Dear NLGJA Members,
It's NLGJA election time, and we need your vote to help decide who will serve on the NLGJA Board of Directors.
All NLGJA members are eligible to vote in national advisory elections. Membership dues must be paid and membership must be current as of the day of voting. Voting will be done electronically and will last from 12:01 a.m. EDT August 6 until 5 p.m. EDT August 16.
If you have questions regarding your eligibility, please contact the NLGJA office during business hours at info@nlgja.org or (202) 588-9888.
There is one candidate for vice president of broadcast: Ken Miguel, former NLGJA secretary from the Northern California Chapter. One candidate for secretary: Robin J Philips, former Arizona Chapter president. One candidate for treasurer: Sharif Durhams, a current NLGJA board member from the Chicago Chapter.
There are six candidates for the four available at-large board positions. The board candidates are: Kevin A. Barry, a current NLGJA board member from the Philadelphia Chapter, Bil Browning, a current NLGJA board member from the Washington, D.C. Chapter, Fiona Dawson, a current member from the New York Chapter, Sue Green, a current NLGJA board member from the Arizona Chapter, Rick Stuckey, a former Chicago Chapter president and former chapter president liaison, and Jeff Truesdell, a current member from the Missouri Chapter.
Each voting member of NLGJA will be able to cast four votes in any configuration among the at-large board candidates: one vote for each for four candidates, all four votes for one candidate, or any combination between. Cumulative voting allows small constituencies — geographic, ethnic, professional, etc. — to wield electoral power by concentrating their votes.
Starting this coming week, the candidates will be available to answer questions posted by members on NLGJA's Facebook page. Post your question at https://www.facebook.com/nlgja. Statements, questions, comments and other communications may be posted by candidates and their supporters on any of NLGJA’s Facebook pages or groups.
According to NLGJA's bylaws, board elections are advisory. The board of directors legally retains the ability to name its members; to date, the board has never failed to follow the results of advisory elections. The board will vote on the candidates at its August 21 board meeting at the 2013 National Convention & LGBT Media Summit in Boston, MA.
NLGJA Governance Chair David Steinberg is this year’s elections chair. Contact him at dsteinberg@nlgja.org with any questions about the election.
Members, go to our voting website to cast your vote. Check your email for your voting credentials.
Vice President of Broadcast:
Ken Miguel, KGO-TV, ABC, Inc., Northern California Chapter
I spent nearly 5 years as the president of the Northern California Chapter before joining the National Board. I have served on the board's executive committee most of my tenure, and most recently have been serving as VP of Broadcast. During my time with NLGJA, I have seen this organization through difficult times, and have enjoyed watching it emerge a stronger, more stable organization with a bright and positive future. I hope you'll let me continue serving on behalf of our diverse membership.
Treasurer:
Sharif Durhams, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/JSOnline.com, Chicago Chapter
The public's improved understanding of the lives of LGBT people is a testament to NLGJA's success. The financial viability of our organization is as important as ever.
I've been a member of NLGJA for 13 years and served as a board member since 2008. I've always fought for diversity among our membership and leadership including an active role in persuading NLGJA to join UNITY: Journalists for Diversity. I'd continue that fight as a member of NLGJA's executive committee.
Secretary:
Robin J Phillips, Reynolds Center for Business Journalism, Arizona Chapter
I’ve been an active member of NLGJA since 1999. I believe that the power of our networks is at the chapter level, and the direction we take on a national level starts on the board.
My priorities as we move this organization into the future:
Digital, diversity and dames.
At-Large Board Candidates:
Kevin A Barry, Freelance, Philadelphia Chapter
As someone who has been involved on the local & national level for many years, I can leverage my experience & institutional knowledge to help NLGJA with their finance & development efforts.
Bil Browning, Bilerico, Washington, DC Chapter
I am a current board member running for re-election. I represent the interests of citizen journalists, and online media.
Fiona Dawson, Martian Entertainment, New York Chapter
My personal mission is to speak from the largest, loudest platform to advocate for human equality. Since coming out as lesbian in 2004 I have been a champion for the LGBT community. In 2009 I was elected Female Grand Marshal of the Houston LGBT Pride Parade and I served on the National Board of Directors of the Human Rights Campaign. At this point in my career, I would like to give my time and resources to NLGJA in order to further promote fair and accurate coverage for all members of the LGBTQ community. The news industry shapes hearts and minds. Particularly with the advent of new media distribution, NLGJA has an ever-increasing responsibility to protect and serve LGBTQ people within our country, and how we are portrayed around the world. Today, as an openly bisexual ciswoman, and as someone who is focused on media projects, which include telling the stories of transgender people, I would like to be a vocal leader in ensuring that NLGJA is a stalwart, effectual, trailblazer in changing the American media narrative to one of full inclusivity. Thank you for your consideration.
Sue Green, Cronkite School of Journalism, Arizona Chapter
As a member of NLGJA for more than a decade, I have seen firsthand some of the challenges facing members of the LGBT media community. I believe in our commitment to advocating for fair and accurate journalism, and I am also committed to bringing in new, fresh members who can continue to challenge the organization in terms of where our focus should be as we continue to grow and move forward. I am also committed to bringing back some of our former members who can serve as mentors to our new, younger membership, a needed service, (and still necessary one). As a board member for the past three years, I have seen the commitment of each person on this board, and enjoy working with each and every person because they truly have the best interests of the LGBT community and the media community at heart. My commitment is simple. This organization helped me at a time when it was tough for me coming out in the newsroom and I want to make sure that we are still here for anyone else who needs us. At the same time I want to make sure we remain relevant to “all” journalists.
Rick Stuckey, NBC 5 Chicago, Chicago Chapter
Greetings from the Windy City. My name is Rick Stuckey and I am a News Videographer, Editor and Live Shot Technician at NBC 5 Chicago. I work on telling the stories of the good and the bad in a compassionate caring way. Each story is a new piece of art with the great story that the reporter melds with thought provoking pictures and sound.
My outlook in the work setting is the same approach I take to my life as a whole.
My involvement with NLGJA goes back to the Chicago Convention in 2005. After the convention, I became Chicago chapter President and was very active in NLGJA until major layoffs at my station in 2009.
NLGJA to me means being a mentor to college journalists, providing a place of community for lesbian, gay, transgender, and all members of the journalism world, and being a resource for all journalists who need guidance in crafting news stories that deal with LGBTQ issues.
Equipping out of work and veteran journalists seeking their next great opportunity is another goal of mine as I can relate to these issues personally.
I look forward to focusing on these issues while serving you on the board.
Jeff Truesdell, People Magazine/Time Inc., Missouri Chapter
Since my first NLGJA convention in 1995, I helped launch and then ran an alternative weekly; was a college educator and student newspaper adviser; turned a freelance gig into a job at People; and now am dabbling in documentary film, all of which followed my start as a daily newspaper reporter and editor. At Time Inc. I’m blessed to work for a company that’s diverse and inclusive. But despite the major-media paycheck, I often work solo from my middle-America guest bedroom. I know what it means to be out in a newsroom, and to be out far away from one. Distant chapter affiliations mean little for many current and future members, which is why a buddy system should pair established members with first-timers to strengthen mentoring/outreach within our own ranks. At the same time, a concerted push should re-recruit those who infused NLGJA’s early years with their passion and then fell away. If the response too often is, “NLGJA doesn’t offer me anything anymore,” remind them what THEY offer NLGJA: experience, perspective and talent. Our profile must elevate us all, ensuring our clout while emphasizing both identity and new workplace skills to make each of us industry leaders.