The Daniel Pearl Foundation Appoints New Executive Director

LOS ANGELES, April 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Daniel Pearl Foundation (www.danielpearl.org) today announced that veteran journalist Narda Zacchino has been appointed the Foundation's new Executive Director.  Ms. Zacchino, a Senior Fellow at the Annenberg Center for Communication Leadership and Policy at USC, has extensive leadership experience in the nonprofit community. Her appointment takes effect immediately.

"We are thrilled that Narda has accepted our offer to become Executive Director," said Judea and Ruth Pearl, co-founders of the Daniel Pearl Foundation. "Her background as a journalist, editor and author, along with her extensive experience in working with nonprofits make her an ideal choice.  More important, we believe that she understands and believes in our core message and will be able to articulate it to a broader audience."

Ms. Zacchino has served on the Board of Directors of four journalism-related nonprofits, including The Los Angeles Times Fund, the Pfaffinger Foundation, the International Women's Media Foundation, and Journalism and Women's Symposium.  She currently serves on the IWMF Board of Advisers and the President's Advisory Council of the 75-year old Carmel Bach Festival.

"I am honored to be associated with The Daniel Pearl Foundation," said Ms. Zacchino. "I have respected the Foundation and its work for years and couldn't be more thrilled to become a part of it. My goal is to help the Foundation move forward and grow in every way possible, in order to continue to spread Danny's core message of tolerance and understanding internationally through journalism, music and dialogue."

A highly experienced and respected journalist, Ms. Zacchino distinguished herself at both the Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle. During her time with the newspapers, she served as a Pulitzer Prize judge four times. She held various positions at the Times, from reporter and Sacramento bureau chief, to Associate Editor and Vice President, a position in which she oversaw nine feature sections and daily editions in the Valley and Orange County.  She also co-founded the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.  As Deputy Editor at the Chronicle, Ms. Zacchino led the development of several new editorial sections and the San Francisco Chronicle Press, a book imprint.

She left the newspaper world to collaborate with Mary Tillman on a book about the life and death of Mary's son, Pat Tillman, and later worked as an editor for the Center for Investigative Reporting before co-founding Time Capsule Press, a Bay Area book publishing company.  Her first book, on the Los Angeles Lakers, made the Wall Street Journal bestseller list in the sports category. She is currently writing a book about California for St. Martin's Press.

"We are confident that Narda's experience  and commitment will help move the Foundation forward in several areas, including programs, development, and management," said Dr. Judea Pearl, the Foundation's President. "We look forward to a bright future for the Foundation under Zacchino's steady guidance and leadership."

About The Daniel Pearl Foundation:

Formed in 2002 in memory of the Wall Street Journal's South Asia Bureau Chief, journalist/musician Daniel Pearl, the Daniel Pearl Foundation promotes the ideals that inspired his life and work. The Foundation works domestically and internationally to promote cross-cultural dialogue and understanding, to counter cultural and religious intolerance, to cultivate responsible and balanced journalism, and to inspire unity and friendship through music. (www.danielpearl.org).

SOURCE Daniel Pearl Foundation