Chapter President of the Year

“Willoughby and Mallika’s leadership have energized the Atlanta chapter, which pulled off the Beijing Olympics of AAJA conventions in 2019.”

With Willoughby at the helm in 2019, the Atlanta convention was thoughtful in execution and detail, from programming to logistics, whether it be a star-studded gala featuring Atlanta's own Congressman John Lewis alongside George Takei and Maria Ressa, or the logistics of moving hundreds of convention-goers to “Story Slam,” a fun night hosted at CNN HQ.

Mallika was a steady vice president to Willoughby as Willoughby worked with the chapter to rebuild programming and set up infrastructure. Mallika was elected president when Willoughby transitioned. In the midst of a pandemic, Mallika quickly pivoted the chapter to supporting young journalists and hosted a yearlong virtual student series of panels featuring seasoned journalists including “Covering Race in America,” “The Future of Journalism Jobs & How to Land One,” “Covering a Historic Election,” and more.