AAJA Executive Director Sets Departure in November

April 23, 2008

AAJA Executive Director Rene Astudillo has formally submitted his resignation to the Governing Board. It is effective November 28 this year.

It will be recalled that at the AAJA National Convention in Miami, Florida last summer, Astudillo announced his intention to step down in May of 2009 after completing 10 years in the position. Astudillo said he decided to step down earlier than his original timeline to enable the E.D. Search Committee and the board to identify his replacement by the fall which is the period in which the AAJA budget and plans for the next calendar year are determined and approved. He added that it will also allow for a smoother transition and give the new E.D. ample time to get up to speed and start working closely with the incoming national officers who will take office on January 1, 2009. "The new E.D. will also have all the help he or she needs from a very committed and competent national staff," Astudillo said.

An E.D. Search Committee was appointed last summer by AAJA National President Jeanne Mariani-Belding. The committee is working with an Executive Transitions consultant group –through a grant from the Annie E. Casey Foundation -- to help with the search process.

"Rene's leadership, integrity and affinity for AAJA's mission of diversity and fairness and accuracy in coverage of Asian Americans and Asian-American issues has been key to our organization's success - and we're so grateful to have had him for nearly 10 years. His successor will have big shoes to fill," Mariani-Belding said.

"Rene has given so much to AAJA on so many levels. We all wish him the very best in the next phase of his career. He will always be part of our AAJA family and dear to our hearts," she added.

Catalina Camia, political editor of USA Today and who was AAJA & UNITY President when Astudillo was hired in May of 1999, said that “Rene’s tenure as executive director is marked by growth in membership and in professional staff, an expansion of services, stronger ties to the industry and our journalism organization partners, a more aggressive approach to holding news organizations accountable in their hiring and coverage, and an increase in our financial resources. His professionalism and calm, forceful leadership will be missed."

"I've often said the best decision I ever made as AAJA president was to hire Rene, and I'm sad to see a good friend and partner leave,” Camia added.

Astudillo is the longest-serving executive director of AAJA. During his term, AAJA’s annual operating budget has increased from $750,000 to $1.4 Million currently. In addition, AAJA’s reserves and investments now stand at almost $1.2 Million (up from $374,000 in 1999), most of which are endowment funds for scholarships, internships and national programs. In the last 9 years, AAJA has seen significant growth in its membership and new programs. Despite the financial challenges experienced by many non-profit organizations, AAJA has managed to remain financially stable, posting net revenues in 7 of the past 9 years.

Asked what he will do next, Astudillo said that he will first take a long vacation in the Philippines and Hawaii before coming back to the San Francisco Bay Area to explore opportunities in the philanthropic and social services arena. “I’d like to be able to utilize my fund development, event planning, communications and non-profit management skills to help underserved communities,” he said. Recently, Astudillo obtained his Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) status from the Convention Industry Council. He also serves on the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Advisory Committee of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission.