José Zamora to Receive Rich Jaroslovsky Founder Award Award at 2026 Online Journalism Awards

The Online News Association is proud to announce that José Zamora will receive the 2026 Rich Jaroslovsky Founder Award.

Presented at the direction of ONA's Board of Directors, the Founder Award honors a senior-level individual who has made lasting contributions to digital journalism and who embodies ONA's mission, values, and vision. Zamora was nominated by ONA staff, who wrote that he "spent his career building space for Latino voices in an industry that consistently pushed them to the margins... and understands journalism and press freedom are inseparable from the communities they serve." The Board agreed unanimously that his impact on the ONA community merits this recognition.

Zamora's career spans some of the most influential institutions in media and press freedom. Before joining the Committee to Protect Journalists as Regional Director, he held senior communications roles at Exile Content Studio and Univision News, and led the Knight News Challenge at the Knight Foundation, where he oversaw more than 100 grants supporting media innovation and free expression. He began his career at elPeriódico in Guatemala, working on civic engagement and digital journalism. In 2024, he founded Ilumina Communications, a bilingual consultancy serving purpose-driven organizations, and helped launch the Central American Independent Media Archive to safeguard press freedom in the region.

Join us in celebrating José at the Online Journalism Awards Celebration in New York City, held at City Winery on October 1. Tickets and tables are available for purchase now.

Please join us in congratulating José Zamora on this well-deserved honor.