Yvette Cabrera new NAHJ president as 2022 election ends, new board of directors named
The National Association of Hispanic journalists has a new board of directors, following the nonprofit’s 2022 elections. The results, were announced Sunday as the annual NAHJ conference — held this year jointly with the National Association of Black Journalists — came to a close in Las Vegas.
Yvette Cabrera, who previously served as national vice president of online, won the presidency after running uncontested.
Several candidates glided to an easy victory thanks to uncontested races: Arelis R. Hernández was reelected as vice president for print. Mc Nelly Torres, who for the last two years had served as general at-large officer, was named vice president for online. Blanca Rios, who won her reelection bid for Secretary, and Jennifer A. Marcial Ocasio, who was re-elected Spanish language at-large officer.
Adriana Chavira was named academic at-large officer, and Brenda Elizondo, a student reporter from California State, Fullerton, was elected student representative.
Two races — vice president for broadcast and financial officer — drew the most attention this year thanks to lively campaigns that, in some cases, drew the vocal support of several prominent board members. The at-large officer seat was also contested.
Julio-César Chávez, a multimedia journalist working for Reuters, was reelected vice president for broadcast after campaigning on a platform that included creating scholarships for students who travel for internships and pushing NAHJ to better include broadcast journalists from all mediums that go beyond traditional television roles.
Chavez ran against Daniela Ibarra, a former student representative and NAHJ Student Project alumna, who also wanted to create more opportunities for non-television broadcast journalists. Ibarra formerly served as student representative.
Marilyn Garateix, whose name appeared alone on the ballot under “Financial Officer,” ran against a write-in campaign posed by CNBC reporter Patricia Martell, who had been publicly backed by Cabrera.
Garateix won the financial officer seat despite Martell’s presidential endorsement.
Garateix, a former editor who is now a freelancer, campaigned on creating a long-term financial plan to stabilize NAHJ’s finances, produce easy-to-read financial reports for members and establish quarterly internal financial reviews to be conducted by the board of directors.
Luis Joel Méndez González was named general at-large officer over candidate Estefania Mitre, who works for National Public Radio.
Méndez González, a former student representative and investigative journalist in Puerto Rico, ran a campaign on increasing diversity and student voting rights.
Amanda DeJesus is a senior at Seton Hall University where she studies journalism and political science with a minor in Spanish. She is interested in pursuing a career in print/digital and audio journalism. Reach her at amandadejesus849 [at] gmail [dot] com and on Twitter @itsamandaparis.
