The recipient of the Chairman’s Citation is selected at the sole discretion of the NPF chairman. It confers recognition on individuals whose accomplishments fall outside the traditional categories of excellence. The award winner participates in NPF’s annual awards event.

Lisa Hughes, publisher and CEO of The Philadelphia Inquirer, has won the 2025 National Press Foundation’s Chairman Citation.

Under her leadership, the company has undergone a major transformation focused on sustainable profitability. In 2025, the Inquirer posted its first year-over-year revenue growth since 2004 and reported an operating profit of several million dollars.

“I was a city desk reporter at the Inquirer during what we liked to think of as its heyday, so I understand how important this institution is to Philadelphia and Philadelphians. The battle to save local news has been a long one with many casualties, and it is inspiring to see the Inquirer not just surviving but thriving again under Lisa’s leadership.” NPF Chairman of the Board Terence Samuel said.

Hughes received the award at NPF’s Annual Journalism Awards Dinner on March 12.

URL Media co-founders S. Mitra Kalita and Sara Lomax have won the 2024 National Press Foundation’s Chairman’s Citation.

URL Media aims to increase coverage of, by and for ethnic audiences by creating a network of brown and Black news organizations.

“Their work champions and elevates traditionally marginalized voices, especially in the local news space,” NPF Chairman of the Board Terence Samuel said.

They received the award at NPF’s Annual Journalism Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 20, 2025.

Evan Gershkovich, The Wall Street Journal reporter who has been wrongfully detained by Russia for nearly 300 days, has been selected for the National Press Foundation’s 2023 Chairman’s Citation.

Accepting Gershkovich’s NPF Chairman’s Citation on his behalf was colleague and assistant editor at The Wall Street Journal Paul Beckett.

“The National Press Foundation supports the cause of a free press. Evan Gershkovich‘s detention is a wrongful act against the fundamentals of journalism, and his prompt release is imperative for upholding journalistic freedom,” said NPF Chairman Amos Snead.

Gershkovich was arrested while on a reporting trip on March 29, 2023, and charged with espionage, which Gershkovich, the United States and The Wall Street Journal deny.

Previous winners include Mo News founder Mosheh Oinounou, war correspondents, past and present, CNN’s Sanjay Gupta, Report for America co-founders Charles Sennott and Steve Waldman and the late two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Anthony Shadid.

The Chair’s Citation confers recognition on an individual or individuals whose accomplishments fall outside the traditional categories of excellence. 

Applications are not accepted for this award.