discussion on how to run the best conferences we can, including holding joint conferences when appropriate. I will also work to strengthen the relationship between campus and pro chapters.

Why is SPJ important to you?

Our code of ethics is the standard in the industry. Our commitment to the first amendment and legal defense of journalists is second to none. We can accomplish so much if we work together.

She is also a journalism professor at Marymount Manhattan College and a consultant at First Amendment Watch, which she helped launch in 2017. Previously, Serafin was a staff writer at Forbes and co-editor of the magazine's annual "Billionaire's List," initiating coverage of billionaires in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. She began her career in management consulting, advising multinational corporations on strategy and competitive positioning.

Serafin has an MFA in creative writing from the New School, an MA in business and economic reporting from New York University, and an MA in Central European and Russian studies, and a BS in foreign service from Georgetown University. You can find her at tatianaserafin.com.

Candidate Q&A

Why are you seeking this SPJ office?

With college journalism programs being cut because of shrinking college budgets or worse - administrative censorship - we need to provide support to college journalism programs and make sure the next generation is trained to do this important work. SPJ has the resources to share and a fantastic network to tap. I also think it is important to create partnerships with other organizations to broaden our reach. I remember taking advantage of the SPJ-Facebook training several years back and students loved it.

What is a specific change you have made or helped make within SPJ?

I hope to have the opportunity to help SPJ reach more students and support the next generation of journalists.

What is a specific change you would make within SPJ if you were elected?

I have my students study the SPJ Code of Ethics in my Media, Law & Ethics class. I would love for SPJ to do more to share this code of ethics will a wider audience so that news consumers understand the ethical guidelines under which journalists work. My work with the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs was steeped in discussions around ethics and how we need to make that a part of our daily conversation and study and I would like to continue this at SPJ.

Why is SPJ important to you?

When I went freelance full-time, SPJ was an important link to a network and to resources that I had in a newsroom. As a journalism professor, SPJ is my go-to resource for the Code of Ethics to job opportunities for my students to industry information.

Michelle is a 2021 IRE fellow, a 2022 SPJ Diversity fellow, and a Louisiana State University graduate. She also serves on the Deadline Club's Executive Council.

During her two-year tenure as VP of SPJ GA, the group won chapter of the year as well as the Circle of Excellence Award for Professional Development. Under her leadership, SPJ GA held two sessions aimed at helping keep MMJs safe while out on the job. The first session had more than 200 attendees. After the two successful sessions, SPJ GA worked with SPJ national to create a task force to implement a Code of Safety for MMJs nationwide.

As Region 1 coordinator, Michelle hopes to increase a diverse membership through networking with other national leaders to help bridge the gap between local, national, and freelance partners. She’s also working to make sure Region 1 has the best convention of 2025.

Michelle is hoping to breath new life into Region 1 by strategizing across regions to put on events that every journalist needs.

Candidate Q&A

Why are you the best candidate for this position?

I want to help diversify the SPJ office and help amplify stories from people of color.

What is an example of a change you have made or helped make within SPJ?

I have done everything in my power to help increase membership and tell those about all the great opportunities SPJ has to offer. I've also worked with Frank LoMonte on the SPJ Foundation board to help spearhead fundraising initiatives

What is a specific change you would make within SPJ if you were elected?

I want to get more national network involvement. That is a must for me. I will start with working to get tours and events held at CNN's NY office in the Hudson Yards area.

I plan to reach out to all of my other friends, working at other networks, to help increase network based membership within SPJ. I also want to work to diversify the board — whether that's in small chapters or big chapters.

I would love to bridge the gap between regions too as I've now served in two regions and help communicate internally between regions

Why is SPJ important to you?

I saw a lot of change under president Rebecca Aguilar, and even more under Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins — my hope is to be the voice to a younger and newer generation of change. That starts with me and all of what I bring to the table.

Candidate Q&A

Why are you the best candidate for this position?

I feel that the region needs more women’s voices, and I believe I can help promote the SPJ in our area and support the organization.

What is an example of a change you have made or helped make within SPJ?

I haven’t had the chance to make any changes yet, but look forward to taking advantage of this opportunity to improve the footprint of the organization.

What is a specific change you would make within SPJ if you were elected?

As mentioned above, bringing more of a woman’s voice to the region.

Why is SPJ important to you?

Their support and educational opportunities are immense and what the organization stand for is so important, especially in these political times.

Candidate Q&A

Why are you seeking this SPJ office?

I have a longstanding, successful career within news, media, and publishing organizations. My experience as a local SPJ leader has allowed me to further my leadership skills, while working hard with other chapter members and leaders on many notable programs and events in Cincinnati and throughout Region 4. Through regional conferences and other SPJ membership-wide events, I have also had the opportunity to get to know and work with many of the chapter leaders and members in our region. I am committed to SPJ and desire to work together with others on a local, regional, and national level to accomplish SPJ’s initiatives and goals. I'm devoted to furthering journalism and SPJ's mission.

What is a specific change you have made or helped make within SPJ?

I’ve been actively involved with SPJ for more than a decade and have worked alongside strong leaders in Cincinnati including Hagit Limor, Tom McKee, Jenny Wohlfarth, and Patti Newberry, among others in the region, including Kevin Smith, Nerissa Young, Angela Gartner, and others. I also have built lasting relationships with many SPJ leaders and members throughout the region and on a national level. I am an encourager and cheerleader, who is passionate about SPJ's mission.

What is a specific change you would make within SPJ if you were elected?

As Region 4 Coordinator, I would like to help further the efforts of the professional and student chapters in the region. I hope to be a resource to aid chapters and chapter leaders as we all work together to achieve SPJ’s goals. The work of a journalist has never been more important and SPJ’s voice is not only beneficial for all of us, but critical in these unprecedented times. Region 4 has many outstanding members and leaders throughout the region, and I’m so happy to be able to further the work of SPJ alongside all of you. I’m excited about the opportunity to further SPJ’s mission. I hope to help continue to strengthen SPJ over the next two years and look forward to furthering the organization’s strategic goals and initiatives.

Why is SPJ important to you?

I am a award-winning career journalist who is committed to serving other journalists and industry professionals. SPJ's vision aligns with my personal goals and mission. I would like to be a part of shaping the future of journalism.

Nicole currently serves as the Region 5 Coordinator for the Society of Professional Journalists and serves as at-large directors for the SPJ Florida Board and the Freelance Community Board. She also served as the Regional Coordinator Caucus Chair, as chair for the Generation J Community and as Region 5 Assistant Coordinator. In addition, Nicole completed a 10-month grant writing fellowship and has secured more than $50,000 in grants throughout the last two-years, mostly for nonprofit news. She graduated from DePauw University in 2016 and was a recipient of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program in 2012.

Candidate Q&A

Why are you seeking this SPJ office?

I’m seeking re-election for this SPJ office because it has been one of my goals throughout this last term to create systems within Region 5 to support our chapter leaders and to connect them with one another. Region 5, like SPJ nationally, has been working to rebuild and reconnect following the COVID-19 Pandemic, and there’s still work that I would like to see through.

What is a specific change you have made or helped make within SPJ?

Throughout my most recent term as Regional Coordinator in Region 5, there are two things I am most proud of.

First and foremost, this year, as RC Caucus Chair, I helped seek clarification surrounding the regional conference stipends. These stipends granted to each region to help offset the cost of hosting a regional conference. Through asking questions and advocating for another region, each region was awarded an additional $250 from SPJ Headquarters, for a total of $750 in support ($500 from SPJ and $250 from The Kiplinger Program in Public Affairs Journalism).

Secondly, in my first year as Regional Coordinator, two of Region 5’s chapters achieved the honor of winning Chapter of the Year. My role was to support, advocate for and nominate these exceptional chapters, but the real credit goes to the chapter leaders who put in the hard work and dedication that earned this recognition. I was glad to see them recognized for the amazing work which included offering continued public records training to journalists through FOIA Fest and advocating for and successfully changing Indiana law to allow cameras in the courtroom.

What is a specific change you would make within SPJ if you were elected?

If I am re-elected a Regional Coordinator, it is my goal to continue to foster communication and collaboration between the chapter leaders in my region. One of the goals that I have not yet been able to accomplish is to create quarterly get-togethers and leadership trainings for the chapter leaders to learn from and with one another.

Additionally, I want to make sure that I utilize the deputy or assistant regional coordinator position to provide the training and support for the next SPJ leader to take on this position. It is important to me as a leader that I support others in their leadership capabilities as well.

Why is SPJ important to you?

Personally, I owe much of the journalist I am today and the career that I have had to SPJ either directly or indirectly. I know that I am not the only journalist that has benefited from the work that SPJ does. I am constantly working to find new ways to support SPJ's mission and to volunteer for it. At the end of the day, I want to constantly serve SPJ, give back to it and play a role in improving it along the way.

Candidate Q&A

Why are you seeking this SPJ office?

I grew up in media and have developed a lot of skills that could help my peers. I design about half the ads in the magazine (yellowscene.com) and have taken to writing articles on marketing. "

Campaign video [youtube.com]

What is a specific change you have made or helped make within SPJ?

N/A

What is a specific change you would make within SPJ if you were elected?

I dont know enough to answer that yet

Why is SPJ important to you?

As our current fundraiser states: Local Journalism Matters

After studying journalism and Spanish at Southern Utah University, she went on to more than a decade as a reporter and editor at Deseret News in Salt Lake City where she covered courts, crime and community, and led a team of award-winning journalists.

A member of the Society of Professional Journalists since her freshman year in college, she is a board member for the Utah Headliners Chapter and has been proud to represent journalists in Utah, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico as Region 9 coordinator. She is a passionate advocate for open meetings and records, ethical reporting and the future of journalism.

Candidate Q&A

Why are you seeking this SPJ office?

I am deeply immersed in and proud of journalism in the West. The journalists in Region 9 have been a source of knowledge and inspiration for me ever since I joined SPJ as a college freshman to attend my first national convention and Region 9 conference. I have appreciated the opportunity to represent Region 9 journalists for the past two years as we have emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, and would be grateful for the chance to continue serving them.

What is a specific change you have made or helped make within SPJ?

I have worked with the Utah Headliners board and chapter to update our contest entry and judging system, and to draw more student entries into our contest, hopefully as a gateway to professional membership for them.

What is a specific change you would make within SPJ if you were elected?

I know local chapters are struggling to keep engaged members on their boards. I want to look at the organizational requirements for local boards to ensure we are not creating unnecessary, bureaucratic barriers to recruiting and retaining board members.

Why is SPJ important to you?

SPJ has been a steady source of support and inspiration for me, from my college years to internships to my first job, and through my professional development. It has been a gateway to meet and learn from skilled journalists, whether that has been members of my own local chapter and region or the high-profile convention speakers that the organization brings in.