Distinguished Journalists, Media Executives, and Community Leaders Convene to Advance Ethical Reporting and Modernize Digital Outreach Across North America
The Indo-American Press Club (IAPC), the premier and largest professional organization representing journalists, broadcasters, and media professionals of Indian origin across the United States and Canada, has officially announced its comprehensive Board of Directors for the 2026 term. The incoming leadership cohort brings together a formidable assembly of veteran print and broadcast journalists, corporate technology executives, literary figures, and highly accomplished academic scientists, positioning the press club for an ambitious year focused on strengthening community-centered journalism, elevating medical and science reporting, and building cross-continental digital alliances.
Anchoring the executive leadership is Dr. Satheesh Kathula, who steps into the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors. An eminent oncologist and Clinical Professor of Medicine at Wright State University’s Boonshoft School of Medicine in Dayton, Ohio, Dr. Kathula recently concluded a high-profile tenure as President of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI). As IAPC Chair, Dr. Kathula has committed to modernizing the organization’s digital outreach while actively championing rigorous ethics in media and enhancing the quality of health and science journalism across the North American diaspora.
Working alongside him is Founder Chairman and Board Secretary Ginsmon Zacharia, a veteran media strategist with over 24 years of industry experience across Europe and the United States. Zacharia, the CEO of The Asian Era, Inc. and Publisher of Jaihind Vartha, has been instrumental in expanding the presence of Malayalam and English diaspora media networks globally.
The leadership executive committee is further fortified by Dr. Matthew Joys of Nevada, who serves as Vice Chairman. Dr. Joys brings a diverse background as a central government financial analyst in India and a seasoned English and Malayalam news columnist, author, and poet who previously served as executive vice president to the board. Joining them in strategic steering roles are Founding President Ajay Ghosh of Connecticut, an accomplished journalist and media strategist with three decades of experience across major ethnic publications including The Indian Express (North American Edition) and The Global Net News, who balances his media advisory work with his professional practice as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Yale New Haven Hospital.
The regional enterprise and community development portfolio is guided by New York media executive Kamlesh Mehta, founder of the Forsyth Media Group and publisher of The South Asian Times, who previously served as director of business and economic development for the Nassau County administration. The institutional memory of the organization remains robust with the continued active engagement of Past President Parveen Chopra, founder of the premier wellness and spirituality web publication ALotusInTheMud.com and former editor of India Today magazine, and Korason Varghese, an experienced international representative, cartoonist, and columnist who previously served as General Secretary and Executive VP of IAPC.
Visual and investigative media sectors are represented by Reji Philip of Pennsylvania, who brings deep creative and editorial expertise from his tenure with the Global Reporter channel. From the Canadian delegation, Ashley Joseph joins the national leadership ranks, bringing a rich history of community organizing and editorial management for prominent Malayalam publications across Florida, western Canada, and the United States.
The board’s multi-disciplinary depth is further enhanced by Chicago-based broadcasting veteran Dr. Renee Mehrra, host of the Renee Report, who has provided dedicated media coverage across politics, health, and current affairs since 1990. Broadcast journalism in Canada is anchored by Azad Jayan, Editor-in-Chief of Can Malayali and a director for MC News and CIAL FM, who previously spent six years with Manorama News covering the Supreme Court and national politics.
From the Southern region, Houston-based author and amateur photographer C G Daniel, a veteran chapter leader and general secretary, steps into the national fold, bringing deep expertise in uncovering governmental inefficiencies and telling community-driven stories. The cultural and literary perspectives of the diaspora are heavily represented by Michigan’s James Kureekattil, a prominent freethinker, orator, and author of widely discussed short stories and poetry collections. He is joined in governance by New York’s Joji Kavanal, a legal practitioner who serves as a founding director of the IAPC and treasurer of the Malankara Archdiocese of North America.
Further strengthening the Canadian academic presence, Dr. P V Baiju (Dr. Baiju Vareed), an Associate Professor and Director of the School of Social Work at MacEwan University in Edmonton, continues his longstanding tenure on the board since 2018. Atlanta-based developer and philanthropist Jomy George, founder of J&P Development, lends his corporate enterprise and mentoring expertise to the board , alongside Milly Philip, an accomplished broadcast anchor and current President of the Philadelphia IAPC Chapter.
Crucially, the 2026 organizational framework integrates dedicated technological leadership to support its modern digital mandate. Alongside Abhishek Mishra, a New Jersey technology architect with over two decades of enterprise engineering experience at global giants like IBM and AT&T, the board leans on corporate technology executive Shan Justus. Based in San Antonio, Texas, Justus serves as a Software Engineering Manager at H-E-B, where he directs the Health and Wellness/Pharmacy Information Technology division. At IAPC, Justus bridges the intersection of enterprise software engineering and modern news delivery, lending his technical consulting expertise to independent digital media platforms—including GlobalNet.News, HealthAndWellness.News, TheUNN, and indica News—to streamline content workflows, implement robust technical frameworks, and scale digital dissemination operations for the global Indian diaspora.
Rounding out the final tier of the board is veteran media producer Thampanoor Mohan of British Columbia, whose television program Canadian Connection TV has spanned five decades across major international networks. He is flanked by National Vice President Patricia Umashankar (Meera Shankar), a Dallas-based multimedia entrepreneur, CEO of 0471 Entertainment LLC, and host of the diaspora podcast Beyond Borders, who also directs digital media strategies for the GOPIO Dallas Chapter.
Additionally, the board celebrates the historic contributions of Toronto radio station owner Kandiah Sivasothy (Ilaibharthy) of the Canadian Tamil Broadcasting Corporation, who has been designated to receive the prestigious IAPC Media & Community Award 2025 for his 30-year legacy of broadcasting and community service.
Concluding the roster are East Coast and Canadian leaders Dr. Eapen Daniel, a Pennsylvania-based genomics integration researcher at the University of Pennsylvania and prominent civic leader, and Calgary-based senior scientist and educational columnist Dr. Cini Mathew John, who presides over the active IAPC Alberta Chapter and authors health columns for major publications. With a multi-disciplinary board uniting scientific precision, technological scale, and decades of ethical journalistic reporting, the Indo-American Press Club enters its 2026 session uniquely equipped to navigate the evolving digital media landscape and amplify the multi-faceted narratives of the South Asian diaspora.
Official 2026 Board Directory & Leadership Roster
● Dr. Satheesh Kathula (Chairman, OH) – Distinguished oncologist, medical researcher, and Clinical Professor of Medicine at Wright State University. Past President of AAPI and recipient of the U.S. Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award. Author of “Immigrant Doctors: Chasing the Big American Dream.”
● Ginsmon Zacharia (Founding Chairman & Board Secretary, NY) – Media innovator with 24 years of experience. CEO of The Asian Era, Inc. and Publisher/Chief Editor of Jaihind Vartha. Law graduate from Bangalore University with an MBA in Marketing.
● Dr. Matthew Joys (Vice Chairman, NV) – Established author, poet, and regular columnist for English and Malayalam news publications. Background includes serving in the central government finance department in India and as a Financial Analyst in the United States. Executive Editor of Jai Hind, NY.
● Ajay Ghosh (Founding President, CT) – Three decades of media experience as Publisher and Chief Editor of The Global Net News and Health and Wellness News. Holds dual master’s degrees in Journalism and Social Work, practicing concurrently as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Yale New Haven Hospital. Media Consultant for ITServe Alliance.
● Kamlesh Mehta (Executive Board Member, NY) – Founder and CEO of Forsyth Media Group, publishers of The South Asian Times and The Asian Era. Prominent gemstone merchant; formerly served as Director of Business and Economic Development for the Nassau County administration.
● Parveen Chopra (Past President & Editorial Advisor, NY) – Journalism professional with thirty years of standing. Former editor of India Today magazine and The South Asian Times. Founder and chief editor of the wellness and spirituality web publication ALotusInTheMud.com.
● Reji Philip (Executive Board Member, PA) – Well-known journalist and reporter for the Global Reporter channel. Holds a master’s degree in journalism and manages creative departments across several visual and online media networks.
● Korason Varghese (Executive Board Member, NY) – Previously served as General Secretary and Executive VP of IAPC. Columnist, cartoonist, and interviewer. Past Regional Director and UN Representative for the Y’s Men’s Club of US.
● Ashley Joseph (Executive Board Member, Canada) – Editor-in-Chief of Jai Hind News. Began journalistic career in 2003 and has managed major Malayalam magazines including Aksharam and Yatra. Executive member of the Edmonton Catholic Association.
● Dr. Renee Mehrra (Executive Board Member, Chicago, IL) – Host of the Renee Report covering politics, health, and current affairs since 1990. President of Reenbow Media and former associate director of external affairs at NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens. Holds a doctorate from Walden University.
● Azad Jayan (Executive Board Member, Niagara Falls, CAD) – Former reporter and producer for Manorama News in Thiruvananthapuram and Delhi. Current Director of MC News and CIAL FM, and Editor-in-Chief of Can Malayali newspaper in Canada.
● C G Daniel (Executive Board Member, Houston, TX) – Well-known writer, panelist, and amateur photographer specializing in community-driven stories. Founder, president, and CEO of the Deepalaya Foundation Inc., USA.
● James Kureekattil (Executive Board Member, MI) – Prominent orator, author, and cultural activist. Published author of two books exploring societal themes and poetry. Active leader with esSENSE Global promoting critical thinking and scientific awareness.
● Joji Kavanal (Executive Board Member, NY) – Founding director of the IAPC and treasurer of the Malankara Archdiocese of North America. Former director of Jaihind TV USA and practiced law in the Kerala High Court.
● Dr. P V Baiju / Baiju Vareed (Executive Board Member, Edmonton, CAD) – Associate Professor and Director of the School of Social Work at MacEwan University. Author, regular essayist, and first South Indian elected to the Alberta College of Social Workers regulatory body. Board member since 2018.
● Jomy George (Executive Board Member, Atlanta, GA) – Distinguished Atlanta-based entrepreneur, community advocate, and philanthropist. Founder of J&P Development focusing on immigrant integration, cultural preservation, and mentoring emerging leaders.
● Milli Philip (Chapter President, PA) – President of the Philadelphia IAPC Chapter, World Malayali Council Americas Region General Secretary, and veteran anchor/reporter for Asianet, Manorama News, and Doordarshan.
● Abhishek Mishra (Technical Operations Director, NJ) – Information Technology professional with more than 20 years of experience supporting enterprise architectures at AT&T, IBM, and Prudential Financial. Holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the New York Institute of Technology.
● Shan Justus (Executive Board Member, San Antonio, TX) – Technology leader and Software Engineering Manager at H-E-B in San Antonio, managing the Pharmacy/Health and Wellness IT division. Provides global technical consulting to startups, non-profits, and independent digital media platforms including indica News, TheUNN, HealthAndWellness.news, and GlobalNet.news.
● Thampanoor Mohan (Executive Board Member, BC, CAD) – Veteran journalist and media producer with a 50-year career. Creator and producer of Canadian Connection TV and Canadian National Coordinator for the Global Reporter.
● Patricia Umashankar / Meera Shankar (National Vice President, Dallas, TX) – Visionary media entrepreneur, corporate event moderator, and CEO of 0471 Entertainment LLC. Host of the diaspora podcast “Beyond Borders” and Multimedia Communication Director for the GOPIO Dallas Chapter. Holds an MBA from Purdue University.
● Kandiah Sivasothy / Ilaibharthy (2025 Media & Community Award Recipient, Toronto, CAD) – Owner, broadcaster, and talk show host at the Canadian Tamil Broadcasting Corporation (CTBC Radio) in Toronto, a pioneering 24-hour Tamil-language station active since 1996 preserving heritage among Sri Lankan Tamils.
● Dr. Eapen Daniel (Executive Board Member, Philadelphia, PA) – Academic and genomics integration researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. Former Botany professor in India and long-time civic, religious, and youth activities coordinator in the Tri-State area.
● Dr. Cini Mathew John (Chapter President, Calgary, CAD) – Senior scientist, public educator, and author of over 30 peer-reviewed scientific publications and the poetry collection “The Key Factor.” Serves as President of the IAPC Alberta Chapter and writes health columns for The Indian Express.
Report by: Shan Justus, General Secretary, IAPC
