San Diego-Tijuana Chapter
Board Elections 2022

The San Diego-Tijuana Chapter elections committee is pleased to open the ballot to vote on this year's board election. Polls will close on July 7, at 5 p.m. ET and results will be announced soon after. You can find the list of candidates who appear on the ballot below.

Only current San Diego-Tijuana Chapter members are able to see this form, if you're unable to see the form please contact us at [email protected] to make sure you're able to submit your nomination.

 Candidates Statements

President (uncontested):
Andrea Lopez-Villafana
Vice President (uncontested):

David Santanilla
Financial Officer (uncontested):

Antonio Marquez
Secretary (uncontested):

Sofia Mejias-Pascoe

2022 Election Timeline for Chapter Board Elections:

June 3: Call for Nominations

June 15: Deadline to submit 5 signatures. Date of the record: deadline to become a member in good standing and be eligible to vote.

June 15-23: Vetting process. The Elections Committee will screen candidates 

June 23: Online voting begin (Polls open two weeks before the polls close)

July 7: Polls close at 5 p.m. ET and results are announced

Candidates Statements:

Andrea Lopez-Villafana

It has been a tremendous honor to serve as president of our San Diego-Tijuana chapter these last couple of years. In that time, I've helped our chapter establish committees to better serve our chapter. That includes establishing the events, communications and membership committees. Our board has found tremendous success in splitting up these responsibilities and it has given members, who are usually too busy to get involved on the board, an opportunity to give back in a significant way. Going forward, it is my goal to serve again so I can focus our chapter efforts on building and maintaining our membership levels. I'd also like to train our new board members and hopefully empower them to lead the chapter once my term is over. Thank you for your consideration.

David Santillan

I first got involved with NAHJ while attending my alma mater SDSU, and served as treasurer in their student chapter. During my tenure we hosted panel events for journalism students and invited Latinx professionals to speak. Their candid answers to our questions are in part what kept me motivated to continue pursuing my career. Fast forward to now, I’m currently an assistant video editor at the LA Times for their broadcast show (Los Angeles Times Today). I would love the opportunity to serve as VP and payback that mentorship to emerging student journalists, and also learned from the veterans of the industry. Thank you for your consideration!

Antonio Marquez

Having a familia is key to being successful because you have that extra support system and NAHJ familia has done just that in my career. Ever since I join NAHJ at San Diego community college and then at San Diego State University I always felt supported and most importantly guided by others that were in the same place I was. It is now time to be part of a bigger chapter and by getting involved as treasurer I feel that I will have a chance to be part of something bigger and most importantly impactful to the NAHJ community. As I am navigating my career I want to stay involved and be part of a group of individuals that like myself know that journalism is not easy but definitely worth and as treasurer I want to be a small part of the board that makes everything happen for us. I hope to serve on the board and keep our familia moving forward.

Sofia Mejias-Pascoe

As secretary for the San Diego-Tijuana chapter of NAHJ, I want to continue the work of past boards in helping to build a supportive, strong and welcoming community of Latino and Hispanic journalists in the region. I believe the best part of this chapter is the work we do to bring together communities across the region, uplift members and promote our voices, images and stories in the news.
As a new member over the past year, I’ve seen how this chapter has risen to the occasion in so many moments -–– both challenging and rewarding –– and used our voices to call out injustice, support younger generations of journalists and bring people together. That’s what I’d like to continue as secretary. I’ve worked in three newsrooms in San Diego and my current role as a border and immigration reporter speaks to my commitment to cater to journalists on both sides of the border. With your vote, I’ll make myself accessible to all members in the chapter and make it a priority to bring in new members, organize events and meet any other needs of the chapter that may come up.

If you have any questions regarding this chapter's election contact Carlos Rico, San Diego-Tijuana Chapter Elections Chair. You can also email us at [email protected] with any additional questions.

Good luck!


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