The election period for APSE second vice president is open. The deadline for voting is 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, April 11.
Each member organization that paid 2025 dues has one vote. For those organizations with more than one member, please confer and cast one consensus vote.
The second vice president serves a three-year term, moving up to first vice president in Year No. 2 and APSE president in Year No. 3.
The second vice president will assume office at the closing meeting of the summer conference in June.
Please email your vote to executive director Bill Eichenberger at billapse707@gmail.com.
Here are the candidates’ bios:
Christopher Boan
Current position
Journalist, Gambling.com Group/RotoWire.com
Journalism background
- Sports Editor, Wick Communications (Ariz.), 2014-17: Green Valley News, Sahuarita Sun, Nogales International
- Sports Writer, Tucson Local Media (Ariz.), 2019-20: Tucson Weekly, The Explorer
- Staff Writer, The Mesa (Ariz.) Tribune, 2019-20
- Arizona Journalist, Patch.com (Arizona/National), 2020-21
- Journalist, Gambling.com Group (National), 2021-present
APSE experience
I joined APSE when I was working in Green Valley in 2016. I have been a member ever since, helping Joey Chandler run the old Writer’s Committee back in the day before assuming the West Region chair role in 2024.
Objective
As a mid-career journalist that’s been a sports editor in name only during my brief tenure in Southern Arizona with Wick Communications, I want to help broaden our membership base, getting more writers and columnists into the fold. Our current leadership team has done a fantastic job of broadening our outreach to new members of all ranks, including Tommy Deas’ efforts to do just that while monetizing our two annual conferences. I’d love to inject my boundless energy for the industry at large and our organization in particular, spreading the good word about APSE and pounding pavement (or emails, at least) to convince more newspapers and online publications to join our ranks. Also, at a time when diversity is under near-constant attack (as is our industry at large), I want to work with our committees for diversity and ethics to ensure that we are building a proper firewall against those threats and continuing the great work that our group does on a constant basis to ensure that APSE is a welcoming space where the fabric of what makes our country great can continue to thrive and where our steadfast commitment to ethical journalism thrives. In short, I’ve never wanted anything more than to help this organization grow and thrive long term, which is exactly why I’m running to be the next 2nd Vice President of the Associated Press Sports Editors.
Quotable
“APSE is the greatest collection of sports journalism talent in the country. We should always strive to have leadership that reflects our membership body as a whole, which is exactly what I aim to do if I’m elected. I hope to continue serving each and every member of this organization, building on the great work of past presidents and setting the stage for what’s to come.”
Maria McIlwain
Current position
Multiplatform coordinator, sports; women’s sports editor, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Journalism background
- At The Inquirer, I mentor interns and have been a member of the newsletter and social media teams.
- Before The Inquirer, I was a copy editor on the combined print desk of the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News and also worked as a digital producer/newsletter editor at the Chronicle.
- I covered high school and college sports at The Bryan-College Station (Texas) Eagle and The Manhattan (Kan.) Mercury.
- While I was an Auburn student, I covered high school and college sports for The Anniston (Ala.) Star and Opelika-Auburn News.
- Outside of APSE, I’m a student chapter coordinator for AWSM.
APSE experience
- I was a Diversity Fellow in Class X (2020-21).
- I’ve been to every summer conference except one since 2016 in Charlotte, when I was a senior at Auburn, and have been a contest judge since 2018.
- I was the Southwest Region vice chair and chair from 2020-22 and am the current West Region vice chair.
- Additionally, I have served on the contest committee and have helped with summer conference planning and student programming.
Objective
When I reflect on my career and that of my fellow APSE members, I think about how deeply the organization has affected each of us, personally and professionally. Not only can it hold sports leadership accountable, nurture the next generation, and help forge lasting bonds, but it is there for you. It is there as a sounding board, there as a guide, and there as a safe space. I’ve worked in tiny newsrooms and some of this country’s biggest, and APSE has been there for me, when I was 22 years old and balancing covering preps and Power Five athletics with the daily rigors of producing a print and digital product. APSE was there for me in a wonderful experience as a Diversity Fellow, and APSE is here for me now, almost a decade since I attended my first conference as a college student in 2016.
I want APSE to remain a cornerstone of sports journalism, and my breadth of experiences within and outside of this organization have given me insight into how to maintain and strengthen this organization for journalists present and future.
With that in mind, and aided by the expertise of current and former APSE leaders, here are four key areas of emphasis for me:
G — Generate. I remember when our coffers were running dry, and it’s imperative that we’re never in that place again. The organization is on stronger financial footing now, and I’d like to keep that momentum going through continuing partnerships with sponsors and working with the revenue committee to find new leads. Another key to keeping our organization financially healthy is generating new membership. I’d like to create a fun, engaging presence on social media to attract new members, especially younger members who can be part of APSE for years to come. I’d also like to explore states in which we have weak involvement and identify potential new members, both legacy publications and online-only outlets, working with the third vice president to find ways to best serve those at smaller organizations.
E — Engage. Regional programming is an amazing way to get new faces in the door and invested in professional development. In my tenure as Southwest Region chair, we hosted a student summit, which was a virtual meeting of panels geared toward topics students are interested in, such as success stories in the industry and what hiring managers look for in prospective interns and entry-level candidates. Roughly 50 students from colleges across Texas participated, and I think that’s something we could replicate in regions across the country. Additionally, I believe programming that addresses needs of the people behind the bylines, whether that’s addressing mental health, the specter of AI, or finding and keeping a job in this industry will help create an engaged body of membership, and engaged members will stick around.
A — Adapt. We do this every day at work; we’re constantly trying to meet readership where it’s at, and that shows in how we distribute news. Let’s convey that to APSE. Whether it’s reframing how we disseminate our messaging via social media, updating the contest to highlight the best of the best, or how we pick convention locations, let’s consider who our members are — and how much money they have. As someone who frequently pays their own way (and I know there are many out there like me), I’d love for things to be more cost-effective, and I would work with the rest of the executive board and the conference coordinator to help create a sustainable path forward.
R — Retain. How can we keep members invested year after year? We had several returning Diversity Fellows at this year’s winter conference and judging, and I would like to see more of that. We want the Fellows’ growth to continue beyond their program, so I think it would be valuable to track them down, create a database of former Fellows with current info, and attempt to get them back in the fold if they’ve fallen away.
Quotable
“Vigorous writing is concise.” — William Strunk Jr.
Jim Pignatiello
Current position
Senior Director/Sports and Deputy Editor/Content, MassLive
Journalism background
- Deputy Editor/Senior Director at MassLive.com since 2023
- Director/Sports, MassLive.com, 2014-23
- High School Sports Coordinator, MassLive.com, 2013-14
- High School Sports Coordinator, Daily Hampshire Gazette, 2010-13
- Sports Reporter, Daily Hampshire Gazette, 2004-10
- Sports Reporter, North Adams Transcript, 2003-04
APSE experience
- Current Northeast Region chair. Vice chair 2022-24
- Have attended judging every year since 2018; judge for Billie Jean King Award and Scholarship awards
- Attended national conferences in 2022-24 and took part in panels all three years.
- Attended Commissioners meetings in 2023-25
- Two-time APSE mentor
- World Cup committee member
- Regular Thai Night attendee, 2018-2026
Objective
MassLive doesn’t look much like it did when I arrived nearly 13 years ago, and that’s by design.
We’ve grown from a regional newsroom in Western Massachusetts with a limited footprint in pro sports into a digital operation competing every day in one of the country’s toughest markets. That didn’t happen by sticking to what we’d always done. It came from rethinking our approach, taking some swings and paying attention to what others were doing well, all while staying focused on the audience we’re trying to reach.
That’s the kind of approach APSE needs right now.
We’re all being asked to do more with less, and to do it faster. The job keeps changing, the industry is under attack, the resources aren’t what they used to be, and the expectations haven’t dipped at all. Keeping up isn’t enough. We have to be willing to share what’s actually working, be honest about what isn’t and push each other to adjust.
APSE should be where that happens. Not just a place to recognize great work, but a place where ideas get tested, challenged and taken back into our newsrooms in a real way. Somewhere editors can walk away with something useful, and a better sense that they’re not figuring this out on their own.
I’ve gotten a lot out of this organization over the years, both professionally and personally. As I said in this space last year, the best part of APSE is that it is filled with the most incredible people, and I’m fortunate to count so many of them as close friends and mentors. I want to help make sure it stays strong, stays useful and continues to be a place people rely on as they try to do this job better.
Quotable
“You treat people with respect not because of who they are but because of who you are.” — Tommy Deas
