The National Association of Black Journalists announced it has formed an executive search committee and begun a formal national recruitment process to fill its Executive Director position.
The organization issued a request for proposals on June 30, inviting executive search firms to submit bids through July 21 to manage the recruitment and vetting process. Finance Director Nathaniel Chambers is serving as Interim Executive Director.
The five-member Search Committee is chaired by Raelyn Johnson, Vice President of Weekend Programming at MS NOW. Other members include LaSharah Bunting of The 19th, Monica Richardson from USA Today, Virgil Smith of Smith Edwards Group, LLC, and Mizell Stewart III of Emerging Leaders, LLC.
NABJ President Errin Haines said the search reflects the organization's current moment. "At a time of extraordinary change in the media industry and continued challenges for Black journalists, we are focused on identifying an Executive Director who can provide strong operational leadership, strategic vision and dynamic partnership with the board as we continue to strengthen NABJ for the future," Haines said in a statement.
The Executive Director will oversee membership engagement, convention planning, fundraising efforts, advocacy initiatives and long-term institutional strategy for the organization, which was founded in 1975 and describes itself as the world's largest organization of journalists of color.
Haines said the next Executive Director must have "operational excellence, member-centered leadership, fundraising capacity and a deep commitment to the future of Black journalism."
The search is scheduled to conclude by the end of 2026. NABJ said it will keep members informed of key milestones while maintaining confidentiality around candidate discussions.
Members seeking updates can monitor NABJ's official communications channels and website at nabjonline.org.
