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Society of Professional Journalists Region 1 Conference – NYC

May 2 @ 9:00 am - May 3 @ 4:00 pm

Reporting in Turbulent Times

Join us for the 2025 Society of Professional Journalists Region 1 Conference, Friday May 2 and Saturday May 3 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET, at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York in the heart of Times Square.

The Society of Professional Journalists Region 1 Conference is a must-attend gathering for journalists, reporters and media enthusiasts alike. Immerse yourself in insightful panel discussions, engaging workshops and networking opportunities with industry professionals.

Discover the latest trends, techniques and challenges in the ever-evolving world of journalism. Don’t miss this chance to connect, learn and grow with fellow journalists from across the region. SPJ Region 1 covers Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Central/Eastern Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont, but all are welcome.

Early bird pricing discounts are available until April 15, 11:59 p.m. ET. The early bird pricing period has concluded.

Annually, SPJ presents the Mark of Excellence Awards, honoring the best in student journalism. Click here to view the 2024 finalists in SPJ’s Region 1. Winners will be recognized during the conference and advance to the national competition.

Program Now Live!

Click here to see the full conference program, including session details, locations, speaker bios and much more.

Keynote Speakers

The conference will feature keynote presentations by CNN correspondents Gloria Pazmino on Friday and Polo Sandoval on Saturday.

 

Read on for information about this year’s distinguished speakers.

Expanding from her role as a correspondent for CNN Newsource and CNN’s more than 1,000 affiliate partners, Gloria Pazmino has contributed to the network’s reporting on New York City Mayor Eric Adams, the special election in New York’s 3rd congressional district, the historic election of Governor Kathy Hochul, the deadly bridge collapse in Baltimore and the historic arraignment of former President Donald Trump in Manhattan. Before joining CNN, Pazmino extensively covered politics in New York for Spectrum News NY1 and POLITICO. Pazmino earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from St. John’s University. She is bilingual in English and Spanish. Born in Colombia, she moved to Queens as a child, and has been a proud New Yorker ever since.

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Polo Sandoval covers a wide range of breaking news stories for CNN and its sister networks CNNI, HLN and CNN Español. During his time at CNN Newsource in Washington, D.C., Sandoval’s responsibilities included daily custom coverage of national and international headlines for CNN’s 800 English- and Spanish-speaking affiliates. He’s also worked regularly with CNN U.S. on high-profile stories, which includes being on the ground for the outbreak of deadly tornadoes across the deep south, the tribute to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing (2013), and the latest escape of drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman (2016). Sandoval worked at KRGV-TV, a local ABC affiliate in South Texas, before joining CNN. He is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and enjoys mentoring young, up-and-coming journalists. Sandoval received a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication with a concentration in Electronic Media from Texas State University in San Marcos.

Selected speakers on Friday, May 2

Vix Reitano headshot.
Vix Reitano, Agency 6B - "Google Tools Overview Training Session"
Ralph Blumental headshot.
Ralph Blumenthal, New York Times - "(Un)Covering UFOs: Anatomy of a Mystery"
Jon Schuppe headshot.
Jon Schuppe, NBC News - "'Your Son is Dead': The Personal, Ethical and Journalistic Challenges of Delivering Traumatic News"
Haley Gluhanich headshot.
Haley Gluhanich, Student Press Freedom Initiative - "Media Law 101"
Julie Chan headshot.
Julie Chan, News 12 - "Landing Your First TV Job"
Fahd Rachidy headshot.
Fahd Rachidy, AI Entrepreneur - "How AI is Unleashing a New Information Age"
Shia Levitt headshot.
Shia Levitt, News Ambassadors - "Depolarization Reporting Strategies for Journalists"
Chris Vaccaro headshot.
Chris Vaccaro, SPJ President-Elect - "Pressing Forward: Journalism Advocacy in Unprecedented Times"

Selected speakers on Saturday, May 3

Alexis Barton headshot.
Alexis Barton, Washington Post Magazine - "A Seat at the Table: Reporting First-Person Stories in Turbulent Times"
Rubina Fillion headshot.
Rubina Fillion, New York Times - "Meet the New York Times A.I. Initiatives Team"
Kishor Panthi headshot.
Kishor Panthi, Khasokhas - "Navigating Changing Immigration Policies and Combating Misinformation Among Non-English Readers"
Jesse Coburn headshot.
Jesse Coburn, ProPublica - "Local Investigations: Digging Deep Close to Home"
David Russell headshot.
David Russell, New York Post - "From Journalist to Author: How Reporting Skills Translate to Book Publishing"
Michael Rezendes headshot.
Michael Rezendes, Associated Press - "Shining the Spotlight: Inside Investigative Journalism with a Pulitzer Winner"
Preeti Varathan headshot.
Preeti Varathan, ESPN - "The Art of the Audio Documentary: Building Stories Designed to Last"
Jennifer Mascia headshot.
Jennifer Mascia, The Trace - "Ask The Trace: Using Data and Facts To Counter Misinformation Around Guns"

Website:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/society-of-professional-journalists-region-1-conference-nyc-registration-1261969267049

Date & Time:

May 2 @ 9:00 am - May 3 @ 4:00 pm

Cost:

Free – $108.55

Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY

219 West 40th Street
New York City, NY United States

+ Google Map

NOTE: While the conference does not have a designated hotel block, attendees will find ample accommodations in and near Times Square.