Candidates are listed in alphabetical order. You need to be an Active, Corporate or Patron member in good standing to vote.
Click here to cast your vote! Ballot closes on Wednesday, Jan. 14, at 5 p.m.
Dana Amihere (AfroLA Founder and Executive Director)
Dana Amihere is the founder/executive director of AfroLA, an award-winning nonprofit newsroom. AfroLA reports for impact — with, by and for communities. AfroLA isn’t just “Black news,” it is stories that hold power accountable and coverage of issues that matter with a distinctly Black voice.
Previously, Amihere worked in data, interactive design and news apps for LAist, The Dallas Morning News, Pew Research Center and The Baltimore Sun. She owns Code Black Media, a digital media and data consultancy.
Amihere has taught data journalism and interaction design for more than a decade, including positions with USC and, most recently, UC Berkeley.
Statement: Journalism is fractured, and historic solutions to newer problems aren’t working. Sometimes the best way to fix something is to break it to learn from the pieces. I founded AfroLA to disrupt news content and newsroom culture. Our model is to not cover breaking news. We prioritize impact, insight and nuance through explanatory solutions journalism over being first.
Starting two businesses — from conception to launch — in less than a year (all during a pandemic) shows the resourcefulness, perseverance and adaptability I can bring to the boardroom. I take risks to address problems with actionable strategies, rooted in humanity and empathy, that move us forward.
Brett Callwood (Music Connection Magazine Editor; Culver City News/Gardena Valley News Staff Reporter)
I’m a writer and editor with over 25 years of experience, initially in England, then Michigan, then Colorado, and now Southern California for the last eight years. Much of my experience has been within the realm of entertainment journalism, mostly music. But I regularly write about food, local and national news, film/TV, and more. I’ve been a member of the LA Press Club for years now (I’m not exactly sure how many), and have won a bunch of awards.
Statement: I’ve thought for a while that I wish there were more freelance services through the LAPC, whether that be an online community or some sort of support. It would cover the middle ground between the new reporters and the “lifetime achievement” legacy reporters. It also strikes me that not all publications are large enough to be unionized, and not all journalists are considered “staff,” so it might be helpful to have an outlet to air grievances and receive advice. If, for example, an individual feels that journalistic integrity is being compromised by their employer, it might also feel like they have nowhere to go, and the LA Press Club could be that resource.
Arturo Carmona (Latino Media Collaborative; Calo News)
A public affairs and policy leader, Arturo serves as the CEO of Tzunu Strategies and president of the Latino Media Collaborative and Calo News. He has worked with organizations throughout the U.S. and Latin America, including serving as senior strategy advisor to ImpreMedia, the largest Latino print/digital news organization in the U.S.; strategic communications advisor to the Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador for President campaign (Mexico); and deputy political director for the Bernie Sanders for President campaign. Hispanic Magazine honored him with the Hispanic Achievement Award and called him “one of the most influential leaders in the country.
Statement: Arturo Carmona has been a board member for the Los Angeles Press Club for about a year. He is passionate about supporting a thriving and equitable media ecosystem in Los Angeles that better represents, supports, and elevates Latino journalism. Arturo has been a leader in fights to protect journalism at the state and regional level, including pushing for policies that better resource and protect journalism in California. Most recently, he led policies that prioritize California news outlets on state advertisement funding as well as the establishment of the UC Berkeley Local News Fellowship Program.
John Gittelsohn (Bloomberg News, Los Angeles Bureau Chief)
John Gittelsohn is the Bloomberg News Los Angeles bureau chief and a long-time real estate reporter. As bureau chief, he led Bloomberg’s coverage of the 2025 wildfires, ICE raids and city politics. His real estate reporting has won awards from the Los Angeles Press Club, the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing (SABEW) and the National Association of Real Estate Editors. He has been a journalist in Southern California since 1995, when he moved here to work at the Orange County Register. He earned degrees from Stanford and Columbia universities. He lives in Hollywood with his wife, Deborah Belgum, a journalist.
Statement: John Gittelsohn has been a board member since 2020. As Treasurer, he has helped fortify the club’s financial stability. He supports the growth of the Southern California Journalism Awards and National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards, which perform double duty of recognizing quality work and as essential club fundraisers. Credit for those successful events goes to Executive Director Diana Ljungaeus, who merits continued board support. John backs the club’s campaign, led by Adam Rose, to promote press freedom, including protecting journalists from police attacks. Over the years, he has brought in Press Club guest speakers to discuss Freedom of Information Act requests and personal finance for journalists. He plans to bring in more experts to support and inspire journalists and journalism.
Nic Cha Kim (PBS SoCal Senior Producer of Arts and Culture)
Nic Cha Kim is the senior producer of arts and culture at PBS SoCal and has been covering the Los Angeles arts scene for over 20 years. A journalist committed to amplifying underrepresented voices, Nic explores the intersections of art and community, bridging public media with civic engagement and cultural resilience. An award-winning journalist and documentary filmmaker, Nic was recognized as the 2024 “Broadcast Journalist of the Year” at the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards. At PBS SoCal, Nic produced the acclaimed ARTBOUND documentary series, edits the PBS SoCal Arts Calendar, and leads locally produced arts and culture programs for broadcast and digital.
Statement: Nic Cha Kim has been a board member for the Los Angeles Press Club since 2019, where he co-chairs the Foot in the Door Fellowship. Passionate about supporting early-career journalists from underrepresented communities, Nic has also mentored for PBS Student Reporting Labs, LA Times High School J-Day, and Randy Hagihara mentoring day at Cal State LA. Nic hopes to continue strengthening the Foot in the Door Fellowship program by increasing the pool of participating mentors and education programs.
Sandro Monetti (BBC World News)
A winner of six LA Press Club trophies in the past seven years, as well as humanitarian awards from the White House and United Nations, Sandro brings expert insight, social conscience and good humor to his reporting for global audiences, whether it’s covering the entertainment business for BBC World News or royal stories for CNN International and Fox 11. Previously managing editor of the LA Business Journal, he brings years of board experience with the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. This LA-based Brit champions mentorship, opportunities and integrity and loves this city of storytellers.
Statement: I’d like to bring greater representation for the many fellow international members of the LA Press Club who share our city’s stories with the wider world — and in the process build relationships with other media groups around the globe to increase the profile of our club and boost work opportunities for its talented members. Meanwhile, the comradeship and mutual support which is such a hallmark of our twice-yearly awards shows is something I’d look to extend through the whole year via increased activities, involvement and communication. Thanks for your consideration.
Rocky Romano (Winters Rock Entertainment Executive Producer)
Rocky Romano is the creative force and co-owner behind Winters Rock, an award-winning Los Angeles-based film and television production collective celebrated for its striking and thought-provoking non-fiction content. Focused on the vast capabilities and inherent limits of the human spirit, their work delivers awe-inspiring narratives that are both locally grounded and globally significant. They are committed to telling authentic stories and creating socially conscious projects that highlight the transformative power of storytelling for the advancement of humanity.
Statement: I would bring 15 years of long-form documentary storytelling experience to the Los Angeles Press Club to help newsrooms adapt to the realities of modern journalism. Today, roughly 50% of Americans get their news from social media, where video is the dominant format. My goal is to help journalists translate rigorous reporting into compelling, ethical, and impactful video storytelling that can reach audiences where they already are, without sacrificing credibility or depth. By embracing modern visual narratives, newsrooms can remain relevant, trusted, and financially sustainable in a rapidly changing media landscape.
Adam Rose (The Freedom of the Press Foundation; Starling Lab for Data Integrity)
Adam Rose is secretary of the Los Angeles Press Club and chairs the press rights committee. In his day job, he is deputy director of advocacy for the Freedom of the Press Foundation. He’s also a fellow with the Starling Lab for Data Integrity, an academic research program based jointly at Stanford and USC. Involved with Los Angeles media for over 20 years, Adam was previously with CBS/Paramount+, The Huffington Post, Los Angeles Times and LAist.
Statement: The Los Angeles Press Club plays a critical role in protecting journalists across Southern California. It’s an honor to be able to stand up with and on behalf of our colleagues, and I hope to continue supporting the club in these efforts. In the past year, our work to protect press from police violence has resulted in federal court orders against both the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Los Angeles Police Department. This builds on past success lobbying for a California law which prohibits police from arresting or intentionally interfering with journalists as they cover protests. Together, we’re ready for whatever comes next.
Chris Willman (Variety Senior Writer and Chief Music Critic)
Chris Willman is senior writer/chief music critic at Variety. His 40-plus years of entertainment coverage include long stints at the Los Angeles Times and Entertainment Weekly. He has also been a contributor to Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Rolling Stone, and TV Guide. He is the author of “Rednecks and Bluenecks: The Politics of Country Music.” Willman has been named Entertainment Journalist of the Year at the SoCal Journalism Awards (in 2000 and 2025) and Print Journalist of the Year at the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards (in 2024 and 2025). This fall, he was presented with the CMA Award for Media Achievement.
Statement: Chris Willman has been on the board of the Los Angeles Press Club since 2023. He is proud to serve on the board among such a diverse selection of highly esteemed journalists, all dedicated to upholding press freedoms in an increasingly perilous time for reporters and extolling the great work being done in the profession locally and nationally. It’s also a pleasure to help judge some of the contests sponsored by other press clubs across the country, finding inspiration in how other hard-working journalists across the country are upholding their mission. It would be an honor to serve as board member for another term.
The current board also includes the following members (up for election in a year): Danny Bakewell, Jr., Los Angeles Sentinel; Cher Calvin, KTLA; Francine Kiefer, Freelance; Bianca Rae, Freelance; Lisa Richwine, Reuters; George Pennacchio, ABC7 Eyewitness News; Catalina Villegas, Spectrum News 1.
