We are delighted to introduce Elizabeth Gabriel, who will serve as ONA’s first Early Career Board Officer. Elizabeth will contribute her unique perspective to ONA’s initiatives and programs as she highlights the challenges and needs of entry-level journalists. Her contributions will inform ONA’s focus on career development and innovation training.
Her 18-month, non-voting appointment will begin on July 1.
Elizabeth is an education reporter at WFYI in Indianapolis. She is the recipient of a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for excellence in sound, after shadowing volunteers in the annual point-in-time count of people experiencing homelessness in Eugene, Ore. Her stories have aired on NPR and the Northwest News Network — a regional collaboration between public radio stations in the Pacific Northwest.
Elizabeth was chosen from a range of exceptional candidates by ONA’s Governance Committee, which includes board members Rubina Madan Fillion, Niketa Patel, Elana Zak and Shazna Nessa.
The Early Career Board Officer role was inspired by our experience collaborating with a Student Representative on the board from 2016 to 2021. Not all journalists have a traditional college background, and education systems vary across countries. Reserving the seat for an early career journalist — a broader criterion — expands the opportunity to ONA members who might have taken a different path into journalism.
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