AAJA’s Mentor Match program is back for 2026, welcoming a new group of mentors and mentees committed to learning and growth! The program is designed to spark meaningful connections and support long-term professional relationships across our community.
APPLICATIONS
Applications to be part of the 2026 Mentor Match cohort are now open, for both mentors and mentees.
- Apply to Mentor by Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
- Apply to be a Mentee by Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
We aim to determine final matches by the end of March 2026. All mentors and mentees must have a paid, active AAJA membership to participate in the program. To be an eligible candidate, become an AAJA member here.
Questions? Contact AAJA Mentor Match at mentormatch@aaja.org or support@aaja.org.
Our 2026 Mentor Match Co-Leads
Mallory Carra (Co-lead) Mallory Carra is an award-winning journalist, editor, producer, and professor based in Los Angeles with over 20 years of professional experience across digital, audio, and print. She is a part-time professor, teaching video, audio, and digital journalism at the USC Annenberg School for Communication, mentors high school journalism students in the Koreatown Storytelling Program in partnership with The LA Local, and currently serves on the AAJA-Los Angeles board. Outside of teaching, Mallory is a journalist and supervising podcast producer who contributed articles to The Guardian US, NBCU Academy, The Spruce, E! News, the New York Daily News, and the Columbia Journalism Review, among many others; and worked on hit podcasts for Spotify and USC Annenberg.
Kenichi Serino (Co-lead) Kenichi Serino is the deputy news editor for digital at PBS NewsHour and the board member for student outreach for the Washington, D.C. chapter of AAJA. He is a journalist and trainer who has worked in the United States, Southern Africa and the Caribbean. He was a lecturer for the University of Witwatersrand Journalism program and an op-ed mentor for the Aspen New Voices Fellowship.
About Mentor Match
The AAJA Mentor Match program is a year-long, dedicated mentoring program. Selected participants are matched with AAJA members based on experience and skill sets. Mentors and mentees are encouraged to develop a professional relationship and keep consistent contact throughout the duration of the program. Mentors provide mentees with advice to help them improve their craft and move toward better professional experiences and employment opportunities.
