SPJ/LA Announces Newly Elected Board Members, Officers
The Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists has picked a new leadership team for 2022 and selected seven people to serve on the group’s board of directors.
Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, professor of journalism at Santa Monica College, was chosen by the board last week to serve as chapter president. Nathan Solis, a staff writer with the Los Angeles Times, will serve as vice president. Elizabeth Marcellino, a reporter for City News Service, will continue as treasurer, and Rick Montanez, reporter for KCBS2/KCAL9, will serve as chapter secretary.
“I am honored to have been chosen by my fellow board members to lead SPJ/LA," Blaize-Hopkins said. "We as a chapter have accomplished so much in the past year— from helping to strengthen press freedoms in California to awarding numerous scholarships to up and coming student journalists. I’m looking forward to building upon our successes in 2022 and accomplishing even more for the journalism community here in Southern California.”
SPJ/LA members also re-elected four incumbents during last month's election: columnist and veteran board member Joel Bellman; Alexi Chidbachian, digital news producer at FOX11 Los Angeles; Navid Nonahal, a past president of SPJ/LA; and David Zahniser, a staff writer with the Los Angeles Times.
The board is also taking on three new members: Montanez, Los Angeles Times staff writer Brittny Mejia and Kate Cagle, anchor and investigative reporter for Spectrum News 1 SoCal.
SPJ/LA offers congratulations to all of its officers and its new and returning board members. The chapter also wishes to thank everyone who took time to cast ballots.
CONTACT: Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins,
ashanti.blaize@gmail.com