Associated Press editor Salcedo elected president of national Hispanic journalist organization

AP’s Michele Salcedo new NAHJ president

DENVER — Michele Salcedo, an editor in Washington for The Associated Press, is the new president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

Salcedo was elected as NAHJ’s president on Saturday, and will serve in her new role for two years. WCBS-TV managing editor Hugo Balta was runner-up. Salcedo won on promises to beef up the cash-strapped organization’s revenue sources.

Salcedo will succeed O. Ricardo Pimentel, the editorial page editor for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Salcedo said Monday her immediate priorities are to work to increase NAHJ’s membership and revenues and on behalf of mid-career journalists who have lost jobs.

“NAHJ faces tremendous challenges in the wake of the industry’s troubles,” she said. “We need to find new revenue streams, and we need to help mid-career journalists in these difficult times.”

“We also need to bring members back to NAHJ so it can continue its mission as an organization that will stand up for them and represent their interests.”

Other election results include Manuel de la Rosa, a reporter for KIII-TV in Corpus Christi, Texas, as vice president for broadcast; El Paso Times reporter Gustavo Reveles Acosta as vice president for print; AP Boston reporter Russell Contreras as financial officer; Boston Globe reporter Erin Ailworth as secretary; Dallas-based freelancer Rebecca Aguilar as general at-large officer; freelance reporter Ada Alvarez as Spanish language at-large officer; and Patricio Espinoza, founder and digital editor of AlamoCityTimes.com in San Antonio, Texas, as online at-large officer.

NAHJ has nearly 1,400 members and is dedicated to developing and promoting Hispanic journalists. The organization was founded in 1984 and is based in Washington.