NAHJ Announces Torres and López as 2023 Convention Programming Co-Chairs

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

December 9, 2022

NAHJ Announces Torres and López as 2023 Convention Programming Co-Chairs 

(Washington, D.C.) – The National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) has announced the team that will chair the programming during the NAHJ International Training Convention & Expo scheduled for July 12-15, 2023 in Downtown Miami, FL. Both Mc Nelly Torres and Brandon López are longtime NAHJ leaders with deep roots in South Florida. David Cordero Mercado will support the co-chairs as part of the programming team, focusing on Spanish language training and development.

“We are delighted to have returning chair Mc Nelly Torres and long-time chapter president and NAHJ leader Brandon López as our program co-chairs” said NAHJ President Yvette Cabrera. “They will be vital to ensuring this environmentally forward, and innovative event meets the needs of our attendees in the U.S., Mexico and Latin America.”

Currently, NAHJ members are invited to submit English programming ideas here, as well as Spanish programming ideas here to the Call for Proposals for #NAHJ2023. In addition, members can register for a webinar on Tuesday, December 13 at 6 p.m. EST to learn more about submitting session proposals.

Learn more about the co-chairs below.

Mc Nelly Torres is an award-winning investigative journalist and the 2022 Gwen Ifill Award recipient. Torres is an editor at the Center for Public Integrity where she leads a team of reporters investigating inequality. Previously, Torres worked as an investigative producer for NBC6 in Miami. In 2010, Torres co-founded the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting (FCIR.org). Before that her consumer investigative stories at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale won state, regional, and national awards. She covered education for the San Antonio Express-News where her work contributed to the conviction of a school building architect accused of bribery. In South Carolina, she garnered local and state awards for her investigative work on the state’s hog farm permitting process.

Torres has earned over a dozen awards throughout her career, including an Emmy for her work at NBC, an Edward R. Murrow Award, and several awards from organizations such as the NAHJ, the Education Writers Association and the Society of Professional Journalists. She has also been a contributor to the Center for Investigative Journalism in Puerto Rico and to the Investigative Editors Corp. Torres was the first Latina to be elected to the boards of directors of the Investigative Reporters and Editors and the Florida Society of News Editors. For years, Torres has trained and mentored journalists in the U.S. and Latin America on data journalism and investigative reporting. Most recently, she was elected to serve on the national board of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) as VP of Digital. She was inducted in NAHJ’s Hall of Fame in 2018 and she’s a lifetime member of the organization. Torres received a degree in journalism with a minor in political science from the University of Southern Colorado and a liberal arts degree from the University of Hawaii. When she’s not working, Torres likes to spend time walking her dogs, dancing salsa with her husband, cycling, swimming, and practicing yoga. @WatchdogDiva

Brandon López began his professional career in media before he could legally vote. Fresh out of high school, he started as an intern at an award-winning local lifestyle magazine, where he was quickly promoted to Assistant Director of the Digital Marketing division.

From the magazine, Brandon made the switch to television, working in various positions at WSVN and WTVJ in Miami, and WPBF in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Brandon then returned to WTVJ-NBC 6 and WSCV-Telemundo 51 and served as a Duopoly Digital Producer and Reporter, where he managed the station’s digital and social media platforms and contributed segments on-air to NBC 6 News, Telemundo 51 and the station’s lifestyle show, 6 in the Mix.

Brandon returned to West Palm Beach as Digital Media Manager at WPBF, where he oversaw the station\’s digital operations. There, he led the station to be the number one news website and app in the market.

Now, the Miami-native has relocated to New York City and works at ABC News as the Social Media Producer for GMA3: What You Need to Know. In the time he has been there, he has created viral content with major celebrities like Patti LaBelle and Gloria Estefan, and created impactful content on large, newsworthy events.

Throughout his career, he has covered major events such as the tragic Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting, the FIU Bridge collapse, four Presidential elections, a Presidential debate and has covered much lighter stories, such as the red carpet at Premios tu Mundo, Super Bowl LIV, the grand opening of Toy Story Land at Walt Disney World and has interviewed many celebrities like Halle Berry, Sofia Vergara and Prince Royce.

In his spare time, Brandon enjoys traveling, meditation and visiting new restaurants.

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