The Online News Association (ONA) is pleased to announce the election results for the 2025-26 Board of Directors. ONA members have elected Donesha Aldridge, Executive Producer of Digital Content at WXIA 11Alive, as the newest member of the board, and re-elected three incumbents to continue their service: Ashley Alvarado, Vice President of Community Engagement and Strategic Initiatives, LAist – Southern California Public Radio; Imaeyen Ibanga, Presenter and Senior Producer, AJ+; and Rodney Gibbs, Head of Audience and Product, The National Trust for Local News. They will begin their two-year terms Jan. 1, 2025.
ONA’s board members represent diverse expertise in emerging technology, audience development, news product innovation, newsroom leadership and culture, and revenue strategy, and all share in common their motivation to drive sustainability in journalism.
Donesha Aldridge brings over a decade of experience producing news stories for TV and the web, and is currently focused on digital content for WXIA 11Alive in Atlanta, one of TEGNA’s leading stations for digital. She’s especially motivated to support and motivate journalists who are just getting started in the field.
Ashley Alvarado’s work reflects deep commitment to the wellbeing of people producing the news and the communities they serve—on air, online, and in person. She has contributed expertise in community engagement, newsroom culture, and innovative storytelling to many ONA programs and currently serves as Board Secretary.
Imaeyen Ibanga wants to see an industry that is “equitable simultaneously in staffing, leadership, and in coverage.” She’s the creator of “ZIP Codes with Imaeyen,” the AJ+ video series about where you live shapes how you live, and has wide-ranging experience from breaking news to social media from previous roles with NBC News, CNN and ABC News.
Rodney Gibbs excels at leading innovation in local news, with a career that has taken him from TV writing to product innovation to advising media entrepreneurs on revenue and audience development. He’s currently on a mission to expand the digital reach and revenue streams of dozens of community newspapers through the National Trust for Local News.
Continuing board members who are serving their current terms through December 2025 include:
- Charo Henríquez, ONA Board President and Editor, Newsroom Development & Support, The New York Times
- Niketa Patel, ONA Board Vice President and Senior Director, Leadership Programs, Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY
- Angela Pacienza, Executive Editor, The Globe and Mail
- Elana Zak, Senior Newsletter Content Strategist, SoFi
- Ethar El-Katatney, Editor-in-Chief, Documenters
- Graham Watson-Ringo, Senior Director of Member Strategy, News Revenue Hub
- Lauren Williams, CEO and Co-Founder, Capital B
- Ryan Kellett, 2025 Nieman-Berkman Fellow, Harvard University
- Versha Sharma, Editor-in-Chief, Teen Vogue
The board will appoint two additional seats by the end of the year to meet specific organizational goals. ONA will also open a call for applications later this year for the Early Career Board Officer role, a leadership and learning opportunity for someone with three or fewer years of experience in journalism or a student in their final year of college/university.
The 10 candidates in this year’s election were selected by ONA’s Governance Committee from a pool of nominations submitted by ONA members. All active members as of Sept. 9 were eligible to cast ballots; 16.95% of eligible members participated. Learn more about ONA’s board election process.