July 8, 2019
SPJ/LA Board of Directors
Monday, July 8, 2019
7 p.m.
Maria’s Italian Kitchen
10761 W Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064
Present: Penny Arevalo, Joel Bellman, Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, Stephanie Bluestein, Sarah Favot, Carolina Garcia, Elizabeth Marcellino, Kathryn Mora, Navid Nonahal, Richard Saxton, Nathan Solis, Lori Streifler, Roberta Wax, Natalie Windsor, David Zahniser.
Bluestein called the meeting to order at 7:26 p.m.
I. Approval of minutes from June 3 meetingWindsor moved to approve the corrected June meeting minutes. Bellman seconded. Arevalo, Blaize-Hopkins, Bluestein, Garcia, Nonahal, Saxton and Zahniser abstained. Approved
II. President’s report – Bluestein
Bluestein reported the Nonprofit Communications and Media Network will meet on July 10 and will review wording for the agreement to transfer the scholarship money to our Chapter. Bluestein will report back to the board via email if action is needed. Bluestein has registered for the Excellence in Journalism conference in San Antonio in September. Nonahal also reported she will attend. Favot moved to appoint Nonahal and Bluestein to be the Chapter’s delegates at EIJ. Windsor seconded. Approved. Nonahal and Bluestein abstained.Windsor moved to cover Bluestein’s expenses for EIJ. Wax seconded. Approved. Bluestein abstained. Bluestein reported we are waiting to hear back from the IRS regarding a potential penalty. Our accountant has told us we shouldn’t owe any penalty.
III. Treasurer’s report – Marcellino.
Bellman moved to receive the Treasurer’s Report. Favot seconded. Approved.
IV. Standing/Ad Hoc Committees
a. Awards –Streifler and Wick
No report
b. Banquet – Walton
No report
c. Courts – Marcellino
No report
d. Diversity – Lewis
No report
e. Ethics – Bellman
Bellman reported on a planned panel discussion about the ethics of naming active shooters in news stories. We are still looking for a location. A potential date for the panel is Sept. 17.
f. FOI – Zahniser
Zahniser is exploring a panel about border coverage or reporting in Mexico. He plans to hold the event in October.
g. Generation J – Blaize-Hopkins
Blaize-Hopkins is exploring a social media and audience engagement workshop. She is planning it for October.
h. Membership – Nonahal
We haven’t received an updated roster from National. We expect to receive a check for Chapter dues in the near future.
i. Nominations – Bray
No report
j. Scholarships – Saxton
See later in the agenda
V. Old Business
a. Mega Mixer update – Saxton
The mixer will be at Molly Malone’s on Wednesday from 6 to 9 p.m. We are at capacity with 130 people who have RSVP’d. The Chapter has purchased mugs and pens for new members. Zahniser moved to offer the mugs at the mixer for a $10 donation or provide it free if someone joins national and the Chapter as a new member. Blaize-Hopkins seconded. Approved.
VI. New Business
a. Selecting scholarship recipients – Saxton
The committee recommended:Stephanie Lai, of UCLA, for the inaugural Richard D. Hendrickson Memorial ScholarshipKate Sequeria, of USC, for the Ken Inouye Memorial ScholarshipBlake Atwell, of SMC, for the Helen Johnson Memorial ScholarshipJulie Madsen, of UC Berkeley, for the Bill Farr Memorial ScholarshipZahniser moved to award Stephanie Lai the inaugural Richard D. Hendrickson Memorial Scholarship. Marcellino seconded. Approved. Arevalo abstained.Zahniser moved to award Kate Segueria the Ken Inouye Memorial Scholarship. Garcia seconded. Approved. Zahniser moved to award Blake Atwell the Helen Johnson Memorial Scholarship. Nonahal seconded. Approved. Blaize-Hopkins abstained.Zahniser requested that the committee go back to the applications for the Carl Greenberg Scholarship and recommend another candidate. Windsor seconded. Approved.Zahniser moved to award Julia Madesen the Bill Far Memorial Scholarship. Bellman seconded. Approved.
b. Fall event on future of local news – Bluestein
Bluestein reported she would like to plan an event on the future of local news in light of NYT Executive Editor Dean Baquet’s comments about the demise of local news.
c. SPJ transparency pledge – Bluestein
SPJ National board member Michael Koretsky proposed a pledge for SPJ National board candidates. He is looking for feedback. Board members are generally supportive of each of the items, but we suggest that this be formalized as a resolution to be voted on at EIJ that would be adopted as a policy.
d. SPJ executive director search
Bellman will tune in to the Zoom meeting that national is holding on the executive director search and report back to the board.
VII. Adjournment in memory of Jim Newman, longtime L.A. business reporter for KFWB, KTLA and KABC. Bellman moved to adjourn at 9:12 p.m. Wax seconded. Approved.
Next meeting: Monday, Sept. 9 at Maria’s Italian Kitchen.