Join us in welcoming new officers and members to the 2018-2019 Journalism and Women Symposium Board of Directors.

President-Elect

Mira Lowe is the director of the Innovation News Center at the University of Florida. She has served as JAWS Secretary and on the Membership and Fundraising committees.

"JAWS is uniquely positioned in today’s media landscape to be the leading, go-to organization for women in journalism – advocating for wage parity and advancement, creating job opportunities and promoting diversity at all levels across all platforms," Lowe said in her candidate statement. Working with the president and the board of directors, I will work to elevate JAWS’ profile, strengthen our regional groups, identify strategic partners and extend our reach to women in the business."

Treasurer

Deborah Douglas is the Pulliam Professor of Journalism at DePauw University, and has been a senior leader with The OpEd Project, a global initiative dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices.

She recently served as managing editor of MLK50: Justice Through Journalism, a year-long reporting project focused on the economic realities of Memphis, Tennessee, leading into the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination there. The project centered on marginalized voices and examined structural barriers to full economic participation.

"The type of training, coaching and support available at/with JAWS is not a given in our newsrooms, but it should be. I hope to evangelize our existence, grow our ranks and broadcast a standard of excellence media organizations recognize, seek and respect," she said.

General board members

Charisse Gibson is a television news anchor and host at FOX 19 NOW- Cincinnati, Ohio.

"As a 2015 JAWS Diversity Fellow and member of the JAWS Diversity Committee, I see opportunities for growth within our organization. JAWS has a very unique opportunity to expand its core membership to women across the journalism field. As a Television News Anchor and woman of color, I find opportunities to build relationships and partnerships with other affinity groups such as NABJ, AAJA, NAHJ, and NLGJA-the association of LGBTQ journalists. These partnerships would lead to an expansion in education, leadership, mentorship, and membership," she said.

Jennifer Kho is Managing Editor at HuffPost in New York.

"At a time when journalism is under attack and women continue to face major challenges (including increasingly heinous trolling, doxxing and general undermining, unfairness and disrespect), the networking/knowledge sharing, training and support that JAWS offers seems more important than ever," she said.

Marina Trahan Martinez is a New York Times freelancer and former producer/reporter at The Dallas Morning News in Dallas, Texas.

"Participation and enjoyment of the JAWS Conference And Mentoring Project calls for more involvement to support the process, beyond mentorship," she said. "I have benefited from CAMP and should serve in gratitude the organizing process."

Fara Warner is the founder of Shokan Studios (digital media, editing, consulting), in West Shokan, New York.

"As a former board member, I'd love to re-engage with JAWS as my career shifts yet again away from corporate media to founding a journalism start-up with a JAWS member, returning to teaching via the Poynter Foundation, and working with a non-profit focused on pay equity for women, specifically in the media industry," she said.

The newest officers and members were welcomed at CAMP 2018 in Welches, Oregon.

Current board member Rachel Sams was appointed as secretary to fill out Mira Lowe's term. Rachel is editor-in-chief of Albuquerque Business First, where she manages newsroom strategy and has the privilege of helping amazing journalists do their best work online every day and in print once a week. She joined ABF in 2009 as associate editor.