Registration is open for the final event in our fall conference series. What a Time to Be a Reporter will be held Saturday, Nov. 7, 11 a.m.–noon. And it’s a stellar lineup of five panelists you will not want to miss. 

What a Time to be a Reporter: Panel Discussion
Skilled journalists like the ones on this panel are used to a fast pace and a full slate. But then came 2020 with a pandemic, demonstrations for social justice, and a presidential election — all at a time when the news business is in flux. Whether our five panelists have been on the job for two years or four decades, they have a wealth of experience to share with us. VPC’s Julie Campbell will moderate what is sure to be a lively and informative discussion. 

Panelists include:

Cathy Jett
The longtime VPC member and past president retired last month after 44 years as a reporter with the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star. She also served as the business editor for the past seven years. She has a B.A. in English and journalism from the University of Richmond. Cathy was VPC’s Communicator of Achievement in 2019 and has won many awards in our communications contest.

Patty Kruszewski
Patty, another award-winning VPC member, is the managing editor of the Henrico Citizen, her professional home since 2001. She began her journalism career in 1995 with Good News Publications. Patty also worked as a legislative aide in the Texas House of Representatives. She has an M.P.A. in public administration from Lamar University and a B.S. in sociology from Virginia Tech. Follow her newspaper: @HenricoCitizen.

Saleen Martin
For the past two years, she’s been a staff writer with the DART (Digital Action in Real Time) Squad at the Virginian-Pilot in Hampton Roads. She also has served as a digital intern with WAVY-TV 10 in Portsmouth. Saleen holds an M.A. in journalism from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Georgia and a B.A. in English language and literature from Virginia Wesleyan University. Follow her at @Saleen_Martin.

Julia Rendleman
The freelance photojournalist won acclaim this summer for her striking photo of two Black ballet dancers at the Lee monument. Before arriving in Richmond in 2016, she spent four years at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and a year at the Houma (Louisiana) Courier. Julia earned an M.S. in photojournalism/media from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, and a B.S. in political science from Loyola University New Orleans. You can see her work at www.juliarendleman.com and follow her at @JuliaRendleman.

Roberto Roldan
He’s the Richmond City Hall reporter for radio station 88.9 VPM, Virginia’s home for public media, a post he’s held since January 2019. Before arriving in Richmond, he worked at WUSF Public Broadcasting in Florida, as a digital intern at the Austin American-Statesman, and as a freelance correspondent for the Tampa Bay Times. Roberto holds a master’s degree in international relations and affairs from Aberystwyth University, in Wales, and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of South Florida. You can follow him at @ByRobertoR.

This event will be held via Zoom and is a webinar-style format, which means attendees will be able to see the author and ask questions using the chat and Q&A functions, but attendees will not see themselves or each other. You will automatically be muted when you join

Register in advance at http://bit.ly/VPC-November-Event. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Please keep this information handy, as each registrant receives a unique link and password. 

This event is free to members with a suggested donation of $7. You can donate using VPC’s PayPal account. $7 is the suggested minimum due to fees charged by PayPal. This amount — significantly less than the cost of an in-person conference — will help cover our ongoing expenses, including the email service and website fees. Many members who attended the last VPC event donated for the entire series, and we thank you. The PayPal link is also available in the confirmation email.