With a room full of experienced, award-winning journalists and curious journalism students, the Society of Professional Journalists held its annual general membership meeting Oct. 1 to address issues including proposed bylaws and the 2026 SPJ election.
SPJ President Chris Vaccaro opened the meeting agenda and thanked attendees for their excitement about this year’s conference. First, he addressed the proposed bylaws amendment and the proposed revisions to the SPJ Code of Ethics. Voting opened on Thursday, Oct. 1 at 8 p.m. ET and will close on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 9 a.m. ET.
“Please read the language on the ballot and the supporting materials for the proposal before casting your votes,” Vaccaro said.
SPJ 2025-2026 President Chris R. Vaccaro spoke to members about the SPJ election as well successful membership increases in the past year. Photo by Skylar Paxton.
The proposed revisions to the SPJ Code of Ethics, started in October 2025, address the code’s four core principles: seek truth and report it, minimize harm, act independently, and be accountable and transparent. The revisions would update and expand guidance for journalists working in a rapidly changing media environment. They cover areas including verification; misinformation and disinformation; fabricated or manipulated content; sponsored and outside work; conflicts of interest; source anonymity; crime coverage; and distinctions between news analysis and opinion.
Vaccaro thanked Ethics Committee Co-Chairs Kevin Smith and Dan Axelrod, along with former Ethics Committee Chair Kevin Smith, and the rest of the Ethics Committee for conducting sessions on the proposed changes to the code.
Members will also vote on the proposed bylaws amendment regarding conduct standards that clarify the Board of Directors’ authority to establish and implement standards of conduct for participation in SPJ activities. In addition to establishing a defined process for handling concerns, the proposed bylaws amendment and related conduct standards are intended to provide a clearer framework for addressing conduct within SPJ.
SPJ members listen and take notes on candidate speeches for the SPJ election. Photo by Skylar Paxton
Next, Vaccaro introduced national and regional leaders on the ballot. Voters will choose a vice president, secretary-treasurer, an at-large director for a two-year term and four regional coordinators. Holding elections this year are regions one, four, five and nine.
Stacie Overton Johnson and Adam Sennott are running for vice president. Patricia Gallagher Newberry is running unopposed for secretary-treasurer. Jennifer Ellis, Mary Fischoff, Will Fries, Ginny McCabe, Nicole Greason, Jillian Melero, Tim Montgomery, Ernest Owens, Elise Riley and Cecilia Wexler are running for at-large director.
Running for coordinator, Layla Burke Hastings and Christine McGrath are running for Region One. Ginny McCabe is running unopposed for Region Four. Marcus Green and Alex Veeneman are running for Region Five, and McKenzie Romero is running unopposed for Region Nine.
Executive Director Caroline Hendrie said that SPJ is a remarkably democratic organization that plays a vital role in protecting the larger American experiment in democratic governance, adding that the organization can and must be a bulwark of professional journalism.
She reported that the SPJ electorate grew by 20 percent in the last year. In 2025, the membership count was 3,879, including more than 400 associates who, under the bylaws, aren’t considered voting members. Hendrie said SPJ’s membership count is now 4,425, with 324 voting members.
Hendrie said SPJ’s goal is to reach 5,000 members. She then set expectations for the 2027 national conference.
“If next year in Dallas, at this time, [I hope] we can say we’ve hit our target,” Hendrie said. “You need to be fruitful and multiply. Go for it and recruit more members.”
Vaccaro closed the meeting by thanking the SPJ staff and candidates, and reminded members to vote and enjoy the conference.
“Have fun, speak up, fight for First Amendment rights and press freedom and all the great things that we stand on,” Vaccaro said.
More information on the individual candidates and the proposed changes to the code and bylaws can be found on the Election Central Page of the SPJ Website.