New York, Sept. 6, 2022—The Overseas Press Club of America, an 83-year-old organization that awards highly coveted prizes devoted to international news coverage for an American audience, elected a new president Tuesday night.
Scott Kraft, editor at large for enterprise journalism and special projects at the Los Angeles Times, was elected president of the OPC, as the club is widely known.
During nearly four decades at The Times, Kraft has been managing editor, deputy managing editor/news and national editor, as well as a foreign and national correspondent. As an editor, he has directed work that won nine Pulitzer Prizes. He spent a decade abroad as The Times’ bureau chief in Nairobi, Johannesburg and Paris.
“I’m deeply honored to take on this role with the OPC, and for the opportunity to build on our important work with such an accomplished board of governors,” Kraft said. “The OPC has done so much to encourage and recognize the finest in international reporting and the journalists who do the vital, difficult, and often dangerous work. I’m excited to get started and help continue the OPC tradition of supporting press freedom and news coverage that greatly enhances our understanding of the world.”
The OPC was founded in 1939 in New York by a group of foreign correspondents to encourage the highest standards of professional integrity and skill in the reporting of news and to promote the freedom of the press throughout the world.
The club also announced results of the election for other officers and board members.
The three vice presidents are: Azmat Khan, investigative reporter with The New York Times and New York Times Magazine, and head of the Columbia Journalism School’s Li Center for Global Journalism; Josh Fine, senior segment producer for HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel; and John Avlon, senior political analyst and anchor at CNN’s New Day.
Sandra Stevenson, associate director of photography at CNN is Treasurer and Jodi Schneider, political news director at Bloomberg TV & Radio is Secretary.
Active members elected or reelected to the board are Amran Abocar of Reuters; Singeli Agnew, an independent video journalist; Deborah Amos of NPR; Albert Goldson, an independent commentator; Rod Nordland, author and longtime foreign correspondent for The New York Times; Mary Rajkumar of The Associated Press; Peter Spiegel of The Financial Times; Liam Stack of The New York Times and Vivienne Walt of TIME and FORTUNE.
Associate board members elected or reelected are Emma Daly of Human Rights Watch, crisis management consultant Laurie Hays and Marjorie Miller of The Pulitzer Prizes.
Kraft succeeds Paula Dwyer, Senior Editor at Bloomberg News. The OPC’s executive director is Patricia Kranz.
For a list of the full board, please click here.
The Overseas Press Club of America is the nation’s oldest and largest association of journalists engaged in international news. Every year, it awards the most prestigious prizes devoted exclusively to international news coverage. It was founded in 1939 by nine foreign correspondents in New York City, and has grown to nearly 500 members worldwide. The club’s mission is to uphold the highest standards in news reporting, advance press freedom and promote good fellowship among colleagues while educating a new generation of journalists.