President, National Press Club - Speaking Of People

SHEILA R. CHERRY is the first African-American president of the National Press Club, a Washington, D.C.-based group that has often served as an important forum for national leaders, including many presidents and presidential hopefuls. As president, Cherry has made a commitment to focus on issues such as recruitment, membership diversity and membership for journalists outside the Washington, D.C., area.

A freelance writer for several newspapers, magazines and newsletters, the new president has also appeared on radio and television. Currently a contributing writer for Insight on the News magazine, the Maryland native is a veteran of Washington political coverage with a decade of experience in legal and business writing. Cherry, who is the seventh female president, has been a member of the 96-year-old National Press Club since 1994, and has served six years on the club's Board of Governors. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland in College Park, and she earned a master of arts in writing from Johns Hopkins University. Cherry is single and lives in the Washington, D.C., area.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Johnson Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group