The Washington Journalism and Media Conference

Author: Allison Dodson

Categories
Speakers

Randi Richardson

RANDI RICHARDSON

Reporter, NBCNews.com and TODAY.com

Randi Richardson is a proud Michigan supremacist who currently lives in Brooklyn. She’s a reporter at nbcnews.com and TODAY.com covering race and culture, and she’s an alumna of Brown University. She attended WJMC in 2012 and it changed her career trajectory. She’s covered the pandemic, the Capitol insurrection, the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, higher education, award shows and more. She’s interviewed secretaries of state, congresspeople, Angela Bassett, Jennifer Hudson, Tracee Ellis Ross and other stars. She loves all things Jesus, joy and justice and wishes she could teleport. Her dream is to defy humidity so her natural hair can actually survive one spring day. Her instagram is @randirichnbc.

Categories
Faculty Advisor Staff

Holly Bourquin

HOLLY BOURQUIN

Faculty Advisor

Holly Bourquin advises the student newspaper (The Vertical) as a faculty member at Allen D. Nease High School in Ponte Vedra, FL. In addition to teaching journalism for more than 10 years, she also teaches International Baccalaureate (IB) Film and has taught English at the high school, dual enrollment, and college level. She is the advisor for her school’s Quill & Scroll International Honor Society chapter and oversees student print, web, and podcast media efforts. In addition to her teaching experience, she has more than 20 years of writing, editing, and publishing experience. Previous roles have included overseeing the publication of an international magazine, serving on the Florida Magazine Association board of directors, and managing multiple forms of communications including social media, digital media, print media, and web publishing. She holds a master’s in English with a concentration in technical and professional communication from East Carolina University. Holly is passionate about delivering media instruction to students that is hands-on and mirrors real-world industry practices. Outside of the classroom, she works as a freelance writer, editor, and consultant. Holly loves to spend time with her family (including two oversized, spoiled dogs), travel, read, and cook. She is thrilled to be joining the Washington Journalism and Media Conference staff this year!

Categories
Speakers

Nisha Chittal

NISHA CHITTAL

Managing Editor, Vox

Nisha Chittal is the Managing Editor at Vox.com, where she leads editorial planning and strategy across text, audio, and video, and oversees the audience, off-platform, and style & standards teams.

Previously, she has led editorial and audience teams at several media organizations including MSNBC, NBC News, and Travel Channel. In 2016, she was named to Forbes Magazine’s “30 Under 30” in Media. In 2018, she was selected to participate in ONA’s Women’s Leadership Accelerator.

She also occasionally writes about food and culture for Vox, and has previously written for NBCNews.com, MSNBC.com, Elle, Racked, Jezebel, Poynter, and other publications. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

She also writes a bi-weekly newsletter curating good things to read and good things to cook every other week.

Categories
Junior Faculty Advisor

Reid Collins

REID COLLINS

Junior Faculty Advisor

Reid Collins, is a rising junior at George Mason, originally from Marion, Virginia,. He is excited to be back at Mason and with the WJMC again! As a Mason student, he is majoring in Government and International Politics. He also works for the Office of Admissions as a Mason Ambassador. Reid is excited to work with WJMC this summer! 

Categories
Junior Faculty Advisor

Kayla Lambert

KAYLA LAMBERT

Junior Faculty Advisor

Kayla Lambert is a second year student at Western Michigan University, double majoring in English (Literature and Language) and Political Science. Kayla is a part of the Lee Honors College, and is a staff-reporter for WMU’s student newspaper, the Western Herald. She deeply enjoys the work she does for the staff, which includes her working with her passion for writing and other people interested in journalism. In addition, she is an intern for the WMU College of Arts and Sciences Marketing and Communications department. Kayla owns and runs a small photography business outside of school. She loves reading, writing, trying new coffee drinks, spending time with her pets, and obviously, photography! Kayla looks forward to being a Junior Faculty Advisor this upcoming summer!

Categories
Youth Advisory Board

Madeline Summers

NOELLE SANTANA

Noelle Santana is a WJMC 2022 Alumna from Bristol, Pennsylvania. She currently attends Bristol Sr-Jr High School as a 3rd year student. In her freetime, Noelle loves to spend her time exploring the world around her. Noelle also participates in various school clubs such as Mock Trial, Model UN and Unified Student Council. She is also a student-athlete that participates in Varsity Cheerleading, Varsity Girls Basketball, Unified Sports, and Track and Field. When Noelle graduates high school, she plans to attend college where she will obtain a degree in Communications. Noelle enjoyed every second of her time at WJMC and cannot wait to help others gain the same experience as she did.

Categories
Youth Advisory Board

Noelle Santana

NOELLE SANTANA

Noelle Santana is a WJMC 2022 Alumna from Bristol, Pennsylvania. She currently attends Bristol Sr-Jr High School as a 3rd year student. In her freetime, Noelle loves to spend her time exploring the world around her. Noelle also participates in various school clubs such as Mock Trial, Model UN and Unified Student Council. She is also a student-athlete that participates in Varsity Cheerleading, Varsity Girls Basketball, Unified Sports, and Track and Field. When Noelle graduates high school, she plans to attend college where she will obtain a degree in Communications. Noelle enjoyed every second of her time at WJMC and cannot wait to help others gain the same experience as she did.

Categories
Youth Advisory Board

Madison Jolley

MADISON JOLLEY

Madison Jolley is a seventeen-year old senior from Voorhees, New Jersey. She writes for her school’s newspaper, The Voyager, and loves to write about local news, entertainment, and politics. When she’s not writing compelling articles, she enjoys watching shows on Netflix and Hulu, listening to R&B music, traveling, running, and spending quality time with friends and family (and her teacup yorkie, Lola). She looks forward to working with her fellow WJMC YAB members and helping to create future WJMC events!

Categories
Youth Advisory Board

Madeline Misterka

MADELINE MISTERKA

Madeline Misterka is a high school senior located in Central Indiana who serves her school publication, the HiLite, as Managing Editor. On staff, she writes articles for all sections of the publication, manages social media accounts, teaches photography, and makes vector graphics. She is a member of Rho Kappa social studies Honor Society, National Honor Society, and Quill & Scroll Journalism Honor Society, with intents to pursue political and policy-based journalism. She credits WJMC for introducing her to her passion for political policy and hopes to promote the same love of journalism and communications for future correspondents.

Categories
Youth Advisory Board

Gabriella Henderson

GABRIELLA HENDERSON

Gabriella Henderson, who goes by Gabby, is from Ruther Glen, Va, and she is currently a junior in high school. She is a feature editor for her school’s newspaper. She hopes to begin studying to be a political journalist once I graduate high school. She’s beyond grateful for the opportunity she’s been given to come back to WJMC apart of the Youth Advisory Board!