Raginee Sudhir Chaurey, M.J. (Master of Journalism) at UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

Raginee Sudhir Chaurey is an award-winning journalist from India with a background in investigative reporting and multimedia storytelling. A gold medalist from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, she has authored over 100 byline stories and contributed to leading platforms including DD India (Doordarshan), Free Press Journal, and Outlook India. Passionate about education and social impact, Raginee blends data-driven journalism with a deep commitment to public interest reporting. She is joining the Graduate School of Journalism at University of California Berkeley to expand her global perspective and hone her storytelling craft, aiming to amplify underrepresented voices and drive meaningful change through journalism.

Fatima Areeba, M.S. in Data Journalism, Columbia University, New York, NY

Areeba Fatima is an investigative journalist, researcher, and fact-checker whose work spans investigative reporting, documentary production, and anthropological research. She has hosted an international affairs television show in Pakistan, authored award-winning investigations, and contributed academic work on disability, technology, and care in South Asia with Dr Michele Friedner at the University of Chicago. Areeba holds a degree in Anthropology and has been admitted to Columbia University’s M.S. in Data Journalism program, receiving a significant scholarship. She also helps run Kitab Ghar libraries in Karachi and Lahore, Pakistan. Her work centers on power, technology, and resistance across the Global South, with a socialist-feminist and anti-colonial lens.

Nazeefa Ahmed, MA in Journalism, Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY

Nazeefa Ahmed is a reporter with roots in Canada, Bangladesh and the U.S. She completed her Natural Sciences degree from the University of Calgary while serving as editor-in-chief of the campus newspaper, the Gauntlet. Her bylines are as diverse as her interests: research coverage on trust in public health institutions, an investigation into aging Calgary pools, and a feature on neurodivergent technology. She is currently a news intern at Science and will attend the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism this fall. Prior to her reporting career, Nazeefa worked in a lung lab and studied the carnivore diet community on TikTok.

Ananya Chag, BS in Journalism, Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern, Evanston, IL

Ananya Chag is a rising senior at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and is studying journalism, legal studies, and computer science. She is part of the summer 2025 intern class at Goldman Sachs. Previously, she interned at Bloomberg News on live TV, where she assisted the production team on the noon hour, Bloomberg Markets. She also wrote pieces for the print side on both deals and fed-focused news. Last fall, she covered the business beat during the 2024 presidential election for Northwestern’s Medill News Service. She covered regulation, economics, markets, and cryptocurrency. She has also reported local news at The Post & Courier in South Carolina, where she rotated on different beats.

Tanka Dhakal, MS in Media (Investigative Reporting), Indiana University Bloomington, IN

Tanka Dhakal is an independent journalist from Nepal who is pursuing a master’s degree in investigative journalism at Indiana University. He is currently a fellow at the Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism. He covers climate, environment, science, migration, and marginalized communities, and has contributed to NPR, Dialogue Earth, Earth Journalism Network, IPS News, The Guardian, ICIJ, and other international outlets.

Neil Lazurus, BA in Journalism, School of Communication, American University, Washington, DC

Neil Lazurus is a junior at American University in Washington D.C. pursuing a dual degree in International Studies and Journalism. Currently, he is a Research Fellow for Ballotpedia, conducting nonpartisan research on elected officials. He has previously interned with AAJA, where he assisted in the launch of Intersections: A Journalistic History of Asian Pacific America and The Third AAPI Correspondents Brunch. He has also previously reported on Local News for the American University Eagle but is now serving as the DEI & Community Engagement Editor for the Summer/Fall 2025 semesters.

This year’s judges include:

Indira Somani, Documentary Director / Producer, SAJA Board Member
Mihir Zaveri, The New York Times, SAJA Board Member
Dr. Maurine Beasley, Professor Emerita from U. of Maryland
Dr. Stacey Woelfel, Professor Emeritus from Mizzou
Prof. Suzanne Lysak, Associate Professor, Chapman University
Juhi Doshi, Associate Producer with " Meet the Press"