The Online News Association (ONA) is pleased to announce that its members have elected Nikita Roy, founder of Newsroom Robots Labs, and Neeti Upadhye, Senior Video Manager at The Washington Post, to serve on the ONA Board of Directors for the 2026–2027 term.
ONA is also excited to announce the five appointments to the Board of Directors.
- Ben Collins, CEO, The Onion
- Kenya Young, President & CEO, Louisville Public Media
- Jeremy Gilbert, Knight Chair for Digital Media Strategy, Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University
- Eric Prock, Founder & Media Consultant, Wave 3 Advisors
- Christine Schmidt, Partnerships Associate, Block Club Chicago
The seven new board members will begin their two-year terms on January 1 and join ONA’s leadership in guiding the organization’s mission to support and advance journalism.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome this incredible group of leaders to our Board of Directors. Each brings a wealth of experience to ONA, reflecting the diversity of our community. I’m really looking forward to steering ONA alongside them in this pivotal moment for journalism,” said Niketa Patel, ONA CEO and Executive Director.
ONA Board President Charo Henríquez added, “The ONA Board of Directors is delighted to welcome these new members. All of them are leaders in different areas of our community and our industry. They are innovators, change agents, and will be great partners and advisors as ONA continues to support the evolution and sustainability of news media and the protection of free speech and press freedom.”
The incoming Board members will play a key role as ONA continues implementing its new strategic plan. Announced in September, the plan defines ONA’s long-term direction to help journalists respond and thrive during rapid technological, economic and civic change. The strategy marks ONA’s evolution from a general professional development organization to a year-round hub for adaptive journalism, anchored in four focus areas:
- Foresight & Intelligence: Helping journalism professionals understand what’s coming.
- Learning & Leadership: Building the skills to lead through industry transformation.
- Communities & Networks: Creating meaningful connections across roles and organizations.
- Organizational Strength: Growing ONA’s capacity to support journalism’s future.
As new board members begin their terms, ONA extends its deep gratitude to the outgoing board members for their service and leadership. Charo Henríquez concludes her two-year term as Board President and will begin her final year of service as Immediate Past President, transitioning to a non-voting role after serving on the board since 2018. Versha Sharma completes four consecutive terms since joining the board in 2018. Elana Zak concludes two terms since 2022. Graham Watson-Ringo completes two terms, her last as Chair of the Governance Committee. Ethar El-Katatney and Lauren Williams each complete one term of service.