Press Release

Verónica Villafañe Elected President of the NAHJ

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Verónica Villafañe, an anchor and reporter with the San Jose Mercury News, was elected president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists last night during its annual Hall of Fame Gala at the UNITY 2004 Convention in Washington, D.C.

Villafañe, who was the association's Region 8 director, will serve a two-year term. She ran unopposed. Villafañe will take over the presidency from Juan Gonzalez who will now serve a one-year term as an ex-officio board member.

Rafael Olmeda, a senior writer with the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, was elected vice president of print; and Manny Medrano, a legal affairs correspondent for ABC News, was elected vice president of broadcast. Both ran unopposed.

Elizabeth Zavala, assistant metro editor of the Dallas Morning News, was elected the secretary of the board. She ran unopposed.

Roberto Vizcón, general manager of Telemundo affiliate WMTO Channel 40 in Orlando, Fla., was elected Spanish-language at-large officer. He ran unopposed.

Sam Diaz, a technology writer for the San Jose Mercury News defeated Louis Aguilar, a business writer with the Detroit News, for the position of financial officer.

Cindy Rodriguez, a columnist with the Denver Post, defeated Yvette Cabrera, columnist at the Orange County Register, for the position of general at-large officer.

Lavonne Luquis, director of programming for AOL Latino, defeated Bruno Navarro, the online editor of the Associated Press, for the position of at-large officer for multimedia.

Bethsaida George, a student at Brooklyn College, defeated Max Rivera, a student at Harvard, for the position of NAHJ student representative.