An award-winning print, broadcast and digital journalist. A former TV news consumer and investigative producer, she is a past president of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Pacific Southwest chapter (NATASPSW) and a past president of the San Diego Press Club. She’s received over 75 journalism awards, including three Emmy Awards.

PJ Haarsma is a leader in the digital age of business & entertainment. He is an award-winning producer, science fiction author, and video game creator. PJ is the founder of Redbear Films, a hybrid agency and production company. He produced the Emmy-nominated series Con Man for Lionsgate, and his client list includes Southwest Airlines, Invisalign, Shell, and Best Buy.

After working a number of years in television production in Los Angeles (including as a writer on Chuck Barris Productions’ “The Newlywed Game,” “Treasure Hunt” and other shows), Doug segued into media marketing and was instrumental in the TV launches of “Real Stories of the Highway Patrol,” “Tales from the Crypt,” “Access Hollywood,” and dozens of other shows. He has worked or consulted for all of the broadcast networks, and came to San Diego in 2005 as Creative Services Director at KUSI Television. Currently as the head of Malibu Marketing, Doug writes and produces national promotional elements for syndicated TV series including “Heartland,” “Murdoch Mysteries,” and “Bloodline Detectives.”

A two-time Emmy winner who was inducted into the Dayton (Ohio) Area Broadcasters Hall of Fame, Joe Smith is a respected broadcast journalist whose career has spanned the United States. From 2018 – 2021, he served as co-anchor of “NBC Palm Springs Today,” receiving a 2021 Emmy nomination for Program Host/Moderator/Correspondent from the Pacific Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS). As a business reporter for KGW-TV in Portland, Oregon, he earned an Emmy Award for news writing from the NATAS Northwest Chapter . For his role as host and executive producer of a nightly public affairs program on Milwaukee Public Television in Wisconsin, he received an Emmy Award from the Chicago/Midwest Chapter of NATAS. He received five additional Emmy nominations for his work at stations including WWLP-TV (Springfield, Massachusetts), WXEX-TV (Richmond, Virginia), KLVX-TV (Las Vegas, Nevada) Florida’s News Channel (Tallahassee, Florida) and WVNY/WFFF-TV (Burlington, Vermont). A past president of the Milwaukee Press Club, Joe Smith also hosted a weekend talk and call-in program on Milwaukee’s WTMJ Radio. In addition to serving on the Board of Governors of the NATAS Pacific Southwest Chapter, he is vice chair of the Board of Trustees of United Cerebral Palsy of the Inland Empire (UCPIE).

Ashton started with KSBY five years ago as the morning show producer and quickly worked her way up to the managing role of Executive. She graduated from UC Davis with a degree in Communications and Political Science and ultimately fell in love with Journalism when I interned at one of the top-rated news stations in Central California. Her first job in news was with KSBY, and has been there ever since because telling the stories of the Central Coast is not only a job but a passion of hers. She believes that journalists deserve to be recognized for their dedication in telling stories, which is why she is excited to be a part of this board and award people for their hard work in a sometimes-thankless role.

Leon Clark is no stranger to the marketing and programing needs of the broadcast consumer. With over 25 years of management and operational experience, Leon Clark has had a strong and varied career in television, digital and radio . He has worked for some of the most prestigious and powerful media companies in the business including ABC/Disney, EMMIS, COX, CBS, TuneIn and for over the past 8 years, the E.W. Scripps Company as Vice President – General Manager for their ABC station first in Tucson and currently in San Diego. Leon Clark has the proven ability in developing and leading performance – based teams in the media and advertising industry. He has a strong knowledge and execution base in management and ongoing performance management against stated goals. Leon Clark is strategic, creative, focused, committed, passionate, persistent, and tenacious. He is someone who brings the ability to analyze different markets, understand trends and anticipate what may happen. These traits have served him well in the various markets he has worked including, Los Angeles , New York, Atlanta , Boston and now San Diego. Mr. Clark currently serves on the boards of the Scripps Howard Foundation, NATAS – PSW Board of Governors, San Diego YMCA and LEAD San Diego. He has previously sat on several other boards including the Urban League, the Boys and Girls Club, the board of Governors for Theatre LA and the Junior Board of the City of Hope.

Mr. Taylor is an infantry veteran after 13 1/2 years of honorable service in the United States Marine Corps. He is an alumnus of San Diego City College with an Associate degree in Anthropology and a certificate in Archeology. He transferred from City to Columbia University in the City of New York where he graduated with a degree in Anthropological Archeology. He has provided two $500 scholarships to City College archeology students each year for the past 5 years. He serves on the board of Directors for The Globe theatre, the 5th largest regional theatre in the United States outside of New Tork City. He was appointed by Mayor Todd Gloria to serve on the Historical Resources Board for the city of San Diego. Michael Taylor is a filmmaker and President of NWB Imaging, a cinematic film production company, specializing in corporate videos and aerial cinematography. He has written, directed, and produced short films and various other film productions. He is the host, director, and producer of Theatre Corner (http://theatre-corner.org). a 2021 EMMY Award-winning theatre interview series dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in the national theatre scene, both on the stage and in the seats. Through the show, he spotlights Black actors, playwrights, directors, and other theatre, television, and film professionals. The show can be seen on KPBS, and on the PBS website and app. Michael is the director and producer of a show called Fresh Glass, hosted by Cassandra Schaeg. Fresh Glass has been acquired by KPBS, and American Public Television, and will debut in fall 2022.

Schatar Sapphira Collier is the founder of New Vista Studios which provides technical support, digital media training, e- learning strategies and publication technology in support of corporate customers, educational institutions and government entities. A live broadcast television professional, Schatar’s TV, media and movie credits include MTV Networks, Vh1’s “Flavor Of Love”, the Wendy Williams radio show, “The Doctors” nationally syndicated daytime program, ABC’s “Boston Legal”, a six month national to ur with the John F. Kennedy Center, a Debbie Allen production, executive producing and hosting “Poultry Princess” the series on Amazon Prime, being the Chief Media Officer for 6 streaming channels on Roku and Amazon Fire TV, BET’s “Take The Cake”, and the movie “High Roller” featuring Michael Imperioli of “The Sopranos” among many others. Schatar is a graduate of the Ivy League campus of the University of Pennsylvania, a HOBY Alum and an American Legion Distinguished Scholar. Schatar’s newest line, Big Fairy Tales at Arts Collection AI, produces reimaginings of classic stories, multi-media and merchandise created with the technology of AI art-Artificial Intelligence art.

Timothy started in TV in 1995 working post production on a show called Sightings. He has worked as a Camera Assistant, Film Loader, Location Scout, and produced, shot and edited his own short films and documentaries. Timothy started working in news in 2002 as a Photojournalist, Editor, Assignment Manager and Assistant News Director. Timothy recently created a documentary called “Lens Flares: Trauma in Journalism” which highlights the need for Journalists to be aware of their own mental health and for the general public to understand what the media endures on a daily basis in a time when those in the news have been vili fi ed. Tim is a 5 time Emmy award recipient, has also received three Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards and 2 Golden Mikes. Timothy has served on the NATAS PSW Board since 2016.