In the News
Central Valley Journalism Collaborative Introduces its inaugural Executive Director
Alma Martinez Appointed as the Executive Director
MERCED, CA – The Central Valley Journalism Collaborative (CVJC) is proud to announce the appointment of Alma Martinez as its new Executive Director. Ms. Martinez brings over 20 years of personal and professional experience as a former journalist, Latino and immigrant community liaison in the public and private sector, and the founding director of the Central Valley Latino Leadership Academy. Drawing upon her own lived experiences, Ms. Martinez embodies an authentic set of Central Valley values shaped by her family’s immigration journey fromMexico and her personal growth as an English learner. Through her determined efforts to learn English, she found inspiration and formative connection to the stories and narratives found in newspapers, instilling in her a deep belief in the power of a community-centered free press reporting news stories that reflect the everyday lives of those whose voices are often overlooked in the media. This, coupled with her dedication tothe Central Valley, makes her the ideal candidate to lead CVJC in its mission to support a thriving, sustainable free press for a growing multiracial, multicultural, and multilingual Central Valley.
CVJC incoming Board Chair Priscilla Enriquez shared her enthusiasm for the appointment, stating, “Ms. Martinez’s extensive experience grounded in the community will help shape the Valley’s news infrastructure in a completely different way. Her ability to genuinely connect with people, build nonprofit start-ups, form partnerships, and successfully resource community-based efforts will be instrumental in shaping the future of journalism in our region and championing the voices of our diversecommunities.”
Ms. Martinez’s leadership in the Central Valley journalism career began at non-profit public radio network Radio Bilingue, where, as their first environmental health reporter, she spent over a decade witnessing the profound impact that storytelling can have on communities. This experience ignited her passion for shining a light on the region’s resilience and the importance of a dependable free press highlighting the Central Valley’s challenges and victories.
Ms. Martinez’s strategic vision for CVJC centers on people—emphasizing storytelling, innovative funding partnerships and resource development, and the continued visibility for diverse storytellers. She is committed to ensuring effective journalism in a region of the state that has gone underreported and under-resourced.
Upon her appointment, Ms. Martinez expressed her eagerness to contribute to CVJC’s mission: “I am thrilled to join the Central Valley Journalism Collaborative as its inaugural Executive Director. I believe access to timely, fact-based, quality local news in a region as culturally and economically rich as ours is key to a prosperous future. I look forward to working with the talented CVJC team, fostering connections within the Central Valley’s journalism network, and ensuring our stories are told with objectivity, empathy, and impact.”
Also joining Ms. Martinez on the CVJC team is Victor Patton as Interim Editor in Chief. Mr. Patton comes to CVJC after decades working for The Fresno Bee and Merced Sun-Star, bringing investigative reporting experience and seasoned editing capabilities, having managed newsrooms and journalists. Part of his charge will be new audience development and reaching diverse audiences through new social media tools.
Central Valley Journalism Collaborative Names Two Veteran Journalists as Staff Reporters
Valley native Brianna Vaccari and multilingual international reporter Nancy Moya to launch beats on government accountability and community issues
MERCED, California—The Central Valley Journalism Collaborative (CVJC) announced the hiring of its first two staff reporters, naming veteran journalists Brianna Vaccari and Nancy Moya to foundational roles that will boost the quality and depth of locally focused journalism for Merced and the surrounding region.
Vaccari and Moya joined the CVJC team this month and will work closely with Editor-in-Chief Michelle Morgante and CVJC partner newsrooms to develop coverage that will be distributed through the CVJC’s own platform as well as those of its partners. As a nonprofit newsroom, CVJC’s content will be made available for re-publication by newsrooms throughout the Valley and beyond.
“Brianna and Nancy bring a wealth of skills, experiences and insights to the CVJC team that will revitalize the quality of news being reported from Merced and nearby communities,” Morgante said. “We are thrilled to have such high-caliber journalists taking on these essential first roles.”
Vaccari, a native of Fresno County and graduate of Fresno State, was named the CVJC’s first Accountability/Watchdog reporter, responsible for covering public institutions and government representatives to increase transparency and accountability on behalf of the public. She joins the CVJC from The Fresno Bee, where she was an investigative reporter covering City Hall and local government. Previously, Vaccari was part of the Merced Sun-Star, where she reported on county government, education, crime, agriculture and breaking news while also producing a weekly column addressing questions from community members.
Moya, a native of Texas with degrees from New Mexico State University and the University of Texas, El Paso, becomes the CVJC’s first reporter covering Community Issues, a beat that will provide deep and solutions-oriented coverage of key topics affecting the quality of life for Valley residents. With 15 years of print and broadcast journalism experience, Moya’s portfolio includes work for Univision, The Associated Press, El Diario de El Paso, Mexico’s Norteamérica and Mundo Ejecutivo, Germany’s Deutsche Welle and the Spanish-language El Ibérico of London, among others. Moya’s language skills in English, Spanish, German and French, along with her diverse multimedia-production background, are certain to be essential assets for the CVJC newsroom.
“The work that the CVJC is doing to elevate local news coverage in the Merced region is both exciting and much needed,” said Joe Moore, President and General Manager of KVPR, a partner of the collaborative. “As the region’s public radio station, KVPR is excited to partner with the CVJC to help expand our coverage in the North Valley. We welcome these new hires and look forward to working alongside them in the future.”
Launched by the James B. McClatchy Foundation in 2020, the nonprofit Central Valley Journalism Collaborative project aims to counter the loss of local journalists amid the collapse of the traditional media industry. The collaborative seeks to activate a vibrant local free press by growing newsroom jobs, increasing the diversity of the reporting workforce, engaging the next generation of consumers, supporting local journalism ecosystem innovation, and expanding philanthropic investment in the Valley.
“CVJC is primed to cover important stories impacting the Valley’s culturally rich communities. We aim to restore the sort of impactful journalistic coverage that has been decimated by severe cuts to local newsrooms. Brianna and Nancy offer hope to our Valley’s voices,” said Priscilla Enriquez, CEO of the James B. McClatchy Foundation and Interim Executive Director of the CVJC.
For information visit: cvlocaljournalism.org.
CONTACTS
Lilly Cortes Wyatt
(916) 235-3134
