Our Team

Leadership

I’m Emily Ramshaw, co-founder and CEO of The 19th. The idea for the 19th was born out of the 2016 election, when Hillary Clinton lost to Donald Trump following a campaign that far too often centered around questions of a woman candidate’s “electability” or “likeability.” … Read more
I’m LaSharah S. Bunting, vice president at The 19th. I’ve been a journalist and media executive for more than two decades, and I lead the organization’s financial sustainability and serve as a strategic partner to our CEO. … Read more
Hey, y’all. It’s Errin Haines, editor-at-large and founding mother at The 19th. You may also see me on cable news talking gender and politics as an MSNBC political contributor. … Read more
I’m Julia B. Chan, The 19th’s editor in chief. I lead our editorial department in producing journalism that aims to center, serve and inform our audiences. I enjoy every aspect of this work, from story conception to content and engagement strategy; to partnering, publishing and distribution planning. … Read more
I’m Jayo Miko Macasaquit, the chief people officer at The 19th. Since 2021, I’ve led our people and culture strategy with a focus on equity, care and sustainability. I’ve spent nearly 15 years building people systems in mission-driven organizations grounded in the belief that workplaces can be more just, more human and truly built for people to thrive. Most recently I worked at … Read more
I’m Fatima Hessabi, The 19th’s chief financial officer. As CFO, I oversee our financial strategy and lead the charge on budgets, audits and all the behind-the-scenes financial infrastructure to support our awesome journalism. I’ve spent the last two decades (my entire career) working with mission-driven organizations. I’ve worked with all kinds of nonprofits — ones focused on mental … Read more
I’m Clarice Bajkowski, the 19th’s Chief Creative Officer. I lead an award-winning team of creatives who share my passion for our mission, and together we shape the visual and strategic direction of our brand, ensuring our work truly reflects the diverse voices and experiences of the communities we serve.
… Read more
Hi, there! I’m Emily Swelgin, chief product officer at The 19th. I lead a fabulous team of product managers, designers and engineers tasked with building new ways for you to experience and support our journalism. My favorite part of this job is hearing from readers about … Read more
I’m Anne Musial, chief development officer at The 19th. I lead our development efforts, which is all about building relationships with people and organizations who want to support our work. I love that I get to share the heart of what we do, learn what resonates with others and find ways to bring them into our mission — whether that’s through funding or simply staying … Read more
I’m Alexandra Smith, chief strategy officer at The 19th. It’s my job to bring together our brilliant staff from across teams to ensure we’re working toward our ambitious mission in ways that center you, our dear readers, and are sustainable for our nonprofit business. … Read more

Staff

Hi there! I’m Abby Blachman, our technical product manager. I’ve been working at the intersection of product and technology at The 19th since 2020, first as a product engineer and then as an engineering manager. I helped launch 19thnews.org and have been building products and … Read more
Hey y’all, I’m Abby Johnston, The 19th’s partnerships editor, running The 19th News Network and editing our economy, climate and reproductive health coverage. I was one of the founding editors here, helping shape the stories, systems and Slack chaos that make this place. I’ve led and edited projects that won us a National Murrow Award and an Online Journalism Award. … Read more
I’m Amanda Becker, The 19th’s Washington correspondent. I like to use my perch to examine the gendered aspects of power and how gender shapes policy. Since policy isn’t made in a vacuum, my favorite type of political stories draw across institutions and movements to examine what I call the “connective tissues” of our democracy. … Read more
I’m Andrea Atehortua, product operations manager at The 19th. I’m constantly finding opportunities to improve the way the product and technology team works, supporting experimentation, improving communication, and ensuring we are regularly delivering new products and features to our readers. … Read more
Hey! I’m Annelise McGough, editorial director of audience here at The 19th. That basically means I work with reporters, editors and the audience team to help make story decisions that center the needs of you, our reader. Have you seen a story from us on Instagram? I helped with that. Do you recognize my name from our daily newsletter? I produce it. I co-manage a team of three producers who are the … Read more
I’m Barbara Rodriguez, The 19th’s health reporter. I’ve covered politics for several years, first as a statehouse reporter for The Associated Press and then as a politics reporter for The Des Moines Register. In 2019, I was assigned to cover the presidential campaigns of then-California Sen. Kamala Harris and Pete Buttigieg, then mayor of South Bend, Indiana. Immediately after the 2020 Iowa … Read more
I’m Candice Norwood, a reporter for The 19th who covers general assignment news. Since 2016, I’ve covered all things politics and policy for The Atlantic, Bloomberg News, PBS NewsHour and other publications in the Washington, D.C. area. … Read more
I’m Chabeli Carrazana, The 19th’s economy and child care reporter. I’ve been an economy reporter for a decade, getting my start at the Miami Herald and then the Orlando Sentinel. … Read more
Hi! I’m Ebony JJ Curry, one of The 19th’s reporting fellows. I was previously an NBCUniversal fellow covering Black entrepreneurship and innovation in Detroit’s growing tech sector. … Read more
I’m Faith Smith, The 19th’s senior director of events. I have the pleasure of working closely with the newsroom and our leadership team on our events and other projects like our Amendment podcast that took us through the 2024 election. Our … Read more
Olá! Hola! Hello! I’m Fernanda Santos, managing editor at The 19th. I compare my job to that of a maestro: I make sure all parts of the newsroom are in tune and jamming well together to produce meaningful journalism centered around voices and perspectives that for too long have been overlooked. … Read more
I’m Flora Peir, the news editor at The 19th. My reporters cover a wide range of topics, including LGBTQ+ issues, the courts, the military, maternal health, gun violence and beyond. … Read more
Hi! I’m Gabriella Gladney, one of The 19th’s reporting fellows and I have a background in audio and reporting. I was most recently a producer at SiriusXM, where I worked across shows like 99% Invisible, Atlas Obscura and Brown Enough. I wrote and produced more than 50 Atlas Obscura episodes on cultural history, geography and overlooked places. I also supported editorial workflows for 99% Invisible and produced an … Read more
I’m Grace Panetta, a political reporter at The 19th covering the candidates, issues and voters that power our elections. My journey in political journalism began at the end of my sophomore year of college, where I took an internship on Business Insider’s politics desk that turned into a full-time job. I got to cover lots of big stories while honing a beat … Read more
I’m Hannah Bernstein, The 19th’s audience growth manager. I’m focused on finding new ways for our journalism to reach more people, explain more things and be more useful in the everyday lives of our readers. If you’ve got an idea for how we can do that better, I want to hear it. … Read more
I’m Jasmine Mithani, the interim data & technology reporter at The 19th. I write stories, make charts and check our math. I collaborate on data-driven projects like our polling partnership with SurveyMonkey and our … Read more
Jennifer Ajluni is our director of individual philanthropy. Before joining The 19th, she worked at The Texas Tribune, where she was the senior development officer. Prior to that, Jenny worked in political fundraising both nationally and in Texas. Read more
I’m Jennifer Gerson, a reporter at The 19th who has a deep passion for bringing people into conversation about the issues that are shaping their lives. … Read more
I’m Jessica Kutz, The 19th’s climate and gender reporter. I got into journalism at 26 after walking into a small local paper and asking for an internship. It quickly spiraled into a staff job and I won three Colorado Press Association awards during my time there. I next sharpened my skills at High Country News, where I wrote and edited stories about environmental and social justice for four … Read more
I’m Kari Cobham, I’m a writer and The 19th’s founding director of fellowships. I focus on amplifying voices, mentoring talent and shaping the future of media. … Read more
Hiya, I’m Kate Sosin, one of two LGBTQ+ beat reporters here at The 19th and our (very) unofficial chief chaos officer. I try to report stories or angles that you won’t find anywhere else, the ones that disrupt our assumptions about the world and queer people in it. … Read more
Hi! I’m Kristina Ousley, The 19th’s news product fellow and a doctor of science candidate in information and interaction design at the University of Baltimore. My research explores how augmented reality can enhance cognitive abilities in young adults through immersive media, human-computer interaction and design thinking. … Read more
Hey there, I’m Lance Dixon, one of the audience engagement producers at The 19th. I help produce a lot of what you see on our social platforms. I also work on some of our newsletters, and am behind much of our Reddit presence and strategy. (Yes, I am Very Online). … Read more
Hi! I’m Lauren Nutall, one of The 19th’s reporting fellows and a 2025 Pulitzer Center reporting grant recipient. My Pulitzer project will focus on the school-to-deportation pipeline. … Read more
I’m Liz Sayle. I’m a full-stack software engineer and engineering leader with over 14 years of experience delivering scalable products and driving innovation across fintech, data marketing and data privacy. I’m known for my collaborative leadership, clear communication and focus on building products that improve people’s lives. I hold a Master of Engineering in Computer Science and I’m a certified Professional Scrum … Read more
Hey, I’m Lydia Chebbine, editorial director of visuals here at The 19th, which means I’m the one curating the visuals that accompany our stories. I’m Algerian American, have a background in Critical Theory from Pratt Institute, and I kicked off my career back in 2016 at U.S. News & World Report, diving straight into my first conventions and the chaos of that election … Read more
Hi there, I’m Mariel Padilla. I’m a general assignment reporter at The 19th, where I’ve been since July 2020, just before the organization launched. I’ve written about all kinds of things, from the nursing shortage to child marriage laws to family-building concerns within the military community. I love falling down history rabbit holes, making spreadsheets and writing long explainers that … Read more
Hi! I’m Marissa Nelson, executive coordinator at The 19th. I also work on the team that produces our events, which is how I got my start here in 2022. Most of my work is behind-the-scenes: setting timelines, booking venues and answering attendee questions. At times, I also report and write stories for our site and social platforms, usually about queer community, or the latest … Read more
I’m Megan Kearney, the 19th’s editorial planning manager. As a member of our audience team, I work on the promotion of the stories you’re reading every day and the keywords you’re searching to find them. I specialize in headlines, SEO and production, but my interests are rooted in journalism for all — centering your voices, earning your trust and turning the stories you’re … Read more
I’m Mel Leonor Barclay, a politics reporter at The 19th. My work is fueled by curiosity about the forces that drive everyday people to become politically engaged and shape their political beliefs. So far at The 19th, I’ve reported on how gender, race, ethnicity, economic reality, immigration story and experiences with gun violence have shaped candidates’ decisions to run for office and … Read more
I’m Michelle Hughes, The 19th’s full-stack engineer. I’m part of the team that makes sure the technology is working to get our stories to you. Read more
I’m Michelle Rivera, senior program coordinator for our fellowship program at The 19th. I oversee day-to-day operations, track trends in journalism, and analyze data to help shape an inclusive, impactful fellowship experience. My goal is to support emerging journalists who are changing the face of media. … Read more
I’m Myrka Moreno, one of two audience engagement producers at The 19th. It’s a wordy title that basically means I help The 19th’s work reach readers (you!) where they are. Much of that work is accepting that not everyone gets their news in the same way. My job is to figure out the best way to share our journalism that centers the facts of the reporting and the needs of our readers. … Read more
I’m Nadra Nittle, The 19th’s education reporter and a journalist since the aughts. I’ve worked for newspapers including the Inland Valley – Los Angeles Times, El Paso Times, the Santa Fe Reporter and the Press-Telegram and online publications Vox and Civil Eats. I’ve also freelanced for The Guardian, Business Insider, Huffington Post, BBC News and NBC News. … Read more
I’m Orion Rummler, LGBTQ+ reporter for The 19th based in Washington, D.C. My reporting ranges from health policy explainers and court deep dives to statehouse breaking news and features on LGBTQ+ daily life. My priority is to inform our readers about how U.S. politics are shaping the future for LGBTQ+ Americans, and how LGBTQ+ people are shaping the future for all of us. … Read more
I’m Poorvaja Rajagopalan, development associate at The 19th. As a nonprofit newsroom, The 19th relies on support from donors; along with the rest of the development team, I coordinate philanthropic fundraising, assist with donor stewardship, and write grant proposals and reports. My goal is to keep The 19th independent and accessible to all readers. … Read more
I’m Sara Luterman, The 19th’s disability and aging reporter. I’m one of only a handful of openly disabled journalists dedicated to covering these issues. It’s exciting to be part of a burgeoning new beat and to be able to help shape it from the ground up. I am proud to help put “nothing about us without us,” a saying from the disability rights movement, into practice in journalism. I … Read more
I’m Sarah Porter, The 19th’s brand designer. As a part of the creative team, I help shape how our visual brand shows up across all of our print and digital media — that includes social media, events, newsletters and so much more. I work to ensure our journalism is reaching and resonating with our growing audience. … Read more
Hello! I’m Sereena Henderson, membership manager for The 19th. With eight years in nonprofit news, I’m passionate about mission-driven journalism that uplifts underserved and underrepresented communities. A Mississippi native, I am a graduate of The University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media. (Hotty Toddy, y’all!) I’m proud to have played a key role in the growth of … Read more
I’m Shefali Luthra, The 19th’s reproductive health reporter. I’ve covered health care for more than a decade, starting at the Texas Tribune, where I wrote about abortion restrictions and the rollout of the Affordable Care Act, before moving to KFF Health News. I’m passionate about covering health care in a way that highlights policy’s human impact. I love hearing from readers about how … Read more
Hi! I’m Sierra Lyons, The 19th’s audience engagement fellow. I previously reported at the intersection of faith, justice, race and education for Teen Vogue, New York Magazine, Huffington Post and Scalawag Magazine, among others. … Read more
I’m Terri Rupar, the political editor at The 19th, which means I run a team of reporters focused on the people we elect and the electorate who has a chance to vote for them. I worked at The Washington Post for more than 17 years before joining The 19th after the 2020 election. Even before coming on board, I helped edit some of The 19th’s first stories. I was drawn to The 19th’s mission and a … Read more
Hey there, I’m Vanessa Gregorchik! I’m the product designer at The 19th, which means I design the way our journalism appears in places like the newsletters in your inbox, on apps like Apple News, and via this website you’re reading right now. … Read more
I’m Wynton Wong, multimedia producer at The 19th. I work on a variety of audio and video projects, including The Amendment podcast, as well as our events, making sure that things are looking and sounding good in the room and in our recordings. … Read more
I’m Zurii Conroy, the people operations manager at The 19th. Since joining the organization in 2022, I’ve been proud to support key human resources processes, elevate our employment experience and help our fellowships team create meaningful pathways for the next generation of HBCU-trained journalists. As an HBCU alum of Howard University (HU, you know!), helping to shape and champion our … Read more