The SPJ DC Pro Chapter year for this election is June 2025 to June 2026.
Here is the excerpt from the DC Pro Chapter Constitution about officers and directors.
Article Four – Officers
Section 1: The officers of this Chapter shall be a president, a vice president, a recording secretary, a corresponding secretary and a treasurer.
Section 2: The officers shall be elected for one-year terms, which shall begin at the next annual installation of officers and shall end at the following installation.
Article Five – Directors
Section 1: There shall be elected from the membership of this Chapter six directors who shall meet at least nine times per year with the officers of the Chapter to formulate plans and procedures. These directors together with the officers of the chapter and the immediate past president shall constitute the Executive Board.
Section 2: Three directors shall be elected each year for a term commencing at the next annual installation of officers and expiring at the installation two years thereafter.
The following is an excerpt from the DC Pro Chapter’s Bylaws about duties of officers.
Article Six – Duties of Officers
Section 1: The president shall preside at all meetings, shall exercise general supervision over the affairs and activities of the Chapter, and shall serve as an ex-officio member of all committees.
Section 2: If the president is absent or incapacitated, the president’s duties shall be assumed by the vice president. The vice president shall also serve as program coordinator for the Chapter.
Section 3: The recording secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings of the Chapter and send records of the proceedings to members of the Executive Board.
Section 4: The corresponding secretary shall be the custodian of all Chapter records unless a special officer shall be appointed for that purpose, shall maintain the Chapter roster, including all records and reports on membership enrollment, and shall conduct all correspondence of the Chapter, as required.
Section 5: The treasurer shall receive all Chapter funds, keep them in one or more federally insured depositories approved by the Executive Board, and pay out funds only by direction of the Executive Board. The treasurer shall make a written monthly report to the Executive Board of all disbursements, receipts and balances.
These are the candidates for officer positions. Officers serve one-year terms.
President – Celia Wexler
Vice President – Kaela Roeder
Corresponding Secretary – Amy Fickling
Recording Secretary – Tony Cabral
Treasurer – Dan Kubiske
These are the candidates for the Board of Directors.
The at-large directors serve two-year terms. There are six directors. Three are elected each year. Sometimes there are unexpired terms, and even if someone is appointed to the seat, if a year remains in the term, that seat must be elected at the next election.
For two-year terms (no more than three may be elected)
Micha Green
Jessica Jerreat
Georgena Mierow
For a one-year term to fill a board seat with one year unexpired
Zach Theiler (to serve remaining year in the term resigned by Christina Sturdivant-Sani, elected in 2024)
Meet the candidates.
Officer candidates
Celia Viggo Wexler is an award-winning journalist and nonfiction author. Her freelance work has appeared in The Washington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle, Columbia Journalism Review, Salon, Fodor’s Travel Guide, NBC News’ online opinion site THINK, CNN Opinion, U.S. News and World Report, the New York Daily News and The Nation. Her first book, “Out of the News: Former Journalists Discuss a Profession in Crisis” (McFarland, 2012), won a national SPJ SDX Award for journalism history. Her second book, “Catholic Women Confront Their Church: Stories of Hurt and Hope” (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016), earned a starred review in Publishers’ Weekly. Currently president of the SPJ DC Pro Chapter, Wexler previously served on the Board of Governors of the National Press Club. She’s been a member of SPJ DC Pro’s board since 2018.
CANDIDATE STATEMENT: I’m running for a second one-year term as president of the SPJ DC Pro Chapter.
I’ve learned a lot as a first-time president of the chapter, and due to our strong board, we’ve had a good and productive year. Our biggest accomplishment was ensuring the future viability of the chapter’s ability to give journalism scholarships to worthy students through the SDX Foundation of Washington, D.C., the chapter’s education arm.
We also have been working with SPJ national to address press freedom at a time when it’s been deeply threatened, both at home and abroad. Our treasurer, Dan Kubiske, also co-chairs SPJ’s International Community, and has been deeply involved in this effort. And with the leadership of our board member and regional coordinator Stephenie Overman, we’ve begun a pilot mentoring project with University of Maryland journalism students, a project we hope to ultimately expand.
Through the efforts of our corresponding secretary, Amy Fickling, we’ve tried to keep you informed about our webinars and other events, and our annual Dateline Awards competition. Amy also is our Dateline Awards and Hall of Fame dinner chair, ensuring that the chapter continues to celebrate outstanding journalism in the DMV.
SPJ will hold its next national convention in D.C. Oct. 15-18. I hope our chapter can increase our membership numbers, and ensure that more DC members are engaged in the work of the chapter and in helping our preparations for the national convention this year.
My goal is to help members at whatever level — student, early-career, mid-career, retired but freelancing — to feel involved in the work of the chapter and the national organization, and to offer members stimulating programs, as well as informal get-togethers. At a time when our profession faces economic challenges and serious threats to press freedom, SPJ is even more relevant
Kaela Roeder, an award-winning journalist based in Washington, D.C., is the lead D.C. and Baltimore reporter at Technical.ly, where she writes about technology and entrepreneurship. She previously worked as a freelance reporter. She’s a former deputy editor at Street Sense Media, a local newspaper covering homelessness and housing in D.C. She’s written for publications including Washington City Paper, DCist/WAMU and the Washington Blade. She holds a B.A. in journalism and anthropology from The American University and was a Poynter-Koch Media and Journalism Fellow.
CANDIDATE STATEMENT: Working in journalism can be hard, especially in recent months with continuing layoffs and increased hostility under the Trump administration. The industry is also reckoning with its own issues — readership is low for many outlets, and many reporters (including myself) are trying to find ways to reach audiences.
I’ve served on the SPJ DC Chapter board for a year as the recording secretary and found that fostering community is essential to finding comfort during tough times in journalism. As vice president, I’ll work to broaden those efforts and hope to plan programming to become better at our craft. That can mean a webinar about how to best use social media to get our stories out there or hosting a book club to decompress. I’d love to hear your thoughts on what you’d like to see happen.
I want to connect the DC journalism scene and help fellow journalists succeed and feel heard. At a time when the press in the US is under extreme pressure, it’s incredibly necessary to link together.
Amy Fickling has during more than 35 years as a DC Pro Chapter member held every office on the board and been an at-large director; she’s also been on the national SPJ board as Region 2 director. She has served as corresponding secretary for the past several years, and previously performed the duties while also being chapter treasurer. In addition to being in charge of the chapter membership roster in this role, she has been developing a definition for chapter correspondence in the new digital world, so the duties of the position have come to include responsibility for putting together the chapter’s newsletter along with all other membership correspondence, including presentation of material on the chapter’s website. She was honored as the chapter’s Distinguished Service Award winner in 2019, recognizing long-time service to the DC Pro Chapter while working as a reporter and/or editor at a variety of media outlets in the metropolitan area, including as assistant news editor at the McClatchy-Tribune News Service (was there when the service was closed in 2014). She is currently copy editor at Warren Communications News for the specialty publications International Trade Today, Export Compliance Daily and Trade Law Daily. She notes that thanks to the Trump administration’s focus on tariffs, she and her colleagues have been extremely busy covering all the federal angles. She is a National Press Club member and serves on the committee that produces the Club’s weekday daily newsletter in rotation with several other editors.
CANDIDATE STATEMENT: Having been chapter president (1991) and a two-term national SPJ board member — in my role as Region 2 director (1993 to 1997) — after moving “up the ladder” in the DC Pro Chapter and continuing service to the organization to the present, I’ve been active as participation by others in the chapter has waxed and waned, and witnessed preferences among especially the younger generations of journalists turn to some of the many other niche journalism groups out there. But the broad-based efforts for all journalists that SPJ stands for, and the sense of family it gives to long-time members, still are our crown jewels. I want to see the chapter continue to attract new minds and voices that carry our efforts forward into the future — especially on journalism ethics and seeking truth to report it. We work well with other journalism organizations, but either growing our membership organically or scaling our expectations to fit a new reality must continue to be our ambition. Building on the sense of belonging to something larger than ourselves as underpinning in the profession is key.
There has been much talk, even if only among ourselves as scribes more than on outwardly facing media platforms, about how threats to journalism, the “Fourth Estate,” also threaten our democracy itself. If we truly believe this, then we need to be strong for each other and stronger together to weather this threat.
Anthony “Tony” Cabral is running for secretary of the SPJ Washington, DC Pro Chapter. He’s worked in the District for over two years, at U.S. News & World Report. There, he is a digital producer and likes to help out around the newsroom where he can.
Prior to his time at U.S. News, Cabral studied at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park. While at Maryland, he was an executive board member of the college’s SPJ student chapter. Beyond the classroom, Cabral was heavily involved in the campus’ satirical magazine. While the news stories were all jokes, his responsibility as the publication’s editor-in-chief was anything but.
Not long after his time in College Park, Cabral travelled to Germany with the Fulbright organization to take part in the Berlin Capital Program. While in Berlin, he learned from members of the German press and government on how to build stronger transatlantic relations. In the summer of 2021, Cabral was a part of SPJ’s inaugural Summer Leadership Institute. There, he learned how to succeed in newsroom leadership and in leadership at organizations like SPJDC.
Besides journalism, Cabral writes in his free time, having written a fiction novel. He also enjoys work as a ghost tour guide and bingo host. Now, he hopes to be the next SPJ DC Pro Chapter recording secretary.
CANDIDATE STATEMENT: I’m hopeful for the future. It’s a very interesting time to work in journalism in Washington, D.C. I have no doubts many of you would agree. Whether it’s managing the breakneck speed of news from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue or experiencing the changing nature of newsrooms in the digital space, things are not normal. However, what this difficult time for news media has taught me is the camaraderie of journalists. There is a great sense of togetherness in the profession that gives me hope we will all come out of this era stronger. This is one of the reasons I’m running for the position of recording secretary of the DC Pro Chapter of SPJ. I want to help build a stronger community of journalists who look after one another and commit to the Ethics Code that grounds our role in the nation’s capital.
In my role, should I be elected, I hope to dutifully work as a scribe during the meetings and keep a strong record of notes that will keep the DC Chapter running smoothly for the foreseeable future. As a member of the executive board for this year, I would have the privilege of helping organize the MediaFest conference in October. I went to the last conference, three years ago when it was in Washington, and it was a high point in my young journalism career. I want to be a part of the next one in a greater role. It’s for these reasons, I’m running. With my involvement in the organization, I want to impart a sense of hope in the future.
Dan Kubiske is the current treasurer of SPJ DC Pro Chapter, and is seeking re-election. He also is the co-chair of the SPJ International Community, an online group within the national SPJ organization. He has covered environmental, human rights, political and commodity issues around the world, and has worked as a freelance journalist in Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Dominican Republic, Brazil and Honduras, as well as in the Washington, D.C., area for more than 35 years. In addition to longtime SPJ membership, he is a member of the National Press Club in Washington and remains a (distant) member of the Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents Club, where he once served on the board of governors. He was president of the chapter before traveling and living abroad for a number of years.
CANDIDATE STATEMENT: I like to think of myself as part of the living memory of the DC Pro Chapter and as one who encourages newer members to step up and take over the reins of power to move the chapter in new and exciting directions. For now, I continue to do what I can to help the chapter grow and remain an important part of the Washington journalism community.
Board of Directors candidates
Micha Green is the managing editor for the Washington Informer. She is a storyteller and actress from Washington, D.C. Micha received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fordham University, where she majored in Theatre, and a Master of Journalism degree from the University of Maryland’s prestigious, Philip Merrill College of Journalism. She worked as D.C. and Digital Editor for the AFRO American Newspapers for four years before transitioning to Features Content Editor at the Baltimore Sun. Micha is also a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Xi Omega Chapter. In her spare time, Micha teaches Zumba, enjoys running and participating in races, and cuddles with her dogs.
CANDIDATE STATEMENT: At a time when federal leaders have eliminated diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), worked to erase critical parts of history, and attacked members of the press, the Society of Professional Journalists embraces differences, combats misinformation and reveals truths.
Since September, I’ve been a proud member of the SPJ DC Pro board, and appreciate the responsibility of emphasizing ethics in journalism, promoting freedom of the press and helping to provide resources for other journalists.
During my time with SPJ DC, I’ve enjoyed learning what it means to serve on a board, weighing in on important topics, serving students through panels and other programming, and offering insight as a millennial managing editor working for the Black press. I’ve been able to advocate for more young adult involvement in the chapter and hope to recruit more media professionals to join and offer their expertise.
Further, as the chapter represents the nation’s capital, providing a safe space and resources for the journalists who are telling stories that will be seen across the country and world is critical. While the past eight months (and counting) have been a gift, there’s still so much work to do and I want the opportunity to help get it done. Journalists need support to serve as truth tellers in an age of misinformation. As a native Washingtonian and proud journalist, I’m hoping for another opportunity to make a difference in my hometown SPJ chapter.
Jessica Jerreat is an award-winning journalist who directs global coverage on press freedom for the international broadcaster VOA. She has nearly 25 years’ experience editing international and regional news in London, New York and Washington. A former senior editor for the Committee to Protect Journalists, Jerreat, since 2020, has set up and run the Press Freedom Desk at VOA, winning around 10 industry awards for documentary and multimedia packages, including two National Press Club Arthur Rowse awards and a NY Festivals TV & Film award. Jerreat is an active member of the National Press Club’s Press Freedom Committee, where she co-organizes workshops for exiled journalists. She holds a master’s degree in Press, Propaganda and Conflict from the University of Kent at Canterbury. Jerreat is currently part of the legal and assistance efforts to restore VOA’s journalists to their newsroom after a President Donald Trump executive order cut broadcasts to their weekly audience of 360 million.
CANDIDATE STATEMENT: As a journalist who benefited from the time and expertise that mentors invested in me throughout my career, I am keen to find ways to connect with the SPJ DC Pro Chapter to share knowledge, skills and assistance. I want to help harness the skills of our members, capturing the knowledge of veteran members and the creativity and digital prowess of the younger community to better equip us all for working in what is an increasingly challenging time for the industry. With MediaFest in D.C. this year, I am keen to be a proactive part of the planning and organizing, so that the DC Chapter can showcase the best of our members’ talent and lead discussions and debate about the important role media play here in the nation’s capital. I am committed to being a proactive chapter board member and an advocate and supporter of the talented journalists who are part of this chapter.
Georgena Mierow is a producer at The Hill, where she specializes in visual storytelling, including writing and producing both editorial and opinion content. She also serves as a union negotiator for The Hill Guild, where she represents and advocates on behalf of her colleagues during collective bargaining negotiations. Originally hailing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, she graduated summa cum laude with departmental honors from the George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs (SMPA), earning a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communications in 2022. She went on to complete her master’s degree in Media and Strategic Communication at SMPA in 2023. She has held internships with several prominent news organizations, including television news work for Spectrum News. In 2021, she was recognized by the American News Women’s Club and honored alongside renowned journalist Lesley Stahl.
CANDIDATE STATEMENT: As a dedicated journalist and producer at The Hill, I am excited to bring a perspective to the SPJ DC Chapter board focused on empowering the next generation of journalists. My work in visual storytelling and editorial content creation has shown me firsthand how essential it is for emerging journalists to understand the evolving media landscape and the role of social media in shaping news consumption and professional branding. If elected, I plan to lead initiatives that connect younger and early-career journalists, including students, more closely with our chapter. I want to create accessible, skills-based programming, such as webinars and workshops, on how to produce compelling content for social platforms and navigate the fast-changing digital media world. I would be honored to serve on the board and help support journalists at every stage of their careers. Thank you for your consideration!
Zach Theiler is a freelance writer based in Washington, D.C., who covers wildlife conservation and travel for Oceanic Society and humanitarian law and policy for the Charity & Security Network. He writes primarily about global development issues, with a focus on policy and the environment, and his work has been published in Smithsonian Magazine, Devex and The New Humanitarian. Prior to D.C., he worked in communications capacities with various global development organizations — starting with the Peace Corps in Armenia. Zach holds an MSc degree in development practice from Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin.
CANDIDATE STATEMENT: Throughout my writing career I’ve often heard about journalists hopping the media fence to join the “dark side” of communications and PR with the hopes of securing their financial futures, but I believe there are many writers out there who are eager to make the reverse change — driven by the desire to tell meaningful stories — but don’t know how to make the switch. Having never attended journalism school, I joined SPJ to fill educational gaps, and one of my goals as a potential board member will be to bring this “outside” perspective and help SPJ explore creative ways it can support a broader community of writers seeking to the make the switch to journalism.
Rest of Board for 2025-2026
Once the newly elected officers and at-large directors are sworn in, the immediate past president becomes an ex-officio member of the board.
Ex Officio for 2025-2026
Immediate past president Denise Dunbar retains the position another year, since the president, Celia Wexler, is seeking re-election.
Also, the regional coordinator for Region 2 — the national SPJ region number for the DC Pro Chapter and other chapters in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and North Carolina — can be an ex-officio member of the DC Pro Chapter board if also a chapter member. Stephenie Overman currently is a chapter member and Region 2 coordinator, and has been an ex-officio member of the chapter board for 2024-2025.
At-large directors in second year of terms
The three board members who will be in the second year (2025-2026) of their two-year terms are:
Giang Nguyen
Randy Showstack
Christina Sturdivant Sani (resigned shortly after nominations began this year and as the first year of the two-year term is ending; Zach Theiler is running for the 2025-2026 year remaining in the term)
Giang Nguyen is a bilingual broadcast journalist with more than 15 years of experience in international newsrooms and on-air, including at CNN, NHK World, CGTN America, local television stations across the United States, as well as Vietnam-focused outlets such as Radio Free Asia and SBTN. She was also the creator, producer and editor-in-chief for Loa, one of the first English-language scripted podcast series focused on Vietnam news. She has been a lifelong advocate for press freedom, freedom of expression, and a voice for the voiceless. Giang enjoys mentoring and training reporters and citizen journalists to highlight underreported stories. She currently serves as the digital news director for WTOP News, the D.C.-region’s premier source for local news, traffic and weather on air and online.
Randy Showstack served three consecutive terms as president of the SPJ DC Pro chapter 2019-2022, and he has been a member of the chapter board since 2017 in various roles, involved with numerous issues related to the chapter and to journalism in the DC metro area. He is an independent journalist focusing primarily on environmental, science and public health issues. Previously, for many years he was the senior staff writer for Eos, the daily news service published by the American Geophysical Union, where he extensively covered environmental and Earth and space science issues, and where he also mentored other journalists. He earned a master’s degree in journalism from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
Thank you for your service, officers, directors who are not seeking re-election.
Will Schick (who also served on the board of directors prior to becoming the chapter’s vice president for 2024-2025)
Steve Taylor (who has years of service on the board of directors, most recently, a two-year term that ends in June 2025)
Chelsea Cirruzzo (who was elected to serve the remaining year in an unexpired board director’s term)
Christina Sturdivant Sani (who was elected to a two-year board term in 2024, but resigned for personal reasons after a year of service)
The board member terms that will be ending with the current election
Steve Taylor (served two-year term)
Micha Green (who was serving by board appointment the remaining year of the two-year term that Will Schick vacated when he was elected vice president in 2024; she’s now a candidate for a new two-year term)
Chelsea Cirruzzo (who was elected in 2024 to serve the remaining year of a former board member’s unexpired term)