News Leaders Association 2022 News Leader of the Year Award and Robert G. McGruder Award for Diversity Leadership Winners
COLUMBIA, MO; April 13, 2022 – Today, the News Leaders Association (NLA) announced the winners of the 2022 News Leader of the Year Award and Robert G. McGruder Award for Diversity Leadership.
The NLA Awards continue the long traditions of the previous ASNE and APME Awards, and are among the most prestigious in journalism.
Comments from Manny García, president News Leaders Association, executive editor, Austin American-Statesman:
The News Leaders Association is so honored to recognize S. Mitra Kalita, creator of epicenter-nyc.com and co-founder of url-media.com, as the 2022 News Leader of the Year. We are equally honored to recognize Norberto Santana Jr., publisher and editor-in-chief of the Voice of Orange County, as the winner of the 2022 Robert G. McGruder Award for Diversity Leadership.
Mitra and Norberto have quietly opened doors for so many in our industry. They are leaders with an unwavering commitment to elevate others and strengthen their communities.
Congratulations, Mitra and Norberto, for your inspiring leadership.
News Leader of the Year Award
This award recognizes an editor or team of editors who have displayed strong leadership through great journalism and vital decision making on all fronts. The sponsor of the News Leader of the Year Award is the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute.
Winner: S. Mitra Kalita, curator of epicenter-nyc.com and co-founder of url-media.com
From the nomination letter:
"Mitra could be running a major news operation or in line to be the next executive editor of the New York Times. Instead, she decided to return home and focus on saving community news. It’s not about her ego or resume. For her, it’s about community and the work.”
Robert G. McGruder Award for Diversity Leadership
The Robert G. McGruder Award for Diversity Leadership honors the distinguished career of Robert G. McGruder, a former executive editor of the Detroit Free Press, former managing editor of The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, graduate at Kent State University and relentless diversity champion. He died in April 2002. The award is sponsored by Gannett and the USA TODAY Network.
Winner: Norberto Santana Jr. -publisher and editor-in-chief of the Voice of Orange County
From the nomination letter:
“On paper Santana is a distinguished veteran investigative and government journalist...with each step up the ladder, Santana has constructed a ladder alongside him to inspire, educate and mentor the subsequent waves of new, diverse and enterprising news leaders.”
More about the NLA Awards
The 2022 Awards include cash prizes, thanks to our sponsors: Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute, Gannett and the USA TODAY Network.
An awards luncheon will be held to celebrate the winners on May 20, 2022 at the News Leaders Association’s Journalism Unplugged Hybrid Conference. The speaker for the event is Sally Buzbee, executive editor at The Washington Post. For more information click here.
For more on the awards, please visit NLA’s website: https://www.newsleaders.org .
About News Leaders Association
The News Leaders Association (NLA) defends the First Amendment’s guarantee of a free press and advocates for independent, fact-based, truth-seeking reporting. NLA champions ethical journalism and empowers news leaders to build diverse, sustainable newsrooms that inform and engage the communities they reflect and serve. To learn more about the News Leaders Association, please visit us at www.newsleaders.org, Make sure to follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
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Media Contact:
News Leaders Association
bwilliams@newsleaders.org
202-964-0912