AAJA is led by its national Board of Directors with the counsel of its Advisory Board.
The 11-member board is composed of AAJA’s six national officers plus five members elected from the Advisory Board.
The board ensures AAJA is fulfilling its mission, meeting the needs of its members and operating legally, effectively, and efficiently.

Michelle Lee
Political Enterprise and
Accountability Reporter,
The Washington Post

Nicole Dungca
Investigative Reporter,
The Washington Post

Vice President of Journalism Programs
Kris Vera-Phillips
Adjunct Professor & PhD Student,
Cronkite School of Journalist

Pia Sarkar, 2019-2020 term
Business Editor, Associated Press
Julia B. Chan, VP elect 2021-2022
Managing Editor, Digital, KQED News

Ted Han, 2019-2020 term
Product Manager, Mozilla
Jin Ding, VP elect 2021-2022
Program Manager, International
Women’s Media Foundation

Shirley Qiu
Audience Engagement Strategist
American Press Institute

Bobby Caina Calvan
Reporter, Associated Press

Bethany Ao
Reporter, The Philadelphia Inquirer

Henry Fuhrmann
Retired Assistant Managing
Editor, Los Angeles Times

Elizabeth Yuan
Publishing Editor,
The Wall Street Journal

Yuri Nagano
Editor, Bloomberg Industry
Group
The National Advisory Board is comprised of Chapter Board Representatives who are elected by their local members.
The Advisory Board advises the Board of Directors to ensure chapter interests are represented.
Arizona
Aric Johnson
Recruiter & Adviser, Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Arizona State University
Asia
Oanh Ha
Senior Reporter, Bloomberg
Atlanta
Willoughby Mariano
Reporter, Investigative Team
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Chicago
Grace Wong
Reporter, The Chicago Tribune
Florida
Moni Basu
Professor, University of Florida College
of Journalism and Communications
Hawai’i
Wes Nakama
Assistant Director of Information,
Hawai’i High School Athletic Association
Los Angeles
Anh Do
Reporter, The Los Angeles Times
Hibah Samad
Anchor/Reporter, Newsbreak Live
Michigan
Dorothy Hernandez
Writer, City of Detroit
Minnesota
Nancy Yang
Digital Producer, Minnesota Public Radio
New England
Daigo Fujiwara
Newsroom Web Developer, WBUR
New York
Emily Tan
Freelance Journalist & Photographer