The selection process for the 2026-2028 Membership Voice Board Member is currently in progress. This section will be updated soon.

Lucy Bustamante is a multi-Emmy and Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist and anchor at FOX 8 New Orleans. A New Orleans native and Loyola University New Orleans graduate, she has built a broadcast career across local and national news, including work with NBC News and Telemundo, and is widely recognized for coverage of veterans’ issues, public policy, and community resilience.

Priya Sridhar is a correspondent for NBC News and a public affairs officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve. Based in Atlanta, she has reported on politics, policy, and breaking news for local, national, and international outlets, including previous reporting roles in San Diego, Texas, Maine, and India.

Ron Nixon is an award-winning investigative journalist and editor whose career has spanned data journalism, national security, and international accountability reporting. He previously held senior investigative leadership roles at The Associated Press and reported for The New York Times, and he remains a respected voice on investigative reporting, newsroom leadership, and press freedom.

Russell Midori is president and cofounder of Military Veterans in Journalism and a Marine Corps veteran. He is an experienced newsroom and media leader whose work has centered on strengthening opportunities, community, and career pathways for veterans and military spouses in journalism.

Zack Baddorf worked as a journalist and filmmaker for more than 15 years, producing award-winning stories from more than 30 countries, including Syria, Iraq, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the West Bank, and Kashmir, as well as rebel-held territory in Sri Lanka and Burma.

His work has been published by the New York Times, Washington Post, BBC, Reuters, AP, The Guardian, CBS, ABC, NPR, the Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, Newsweek, VICE, RYOT, Al Jazeera English, and other publications in video, radio, photo, and print formats. His videos on social media alone have more than 30 million views.

While based in the Central African Republic, Baddorf broke the news of the American military ending its mission against the Lord’s Resistance Army. His in-depth reporting on the Syrian town of Moadamiyah contributed to humanitarian access being granted to besieged people there. Weeks before Russian troops invaded Crimea, his reporting from the peninsula highlighted its political importance in the conflict.

Baddorf worked as director of video for the International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism, crafting anti-ISIS videos. For a year in Afghanistan, he worked on rural, remote bases for the U.S. Special Operations Command as a civilian videographer, alongside Green Berets, Navy SEALs and Afghan security forces.

He has also worked as an adjunct professor at New York University and New York Film Academy, teaching public relations and broadcast journalism. He has a master of fine arts degree in documentary studies, a master of arts degree in international relations, another master’s in public relations and a bachelor's in journalism.

Alberto B. Mendoza is a managing director of the John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships. He creates opportunities that elevate voices, careers and organizations.

Alberto leads the JSK Fellowships recruitment process, working to ensure the pool of candidates reflects the diversity needed in journalism. He also designs programming and coaches fellows in career strategy as well as nonprofit fundraising.

Since joining JSK in 2021, he’s created the JSK Expert Class concept for alumni. The virtual series features lessons from Stanford experts and journalism thought leaders from throughout the JSK alumni network.

Prior to JSK, Alberto served as the executive director of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, where he increased membership by 200% and diversified the nonprofit’s revenue sources. He oversaw the creation of the Hispanic Cultural Competency Handbook, a guide for newsrooms. He also founded palabra, a multimedia publication that gives freelance journalists the opportunity to tell stories about the Latino community.

His past roles include president and CEO of the Coalition for Clean Air, a California policy and advocacy organization.

Alberto’s personal passion project is Honor41.org, a nonprofit organization he started that gives a platform for Latinx LGBTQ people to share their stories.

His past roles include president and CEO of the Coalition for Clean Air, a California policy and advocacy organization.

Alberto serves on the advisory boards of The Pivot Fund and Trans Latina Coalition. He is an alum of the Poynter Institute’s Media Transformation Challenge Executive Fellowship Program and a graduate of California Polytechnic University in Pomona.

Barbara Starr is a veteran national security journalist, Emmy Award-winning producer, and senior fellow at the USC Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership and Policy. She spent 21 years as CNN’s Pentagon correspondent, reporting from Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and other global hotspots while covering national security, conflict, and the experiences of service members and veterans.

Dan Clare is a Marine Corps veteran of the Persian Gulf era and an Air Force veteran of the Iraq War. In August 2019, Clare was appointed chief communications and outreach officer for Disabled American Veterans (DAV).
Clare first joined DAV’s professional staff in November 2004 as a senior communications specialist with the National Communications Department at the organization’s national headquarters in Cold Spring, Kentucky. Prior to his current appointment, Clare served as the national communications director.
In his position, Clare oversees DAV’s Voluntary Services, Employment and Communications Departments, and is responsible for ensuring outreach support, collaboration and DAV’s ability to serve and empower its members.
Clare enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1994. Following his formal military education at the Defense Information School, Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, he was stationed at Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro, California, where he served as a journalist and later as a broadcaster at American Forces Network, Okinawa, Japan. He was recognized for the Marine feature broadcast of the year in 1997.
He joined the California Air National Guard in 2001, and supported the airlift of Federal Emergency Management Agency teams to McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, on Sept. 11, 2001. Clare transferred to the Ohio Air National Guard in 2005. He was called to active duty for Operation Iraqi Freedom and deployed to Balad Air Base in September 2007. During his deployment he directed news production and helped manage media relations for the Air Force in Iraq. Additionally, he wrote for DAV’s website while acting as the organization’s liaison for the Air Force Theater Hospital.
Clare was named the Air National Guard Print Journalist of the Year for 2007 for coverage of the hospital and combat operations in Iraq. He transferred to the Kentucky Air National Guard in June 2008.
Clare’s awards include the Air Force Commendation Medal (with two oak leaf clusters), Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal (with two oak leaf clusters), Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Service Medal and the Iraq Campaign Medal. He is the national president for the Marine Combat Correspondents Association.

Howard Altman is the former managing editor of Military Times. He currently writes for The War Zone as a Senior Staff Writer.

Jake Tapper joined the CNN in January 2013 and currently anchors a two-hour weekday program, The Lead with Jake Tapper, which debuted in March of that same year. He has hosted CNN's Sunday morning show, State of the Union, since June 2015. In April 2021, he became the lead anchor for CNN for Washington, D.C. events.

Jeff Jarvis is a national leader in the development of online news, blogging, the investigation of new business models for news, and the teaching of entrepreneurial journalism. He writes an influential media blog, Buzzmachine.com.
Prior to joining the Newmark J-School, Jarvis was president of Advance.net, the online arm of Advance Publications, which includes Condé Nast magazines and newspapers across America. He was the creator and founding managing editor of Entertainment Weekly magazine and has worked as a columnist, associate publisher, editor, and writer for a number of publications, including TV Guide, People, the San Francisco Examiner, the Chicago Tribune, and the New York Daily News. His freelance articles have appeared in newspapers and magazines across the country, including the Guardian, The New York Times, the New York Post, The Nation, Rolling Stone, and BusinessWeek.
Jarvis holds a B.S.J. from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. He was named one of the 100 most influential media leaders by the World Economic Forum at Davos.

LaSharah S. Bunting is vice president at The 19th and a veteran media executive and journalist with more than two decades of newsroom and leadership experience. Previously, she served as CEO and executive director of the Online News Association and held senior editorial roles across journalism and publishing.

Martin Baron is an American journalist who was editor of The Washington Post from December 31, 2012, until his retirement on February 28, 2021. He was previously the editor of The Boston Globe from 2001 to 2012.

Mike Gentine counsels manufacturers, retailers, and other commercial clients on legal and regulatory matters particularly in the area of consumer goods and product safety. Drawing from his federal government, private practice, and in-house experience, Mike advises on compliance strategies and government relations, helping clients advance legislative and policy objectives at the state and federal levels. His experience in the product recall space includes having negotiated or collaborated on consumer product and motor vehicle recalls in multiple countries.

Mike held multiple positions at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). He served as senior counsel for the Office of CPSC Commissioner Joseph P. Mohorovic from 2014-2017, where he advised on various policy, enforcement, and ethics issues. He led several efforts to reform rules and regulations, including an initiative to reduce the paperwork burden on CPSC-regulated companies. He also worked at the CPSC as a legal fellow and law clerk in the Office of Commissioner Nancy Nord.

Most recently, Mike advised a major recreational product and motor vehicle manufacturer on product safety and compliance strategies, representing the company in agency proceedings, stakeholder organizations, and trade associations. He also served in a government relations role, advancing legislative and policy objectives before federal, state, and local governments. His legal training included service with the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps.

Aided by a prior career in broadcast journalism, Mike is a frequent speaker at industry and other conferences on product safety, regulatory, compliance, and government affairs topics.

Paul Szoldra is founder and editor-in-chief of Duffel Blog and founder of The Ruck, a publication focused on military and national security issues. A former Marine Corps infantryman, he has held senior editorial roles at Business Insider, We Are The Mighty, and Task & Purpose, where he served as editor in chief.

Phoebe Gavin is a career and leadership coach and founder of Better with Phoebe. Drawing on more than a decade of media experience, she helps professionals and emerging leaders build sustainable, ambitious careers through coaching focused on clarity, strategy, and workplace growth.

Sam Kille is a journalist, nonprofit communications leader, and newsroom diversity advocate. A Marine Corps veteran, he began his career as an award-winning military journalist in the U.S. Marine Corps. Today, as Digital Communications Manager for Fordham University’s Office of Military and Veterans’ Services, he leads digital strategy and content that elevates military-connected students and strengthens engagement across the university community.

He previously led communications at The GroundTruth Project, home of Report for America, supporting a national network of local newsrooms and expanding the organization’s visibility, with coverage in 60 Minutes, CNN, and The Washington Post. His career includes roles with the Bob Woodruff Foundation, Team Rubicon, and the American Red Cross, advancing campaigns focused on veterans and disaster response.

Kille studied journalism at the Defense Information School and holds degrees from Empire State University and Nassau Community College, along with a certificate from Molloy University. He's proud to actively serve on the advisory board of Military Veterans in Journalism.

Sara Samora is a reporter at Manufacturing Dive and a Marine Corps veteran whose coverage focuses on aerospace, chemicals, plastics, labor, and defense. She previously reported on veteran issues and federal policy at Stars and Stripes and covered business and breaking news in Texas.

Sylvester Smith is an Army veteran and business development leader with experience in revenue strategy, partnerships, and relationship management across media, hospitality, and live-event environments. His work has focused on building strategic partnerships, strengthening client relationships, and creating value for organizations and their audiences.

Tawnell Hobbs is an investigative reporter at The New York Times and a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and Texas Air National Guard. She previously reported for The Wall Street Journal and is known for deeply reported accountability and enterprise journalism.

Thomas Brennan is the Founder of and Executive Director for The War Horse. Prior to studying journalism at Columbia University, he was a sergeant in the Marine Corps and served as an infantryman in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thomas is the co-author of Shooting Ghosts—A U.S. Marine, a Combat Photographer, and Their Journey Back from War. His bylines have appeared in Vanity Fair, Center for Investigative Reporting, and The New York Times.