President

Khorri A. Atkinson

Khorri covers labor and employment for Bloomberg Law. His work has been published by several national media outlets including Axios, The New York Times, NBCNews.com.

Khorri, a native of Jamaica, West Indies, holds a Master’s of Arts degree in journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York with a specialization in urban reporting, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from York College/CUNY. He is also a former two-time member of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) board of directors.

Vice President

Kelsey Nicole Nelson

Kelsey is an award-winning freelance journalist working with Fox Sports Radio 1340 AM/96.9 FM and Bally Sports National. In 2022, Kelsey was named a National After School Association 2022 Next Generation of After school Leaders honoree and to the University of Maryland’s Terrapin Club 30 Under 30 Class of 2022. She’s also been named to the WKYS Top 30 Under 30 Class. Kelsey serves on the Regional Advisory Council for Tickets for Kids, is founder and president of Books Breaking Borders and is the mentorship committee co-chair for the NABJ Sports Task Force. She previously worked as an instructor at Doral College and capstone advisor at Georgetown University.

Treasurer

Christalyn Solomon

Christalyn Solomon is founder and principal of Solomon Public Relations (SPR), LLC, a PR consultancy serving businesses, state institutions, and non profit organizations in the Washington Metropolitan area. As Principal of the consultancy, she executes contracts, works within client operating budgets and oversees the firms financial affairs.

Solomon is currently a public affairs specialist at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) press office headquarters. She serves on the Board of Directors for Ecumenical Communities Helping Others (ECHO) an organization that provides emergency food and funding assistance to families in need. Solomon is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and earned her MBA from Liberty University and her BA in Public Relations from Hampton University.

Digital Secretary

Kenrick Thomas

Kenrick Thomas is a senior assistant vice president and senior communications consultant at Wells Fargo Bank and has nearly 10 years of combined experience in strategic marketing, public-facing outreach and media relations. He focuses on creating content with a journalistic style that captures stories, elevates brand affinity and increases engagement.

Kenrick, a former radio journalist, is a five-time Associated Press award-winning reporter for an NPR affiliate in Florida. After making the switch from journalism to public relations, he served as the director of communications for the United Way of St. Lucie County, communications manager for Bread for the City, a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C., and director of communications at the University of the District of Columbia.

Executive Secretary

Candace Y.A. Montague

Candace is an award-winning online and print freelance journalist who has over 12 years of experience covering health, gender equality and social justice issues for several local and national publications. She is a native Washingtonian and a proud alumna of Lincoln University (PA) and Trinity University (DC).

In 2019, she received the Sigma Delta Chi Award for Excellence in Journalism from the Society of Professional Journalists. In 2020, she was a recipient of an NABJ Salute to Excellence National Media Award for a feature story. She was also a finalist for the 2021 Dateline Award for Excellence In Local Journalism in the Washington DC Pro Chapter journalism competition.

Board Member-At-Large

Yolanda McCutchen

Yolanda is the director of public relations at the D.C. Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA). Prior to joining DCHFA, she worked as a communications consultant, an assistant professor at Howard University and an Instructor at Claflin University.

Yolanda’s career began as a journalist at NBC News. Her journalistic work has been honored with an Edward R. Murrow award. Her PR work has garnered two NABJ Salute to Excellence Awards and two Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals MarCom awards.

Yolanda holds a B.A. in Mass Media Arts from Hampton University and an M.A. in Journalism and Public Affairs from American University.

Board Member-At-Large

Ryan Williams

Ryan Williams is the Digital and Special Events Producer at the D.C. Public Library – based at the historic Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington. Since joining at the start of the pandemic, Ryan produced the reopening of the MLK Library’s $211 million renovation, shepherded the library’s talent management initiative, created virtual programming and an in-house studio and production team for the library’s marketing, streaming and content goals. He also led the library’s 50th Anniversary programming, bringing noted artists, authors and social justice activists as regular guests for city residents.

He previously served as Director of Multicultural Initiatives and Foundation Outreach at NBC News, MSNBC and NBC News Digital. In 2016, he proposed and launched NBC OUT, the LGBTQ news division of NBC News Digital, a first for a legacy broadcast network. In 2015, he created NBCBLK, the African American news division of NBC News Digital after the departure of theGrio.com, and led marketing, partnership and promotional efforts for NBC OUT, NBCBLK, NBC Asian American and NBC Latino.

He joined NBC News in 2011 as part of NBC News’ Education Nation team, a nationwide initiative and dialogue on K-12 and higher education issues then seen on all broadcast and digital platforms. In 2018, Ryan took part in an 18-month NBC News Executive Leadership program, led by then NBC News Group Chairman Andrew Lack. Ryan actively contributed to the Comcast NBCUniversal Diversity Council, the Comcast NBCUniversal Strategic Health Partnerships Task Force, and launched the Washington DC NBCUniversal Black Employee Network in 2015.

Before NBC News, Ryan served as Managing Director of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), creating programs and partnerships for the largest journalist of color organization in the U.S. Ryan later served as two time convention chair, and currently serves as an at-large board member for the Washington DC Chapter of NABJ. He is a two-time recipient of the coveted NABJ President’s award.

Board Member-at-Large

Cheyanne M. Daniels

Cheyanne M. Daniels is the Race and Politics reporter for The Hill. A graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Cheyanne reports on politics and policies affecting disenfranchised and minority communities. Prior to her time at The Hill, she worked for the Chicago Sun-Times, covering the city’s South and West sides. Cheyanne’s work has also been published in the Wisconsin State Journal, theGrio, UPI and South Side Weekly. In her free time, Cheyanne is an avid book reader and horseback rider. Hailing from the south suburbs of Chicago, Cheyanne now lives in Washington, D.C.