Contact: fac@firstamendmentcoalition.org
Katherine Ann Rowlands, a veteran journalist who runs the regional newswire Bay City News, is the new president of the board of directors of the First Amendment Coalition.
“Kat’s vast experience as a journalist and publisher and her work to strengthen local news is driven by her passion to make news and information accessible to all,” said FAC Executive Director David Snyder. “We’re thrilled to have Kat’s knowledge and enthusiasm help guide FAC’s continued growth as we expand our reach across California and beyond.”
Rowlands has served on FAC board of directors since 2018, and will serve a two-year term as president. She replaces Peter Scheer, who served two terms as board president follow his 12 years as executive director; Scheer will continue to serve on the organization’s board of directors.
Rowlands attended Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and worked as a journalist in the Bay Area, Central California and overseas for 35 years. As a 2017 John S. Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford University, she researched ways to overcome gender disparities in newsroom leadership positions and how to strengthen local journalism in the Bay Area.
Rowlands, who started her journalism career as a college intern at Bay City News, returned as owner and publisher in 2018, expanding the 24/7 regional newswire to cover 12 counties in the greater Bay Area and launching an affiliated nonprofit to do public service journalism. The free LocalNewsMatters.org site provides reporting on the people, places and topics that deserve more attention, including civic affairs.
“FAC’s commitment to a free press and freedom of information over the years has been unwavering, and it has served a critical function protecting and defending the rights of journalists like me for decades,” said Rowlands. “I’m delighted to serve as FAC’s new president, and I look forward to being a part of the organization’s next chapter.”
Juliet Williams, a longtime news editor formerly with the Associated Press and a FAC board member for five years, was elected vice president. Additional board leadership positions are held by Hal Fuson, treasurer, and Scott Lindlaw, secretary.