MAUDLYNE IHEJIRIKA         

Chicago Sun-Times Urban Affairs Reporter/Columnist

Platform:  I have served for the past 10 years as sholarships chair, board member at large, and currently vice president/print. I have three platform goals: 1. To grow our organization’s partnerships with other trade nonprofits – whether it be lawyers’ engineers, educators, etc. – to expand our exposure, impact and reach into the black community, as well as mainstream. 2. To increase donations for NABJCC Foundation scholarships throug expanded grants from Chicago’s foundation/corporate community, including an initiative to solicit and tap into relationships the board and general membership can bring to the table. 3. To position NABJCC to tackle one major issue impacting its local black community annually – in a unified way that would bring under a themed umbrella both new events and initiatives and current mentoring efforts.

PHIL THOMPSON                  

Chicago Tribune Columnist/Sports Reporter

Platform: As president I want to facilitate our chapter being an advocate for the black community; to impress upon the people we represent the work our members do every day on their behalf, and to increase our chapter’s profile among the greater community of Chicago. In addition to advocacy, I want to establish a strong foundation of mentorship and skills building within the membership of NABJ Chicago.