New York, Sept. 3, 2024—The Overseas Press Club of America elected Scott Kraft, editor at large for enterprise journalism and special projects for the Los Angeles Times, to a second term as president.
During 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 thrilled and honored for the opportunity to lead this very special organization for another two years,” Kraft said. “It’s a privilege to work with such a strong group of journalism leaders on our Board of Governors. I know that, together, we will carry on the OPC’s mission of recognizing the finest international reporting and creating programs that support those who do this important work.”
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. It awards highly coveted prizes devoted to international news coverage for an American audience.
“The OPC is very grateful to Scott for leading the club during a turbulent period for journalists,” said Patricia Kranz, the OPC’s executive director. “His commitment to support and defend journalists on the ground is needed now more than ever.”
The club also announced results of the election for other officers and board members.
The three vice presidents are: Sandra Stevenson, deputy director of photography at The Washington Post; Deborah Amos, a longtime NPR correspondent who covered the Middle East for three decades and now teaches journalism at Princeton, Columbia and SUNY New Paltz; and Peter Spiegel, US managing editor of the Financial Times.
Jodi Schneider, political news director at Bloomberg TV and Radio is Secretary and Marjorie Miller, Administrator of The Pulitzer Prizes, is Treasurer.
Joining the board are Yinka Adejoke, founding editor of Semafor Africa; Stephen J. Adler, board chair of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, founding director of the Ethics and Journalism Initiative at NYU’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute and former editor-in-chief of Reuters and BusinessWeek; Stephen Kalin, a foreign correspondent with The Wall Street Journal; Catherine Kim, executive vice president of editorial for NBC News; Marc Lacey; managing editor of The New York Times; and Minky Worden, director of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch.
Governors reelected to a new term are: Amran Abocar, Global General Manager at Reuters; Singeli Agnew, an independent video journalist; John Avlon, former CNN anchor and political analyst; Josh Fine, an investigator reporter and producer, most recently at HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel”; Azmat Khan, an investigative reporter with The New York Times Magazine and a professor at Columbia Journalism School; and Mary Rajkumar, global investigations editor for The Associated Press.
Kraft thanked outgoing governors whose terms have expired: Emma Daly, Albert Goldson, Laurie Hays, Rod Nordland; Liam Stack and Vivienne Walt.
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. Each 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.