Several IAMCR Sections and Working Groups held online elections from 13 to 27 May 2026. We are pleased to announce the results of the elections below. The newly elected officers will take up their roles following the Galway conference.

We extend our sincere thanks to all candidates who demonstrated their interest in serving as officers for a section or working group, as well as to everyone who participated in the voting process.

Our warmest congratulations to the elected officers, and best wishes for a successful term ahead!

Go to the main elections page

Sections and Working Groups

1. Crisis, Security and Conflict Communication Working Group
2. Global Media Policy Working Group
3. Law Section
4. Media Production Analysis Working Group
5. Media Sector Development Working Group
6. Music, Audio, Radio, and Sound Working Group
7. Political Economy Section
8. Rural Communication Working Group
9. Visual Culture Working Group

Crisis, Security and Conflict Communication Working Group

The Crisis, Security and Conflict Communication (CRI) Working Group held online elections for one Chair position, for the term 2026–2030.

Ballot sent to 93 members
38 votes received (40%)

There were three candidates for one Chair position:

• Minos-Athanasios Karyotakis from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) received 20 votes (53%)
• Sara Anwar from Minhaj University Lahore, Pakistan received 8 votes (21%)
• Nathalie PIERRE-CHARLES fromCollège Henri IV, Vaujours, France received 4 votes (10%)
• There were 6 abstentions (16%)

Minos-Athanasios Karyotaki is elected as Chair of the working group for the period 2026–2030.

Global Media Policy Working Group

The Global Media Policy (GMP) Working Group held online elections for one Vice-chair position for the term 2026–2030.

Ballot sent to 86 members
42 votes received (48%)

There were three candidates for one Vice-chair position:

• Tamilselvi Natarajan from Bayan College, USA received 14 votes (33%)
• John Ibanga from Augustine University, Nigeria received 12 votes (29%)
• Karlyga Myssayeva from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakhstan received 6 votes (14%)
• There were 10 abstentions (24%)

Tamilselvi Natarajan  is elected as Vice-chair of the working group for the period 2026–2030.

Law Section

The Law Section (LAW) held online elections for one co-Chair position, for the term 2026–2030.

Ballot sent to 42 members
24 votes received (57%)

There was one candidate for one co-Chair position:

• Seldag Peschke from Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Turkiye received 20 votes (83%)
• There were 4 abstentions (17%)

Seldag Peschke is elected as co-Chair of the section for the period 2026–2030.

Media Production Analysis Working Group

The Media Production Analysis (MPA) Working Group held online elections for one Co-Chair and one Vice-chair positions, for the term 2026–2030. 

Ballot sent to 94 members
52 votes received (55%)

There were two candidates for one Co-Chair position:

• Concha Edo from Complutense University of Madrid, Spain received 37 votes (71%)
• Jasmin Surm from University of Leeds, United Kingdom received 13 votes (25%)
• There were 2 abstentions (4%)

Concha Edo is elected as co-Chair of the working group for the period 2026–2030.

There was one candidate for one Vice-chair position:

• Maria Teresa Nicolás Gavillan from Universidad Panamericana, Mexico received 44 votes (85%)
• There were 8 abstentions (15%)

Maria Teresa Nicolás Gavillan is elected as Vice-chair of the working group for the period 2026–2030.

Media Sector Development Working Group

The Media Sector Development (MSD) Working Group held online elections for one co-Chair position, for the term 2026–2030.

Ballot sent to 40 members
27 votes received (67%)

There were three candidates for one Co-Chair position:

• Winston Mano from University of Westminster, United Kingdom received 20 votes (74%)
• Mathew Martin Poothullil from Sacred Heart College, India received 4 votes (15)
• Anup Latnekar, Independent Communication Researcher received 2 votes (7%)
• There was 1 abstention (4%)

Winston Mano is elected as co-Chair of the working group for the period 2026–2030.

Music, Audio, Radio, and Sound Working Group

The Music, Audio, Radio, and Sound (MAR) Working Group held online elections for one co-Chair position, for the term 2026–2030.

Ballot sent to 63 members
32 votes received (50%)

There was one candidate for one Co-Chair position:

• Gustavo Ferreira from University of Toronto, Canada received 28 votes (88%)
• There were 4 abstentions (12%)

Gustavo Ferreira is elected as co-Chair of the working group for the period 2026–2030.

Political Economy Section

The Political Economy (POE) Section held online elections for two co-Chairs and one Vice-chair positions, for the term 2026–2030.

Ballot sent to 174 members
96 votes received (55%)

There were three candidates for two Co-Chair positions:

• Mandy Troeger from Södertörn University, Sweden received 64 votes (67%)
• Randy Nichols from University of Washington Tacoma, United States received 45 votes (47%)
• Sanjay Verma from Bennett University, India received 21 votes (22%)
• There were 13 abstentions (14%)

Mandy Troeger and Randy Nichols are elected as Co-Chairs of the section for the period 2026–2030.

There were three candidates for one Vice-chair position:

• Ana Bizberge from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Perú received 40 votes (42%)
• Sydney L. Forde from Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania received 31 votes (32%)
• Sergio Sparviero from University of Salzburg, Austria received 16 votes (17%)
• There were 9 abstentions (9%)

Ana Bizberge is elected as Vice-chair of the section for the period 2026–2030.

Rural Communication Working Group

The Rural Communication (RUC) Working Group held online elections for two co-Chair positions, for the term 2026–2030. 

Ballot sent to 53 members
29 votes received (54%)

There were two candidates for two co-Chair positions:

• Pamela Joyce M. Eleazar from University of the Philippines Los Baños, Philippines received 21 votes (72%)
• Asri Sulistiawati from Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Indonesia received 19 votes (65%)
• There were 4 abstentions (13%)

Pamela Joyce M. Eleazar and Asri Sulistiawati are elected as Co-Chairs of the working group for the period 2026–2030. 

Visual Culture Working Group

The Visual Culture (VIC) Working Group held online elections for one co-Chair and one Vice-chair positions, for the term 2026–2030. 

Ballot sent to 158 members
59 votes received (37%)

There was one candidate for one co-Chair position:

•  Ella Raidel from Nanyang Technological University, Singapur received 50 votes (85%)
• There were 9 abstentions (15%)

Ella Raidel is elected as Co-Chair of the working group for the period 2026–2030. 

There were six candidates for one Vice-chair position: 

• Meera Shirodkar from Bennett University, India received 15 votes (25%)
• Sheila Joy Mulinya from Daystar University, Kenya received 9 votes (15%)
• Kun Fang (Frank) from Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University, China received 8 votes (14%)
• Fatma Nazlı Köksal fomr Yeditepe University, Türkiye received 5 votes (8%)
• Yaohan (Quentin) Wang from Communication University of China received 5 votes (8%)
• Zhaoyin Zhang from University of Limerick, Ireland received 3 votes (5%)
• There were 14 abstentions (25%)

 Meera Shirodkar is elected as Vice-chair of the working group for the period 2026–2030.