The following candidates have applied for a position on the 2026 Orange County Press Club Board of Directors. Candidates were asked to provide a short biography and a candidate statement. The OC Press Club is publishing their responses unedited.
Ballot responses will be collected until October 21, 2025.
Hosam Elattar, Voice of OC
During my tenure as a local award winning reporter, I have covered school districts’ response to the COVID pandemic, a corruption scandal in Anaheim, the official recognition of Anaheim’s Little Arabia after decades of community advocacy, heightened food insecurity since the start of the global pandemic, a push for ethnic studies courses at local schools, housing & homelessness, religion and local government across North OC.
I want to serve on the Board of the OC Press Club to help defend and grow journalism in Orange County and Southern California. Our job is essential to inform residents about issues that are impacting their quality of life and holding elected officials accountable. Amid a sea of news deserts, it is vital that local journalists band together to protect our institution and the public’s right to information. I would like to see the press club host more networking and informational events as well as boost scholarships the press club gives to younger students.
Carrie Freitas, KTM Agency
Though I’m not currently an active journalist, I was trained as a journalist, with internships at Orange Coast Magazine, KABC-TV News, KNBC-TV News and CNN’s LA Bureau. I have written for Riviera Magazine and served as the Editor-in-Chief of Coast Kids Magazine for four years (owned by Freedom Communications — the OC Register’s former parent company). I also am a sometime contributor to Fox 11 KTTV News as a guest on-air talent for food and gift guide segments. I have been working as a PR pro since 1992, and own and operate my own marketing + PR firm, KTM Agency, based in Newport Beach.
I am a staunch advocate of a free press and for a healthy and thriving local press ecosystem, in particular. I firmly believe that our democracy can’t survive without a free and healthy local press and that our communities will cease to thrive without it. As such, I will do whatever I can to champion and support journalists in Orange County. I believe I have a strong reputation for standing behind these statements and genuinely value and appreciate every media professional in this community. In my first year (this past year) as an OC Press Club Board Member, I worked with a committee to improve the OC Press Club Awards Gala, making it run more smoothly than ever before — and ensuring our members were celebrated and honored in a special way. I’ve brought strong energy and leadership to the board, often taking charge of projects and ensuring they are completed in a timely and strategic manner. I would love the opportunity to be a board member again in order to bring some additional concepts to life, including additional events that provide an opportunity for journalists to connect and build community outside of their respective newsrooms. I also have continued to donate to the OC Press Club scholarship fund, showing my investment in supporting the next generation of journalists. Thank you for considering me for your vote.
Breeana Greenberg, Times Media Group
I graduated from Chapman University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts in English with an emphasis in journalism. I’m currently completing my Master’s of Science in Journalism at USC and freelancing for Times Media Group. I grew up in Newport Beach and attended high school in Santa Ana.
I’m passionate about telling individuals’ stories and keeping communities informed about their local governments, which is why I especially enjoy writing for hyper-local newspapers. As an undergraduate, I covered Newport Beach City Council meetings for Voice of OC through its collegiate news service and wrote for the Laguna Beach Independent as a contributing writer. I also served as the Dana Point City Reporter for Picket Fence Media, covering South Orange County.
I briefly taught at Chapman University as a part-time lecturer for the journalism department and discovered a deep passion for education. That experience inspired me to return to graduate school, with the goal of reentering higher education and continuing to share the importance of local journalism with the next generation of reporters.
If reelected, I’m interested in expanding the board’s outreach with local university journalism programs and increasing student participation in the press club awards. I’m also interested in helping more young journalists into the field by encouraging local news organizations to offer information on scholarships and grants when seeking interns. I’m committed to demonstrating the press club’s value to its membership by promoting more networking and educational events.
Les Goldberg, Senior Reporter of Orange County
More than 60 years practicing journalism and public relations and most recently serving as reporter for Senior Reporter of Orange County and various trade publications.
Journalism in its traditional form is in my blood, and has been a part of my life since working on my high school newspaper. It is the basis of my public relations career and my work as a mentor and adjunct professor.
Hanna Kang, Orange County Register
Hanna Kang is a reporter for the Orange County Register, where she covers K-12 and higher education as well as the cities of Irvine, Fullerton and Orange. She previously reported on politics for the Register, covering the 2024 presidential election. Before that, she worked as a data fellow at Insider and a data reporter at Crosstown LA. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Southern California.
I’m running for the Press Club Board because I care deeply about strengthening Orange County’s journalism community and supporting the next generation of reporters. As a local reporter, I’ve seen firsthand the importance of press freedom, community-focused reporting and building trust with diverse communities.
If elected, I’d bring that experience along with a collaborative spirit and a commitment to mentoring young journalists. I believe the Press Club plays a critical role in building community among reporters, celebrating our work and advocating for the values that sustain a free press. I’d be honored to help carry that mission forward.
Sharael Kolberg, Freelance
I’m a Laguna Beach-based travel writer with 20+ years of experience covering adventure, wellness, and luxury travel. My work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, National Geographic Travel, U.S. News & World Report, Fodor’s, Lonely Planet, AAA Westways, and more.
I’m the 1st Vice Chair for the Society of American Travel Writers’ (SATW) Freelance Council and a mentor for SATW, a media delegate for Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), a media herald for the Transformational Travel Council (TTC) and a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA).
As a long-time professional journalist and active member of the Orange County Press Club, I would be honored to serve on the Board of Directors. Throughout my career, I have worked across a wide range of outlets — from national publications like Travel + Leisure, Forbes, and U.S. News & World Report to regional publications including the Orange County Register and Laguna Beach Magazine. My freelance background gives me a strong understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing today’s journalists, particularly in Orange County’s dynamic media landscape.
In addition to my editorial work, I bring extensive experience in event planning, networking, and professional development. As Vice Chair of the SATW Freelance Council, I regularly organize panels, webinars, and professional development seminars for writers and PR professionals. I am also tapped as an expert for media panels. I enjoy building bridges between journalists and the broader communications community, and I believe these skills will translate well to planning the Press Club’s annual gala, hosting networking events, and strengthening our member community.
I am equally committed to supporting the next generation of journalists. I have mentored emerging writers, taught journalism courses, and worked with students to develop their reporting skills. Serving on the Board would allow me to continue that work locally by helping steward scholarships and fellowships that inspire young journalists in Orange County.
I would be grateful for the opportunity to help further the Press Club’s mission of fostering community, advocating for press freedom, and celebrating journalistic excellence.
Patrice Marsters, Newport-Mesa Unified School District
I spent the majority of my career at OC Weekly, starting as an intern while the paper was in its infancy and ending as managing editor when it was shuttered 24 years later. After a two-year editorship at LW Weekly in Seal Beach, I transitioned to public school PR. For about two decades, I have served as a mentor to future journalists from Newport Harbor High School.
Currently holding the honor of being the longest-serving member of the OC Press Club board, I’d like to continue the tradition of promoting and celebrating great storytelling and photojournalism in the county. As the industry changes, we have to grow and nurture new skills while still preserving the integrity of what it means to be journalists.
Erika Taylor, Voice of OC
Erika Taylor is a Garden Grove native and a Tracy A. Wood reporting fellow at Voice of OC, where she works as a photojournalist covering transportation, libraries, culture and open space across Orange County. She began reporting for the Voice in August 2022 through the newsroom’s partnership with Chapman University, the Collegiate News Service.
Taylor graduated from Chapman with a B.S. in business administration with an emphasis in marketing and a minor in visual journalism in 2024. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Journalism at the University of Southern California.
As a past OC Press Club scholarship recipient and an emerging journalist shaped by strong mentors, I know firsthand how vital it is to “water new seeds” in Orange County’s drying news desert.
As a board member, I’ll help to champion reporters’ rights and help make our club a true hub for collaboration, training and advocacy that keeps independent journalism alive. I’m interested in strengthening local student reporting through crucial training and mentorship opportunities that link the OC Press Club’s member newsrooms, local schools and universities while strengthening the club’s scholarship fund.
In my time as a reporting fellow at Voice of OC – where I’ve faced press pens and ‘media policies’ at public meetings aimed at limiting media coverage – I have grown to understand that protecting press freedom starts at home. I believe the board has a responsibility to defend reporters’ rights to ask tough questions without fear.
Destiny Torres, LAist
My name is Destiny Torres, and I am a multimedia journalist. Today, I am a full-time reporter at LAist, covering all things Southern California, including Orange County, as well as digital equity. I’ve covered stories on how local government decisions impact youth, police oversight and other accountability reporting.
Before the LAist, I covered county government and the city of Santa Ana for the Orange County Register.
My vision is for the OC Press Club to continue being a pillar for our journalist community. I’d like to organize more panels, more free training and more opportunities for us to see one another and lift each other up as we navigate this ever-evolving industry.
Andrew Turner, Daily Pilot / L.A. Times Community News
Andrew Turner is a reporter for the Daily Pilot. Before joining the Pilot in October 2016, he covered prep sports as a freelancer for the Orange County Register for four years. His work also has been used by the Associated Press and California Rubber Hockey Magazine. While attending Long Beach State, he wrote for the college newspaper, the Daily 49er. He graduated with bachelor’s degrees in journalism and history.
I first joined the Orange County Press Club in 2023, and it has been an honor to serve this community of media professionals, many of whom I grew up reading and who have played a role in inspiring others to pursue journalism as a career. I was humbled to serve as vice president of the club and chairman of the scholarship committee this year. It’s important that we support each other and future generations, and that we are visible in doing so. We have done this through community efforts like classroom visits, judging contests and providing scholarships. I would welcome more ideas.
John Underwood, Voice of OC/ Event New Enterprise
Previously employed by NationaL Public Radio/ KLON/ KJAZZ/Event News Enterprise/OC Register/ OC Weekly/ Voice of OC
The advent of social media, live streaming, and the I-phone documentary platforms has transformed the role and the definition of journalist in popular media.
David N. Young, Community Media Corporation
David N. Young is a working journalist and internationally recognized public affairs strategist who has worked in a variety of public capacities throughout his career. He first joined the Orange County Press Club Board in 2019. Currently, he is an editor with Community Media Corporation and has formerly served as editor of the Catalina Islander, the Seal Beach Sun and other publications. Based for many years in Washington, D.C., he now lives and works in Southern California. As a strategist, has counseled local, state, and federal agencies, Fortune 500 companies, public officials and nonprofits. He was awarded the journalism award in high school, the telecasting innovation award in college and was first named to Who’s Who in America in 1994. He attended the LSU School of Journalism and studied broadcasting at the University of Southwestern Louisiana. His work has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Information Agency and others.
OCPC needs to become visible in the overall community.