WaPo's Top Editor to Keynote DC's Premier International Journalism Gala

WASHINGTON, July 18, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Martin Baron, the Pulitzer Prize-winning executive editor of The Washington Post, will be the keynote speaker at the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) Awards Dinner on Nov. 10.

The dinner features CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer, who returns as master of ceremonies for the third year. Three outstanding women journalists, including Lesley Stahl of "60 Minutes," will be honored at the event. President of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Alberto Ibargüen will present the Knight International Journalism Award to investigative reporters from Nigeria and Mexico whose stories have had tremendous impact.

"We have a stellar lineup for our 30^th Anniversary Awards Dinner," said ICFJ President Joyce Barnathan. "Our honorees stand out for exposing severe dangers to public health and safety, and our speakers set the gold standard for our profession."

During Baron's first year at the Post, now owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the paper won two Pulitzer Prizes, including the prestigious public service medal for a series exposing the National Security Agency's global surveillance programs. Previously, he led The Boston Globe, which won six Pulitzers during his tenure.

He has also held prominent editing positions at The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and the Miami Herald. Under his leadership, the Herald won a Pulitzer for its coverage of the U.S. government's return to Cuba of Elián González, a boy at the center of an immigration and custody dispute.

Wolf Blitzer is CNN's lead political anchor and the anchor of "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" and "Wolf," airing weekdays at 5 p.m. and 1 p.m. ET respectively. He is pivotal to CNN's election coverage and to the network's breaking news team. In addition to politics, Blitzer is also known for his in-depth reporting on international news and his Middle East expertise.

Lesley Stahl has had a distinguished career at CBS. She has shaped the national—and international—debate through groundbreaking work as a White House correspondent, "Face the Nation" moderator, "48 Hours" host and as a mainstay on "60 Minutes."

The Knight International Journalism awards will be presented to Oluwatoyosi Ogunseye, editor of Nigeria's Sunday Punch newspaper, who revealed that a manufacturing plant's fumes were making its neighbors seriously ill. Alejandra Xanic von Bertrab, a Mexican freelancer, showed how companies flagrantly violated the law, in some cases causing massive destruction. She won the Pulitzer Prize last year as part of a New York Times two-person reporting team for an investigation of Wal-Mart's widespread use of bribery to dominate the market in Mexico.

A prestigious panel of judges selected the Knight Award winners. They include:

• Catherine Arnst, director of media relations, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• Jacqueline Barnathan, executive editor, CBS Newspath
• Martin Baron, executive editor, The Washington Post
• Krista Canfield, senior manager, corporate communications, LinkedIn
• Gustavo Faleiros, ICFJ Knight Fellow
• Mike France, partner, Brunswick Group
• Marcy McGinnis, senior vice president, newsgathering, Al Jazeera America
• Doug Mitchell, consultant and project manager, NPR; former ICFJ Knight Fellow
• John Towriss, principal, Envoy Strategy Group
• Jose Zamora, director of strategic communications, news division, Univision

For information on the Awards Dinner or to purchase a table or ticket, please visit our site. To cover the event, complete this registration form.

ICFJ 30^th Anniversary Awards Dinner
Nov. 10, 2014
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
Washington, DC

Corporate Chair: Coca-Cola
Dinner Chair: Pamela Howard

The International Center for Journalists advances quality journalism worldwide. Our hands-on programs combine the best professional practices with new technologies. We believe that responsible journalism empowers citizens and holds governments accountable. Visit www.icfj.org.

SOURCE International Center for Journalists