Three News Leaders Join ICFJ Board of Directors

By: ICFJ | 02/06/2023
From left to right: Sudeep Reddy of Politico, Krissah Thompson of The Washington Post and José Zamora of Exile Content Studio

The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) welcomes to its board of directors Sudeep Reddy of Politico, Krissah Thompson of The Washington Post, and José Zamora of Exile Content Studio. All three are leaders in the field, shaping the future of news.

As senior managing editor, Reddy oversees Politico’s policy news coverage and strategy. Thompson is a managing editor at The Washington Post, and Zamora is the chief communications and impact officer for Exile, a media and entertainment company focused on Spanish speakers globally.

“Our newest board members have incredible track records as reporters, editors and newsroom leaders driving innovation at a time of major upheaval in journalism,” said Michael Golden, ICFJ’s board chair and former vice chair of The New York Times. “We are lucky to have their expertise on the board, and grateful for their shared dedication to advancing journalism worldwide.”

Prior to his current role as senior managing editor, Reddy supervised several politics teams and served as the lead editor for newsroom operations at Politico. He previously spent a decade working in The Wall Street Journal’s Washington bureau, where he directed coverage of U.S. and international economic news. He previously worked as the Journal’s international economics correspondent and U.S. economics reporter, covering the Federal Reserve, the 2008 financial crisis, and developments across the White House, Treasury Department, IMF and World Bank. A native of Texas, Reddy is a graduate of Brown University.

Thompson began her career at The Washington Post in 2001, working her way up from intern to reporter to editor. Today she is the first Black woman to hold the title of managing editor at The Post. Thompson has covered business, presidential campaigns, civil rights and race, and worked in the Style section as both a reporter and editor. She is the recipient of awards from the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the National Association of Black Journalists, and was nominated for an Emmy in 2015. Thompson holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a master’s degree from the University of Maryland.

Before joining Exile, Zamora worked for more than a decade at Univision Noticias. As senior vice president of strategic communications, he was responsible for integrating media innovations into the newsroom, expanding the reach and impact of Univision Noticias content, and building partnerships. Previously at the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Zamora led the Knight News Challenge and helped manage the Foundation’s journalism and media innovation portfolio. In 2020, he was selected for the prestigious JSK Fellowship at Stanford University. His education includes a law degree from Francisco Marroquín University in Guatemala and a master’s from the University of Texas at Austin.

Zamora’s relationship with ICFJ goes back many years: His father, the president of elPeriódico in Guatemala, won the ICFJ Knight Award in 2003, and Zamora has served as a judge for the award since 2012. ICFJ has called, and continues to call, for the release of Zamora’s father, José Rubén Zamora, who was arrested by Guatemalan authorities last year on charges that press freedom and pro-democracy groups worldwide have widely condemned.

“Our new board members have helped their own news outlets navigate a changing media landscape, and they know firsthand the challenges that journalists and news organizations face today,” ICFJ President Sharon Moshavi said. “They will bring invaluable insights to ICFJ, as well as a deep passion for our work helping journalists across the world do better journalism.”

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