Sandra Stevenson was elected president at the Overseas Press Club of America’s Annual Meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 9, at CPJ’s headquarters in New York.
Fifteen members gathered in person and over 16 gathered on Zoom to review the results of the 2026 election, discuss club business, review the past years and announce leadership changes, including the upcoming retirement of Executive Director Patricia Kranz after 12 years with the organization.
Stevenson, managing editor at Education Week, succeeds Scott Kraft, editor at large of the LA Times, as president. Other officers include Amran Abocar of Reuters, Marc Lacey of The New York Times, and Peter Spiegel of the Washington Post as vice presidents; Deborah Amos of Princeton University as treasurer; and Stephen Kalin of The Wall Street Journal as secretary.
The newly elected active governors are John Avlon, Susan Chira, James Fontanella-Khan, Julia Ioffe, Azmat Khan, Catherine Kim, Kate Linthicum, Majorie Miller, and Jeannie Ohm while the newly elected associate governors are Josh Fine, Steven L. Herman, and Minky Warden.
“I look forward to building on the solid foundation that the two of you have established for the organization,” Stevenson said, thanking Kraft and Kranz for their leadership. She also thanked the board and staff and said she was looking forward to working with the new board and incoming Executive Director Lauren Walsh.
Kraft, who served as president for four years, reviewed several developments during his tenure, including the OPC’s partnerships with outside organizations and institutions focused on international journalism. He highlighted a collaboration with Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, which brought together journalists and academics for a discussion on China, as well as the organization’s continued programming and awards.
A major focus of this election was the OPC’s effort to change its tax status from a 501(c)(6) organization to a 501(c)(3). Members unanimously approved moving forward with the process, which the OPC expects to complete in early 2027. The change would allow the club to accept tax-deductible gifts and provide additional fundraising opportunities.
Kraft also discussed the ongoing renovation of the OPC’s headquarters at Club Quarters, which has limited the club’s ability to hold events there. The renovation is expected to be completed in 2027, with plans to develop a theme highlighting the building’s literary and foreign-correspondent history.
The gathering was the final annual meeting to be organized by Kranz. She reflected on her tenure in her remarks and they will be published in full in the next Bulletin.
Lauren Walsh will become the OPC’s next executive director on Oct. 1, with Kranz remaining for the month to help ensure a smooth transition. The organization plans to hold a reception in early October to thank Kranz and welcome Walsh.
Walsh thanked Kranz for agreeing to overlap with her and said she was looking forward to working with Stevenson, the board, and the members.
“I’m grateful to be in this room and Zoom,” Walsh said. “I look forward to getting to know the board and many more of the members.”
Jane Reilly, representing the OPC Foundation, reported that the Foundation presented 18 scholarships and fellowships at its March reception hosted by Bloomberg. The program included the second year of the Rob Urban Award, with recipient Yuri Stasulik placed in Bloomberg’s Brussels bureau. The deadline for the 2027 scholarship and fellowship application is Nov. 15. Reilly also highlighted the third year of the Rukeyser Reporting Grants, which support freelance reporting by current and former OPC Foundation scholars. The next application deadline is Oct. 1. And the foundation also launched the OPC Foundation Exchange in August, an initiative designed to keep alumni connected through informal gatherings, virtual conversations and opportunities to share experiences.
Kranz reported that the club is financially healthy. After some years of financial concern, she said the club has gotten onto a better track by increasing revenue and reducing costs while still maintaining the high standards of the annual awards dinner.
Governors Brian Byrd and Marcus Yam shared ideas for expanding the OPC’s outreach and membership, including a revival and modernization of the 1962 Overseas Press Club cookbook, a series of short “walk-and-talk” interviews with journalists and award recipients, and a proposed “Dinner for Seven” video series featuring journalists in informal conversations.
The meeting closed with thanks to Kranz, Kraft, Stevenson, the board and staff for their work and with a welcome to the incoming leadership team as the OPC enters a period of transition.
For a list of the full board, please click here.
Founded in 1939, the Overseas Press Club of America is the nation’s oldest and largest organization for journalists covering international news. It is also one of the world’s foremost associations dedicated to recognizing excellence in international journalism, advancing press freedom, and fostering a global community of media workers. Through its prestigious awards, educational programming, and professional events, the OPC supports journalists and celebrates the vital role of international reporting in informing the public and strengthening a free press.