Please Nominate & Vote for these candidates for the Pacifica National Board (PNB):

PNB Chair: Susan Young

PNB Vice Chair: Minerva Sanders

PNB Secretary: Akio Tanaka

PNB Treasurer: Fred Dodsworth

More about these well-qualified candidates

Pacifica National Board (PNB) Officer Candidates, for whom all members may vote:

Susan Young for Pacifica National Board (PNB) Chair

Susan Young Photo Screenshot — **Susan Young**

I am Susan Young — Current PPNB Chair running for reelection as a Pacifica Forward candidate.

Since its founding in 1946, Pacifica has met the challenges of fires, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, power outages, bombings, financial threats, lawsuits, physical violence against staff, volunteers and board members, dysfunctional bylaws, FCC and IRS compliance issues and the loss of CPB funding.

THE PACIFICA FOUNDATION IS STILL HERE!!!

Listeners, staff, volunteers and donors who have devoted time, heart and treasure to the network and all five stations have made this possible.

Pacifica is uniquely positioned in a dynamic media universe to be a voice against war, domestic violence, discrimination and environmental destruction. The Pacifica Forward coalition works as a team to advance progress in governance, management and financial sustainability needed to uphold our mission and expand national coverage of breaking news produced by five stations and 200+ affiliates around the country and abroad.

Serving as PNB chair since 2024, I have helped:

End years of costly litigation through mediation and court approved bylaws that permit all members to vote directly for the national and their own local station boards;
Preserve Pacifica’s priceless archives;
Reduce Pacifica debt and increase financial accountability and regulatory compliance;
Establish policies and procedures for hiring capable, productive managers;
Establish guidelines for safe, respectful and productive meetings.

Now retired, I have served on the boards of Pacifica, KPFT, the ACLU of Texas and organizations for the arts, parks, housing, international relations, voter engagement and neighborhood planning and advocacy. I served on the first KPFT LSB in 2002, three years as Chair, and then on the CAB.

I ran for the LSB after organizing the Cities for Peace effort to oppose waging war on Iraq enlisting the support of 8 courageous Houston City Council members and progressive icons Sissy Farenthold, Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza and Reverend Bill Lawson who spearheaded desegregation in Houston.

I have served on all PNB committees, currently chair the Personnel Committee, and have raised thousands of dollars for Pacifica to help meet financial emergencies and support the programming I cherish on KPFT.

My experience with pubic finance, government, non-profit management and Pacifica governance at the national and local levels have prepared me to serve as PNB Chair protecting the future of Pacifica at this critical moment in national and global history.

Please vote for me and the Pacifica Forward team of candidates who can work together to build on progress in strengthening Pacifica.

Endorsed by Egberto Willies, Brian Edwards Tiekert, Philip Maldari.

Minerva Sanders for PNB Vice Chair

Minerva Sanders Photo Cropped 744x1024 — **Minerva Sanders**

I am Minerva Sanders running for reelection as the PNB Vice Chair with Pacifica Forward candidates.

As Vice Chair since 2024 and a former WPFW Board Chair I champion community outreach and participation. I actively support WBAI’s in-depth independent news reporting and powerful, inspiring music. I look forward to working with all of our Pacifica Stations— collaborating and expanding our social media communications, hosting progressive author, music and film events, fund raising, grant writing and membership building. With the new bylaws we can now roll up our sleeves and get to work letting our diverse communities know about the amazing peace and social justice programming at KPFA, KPFK, KPFT, WPFW and WBAI and the 200+ Pacifica affiliates, and Pacifica’s historic archives.

I have also Chaired the Pacific Audit Committee which is urgently engaged in bringing Pacifica into non profit compliance with the 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 Audits. Our Pacifica Forward coalition is dedicated to strengthening Pacifica operational capacity through fiscal accountability, with new well- functioning accounting software and responsible budgeting to protect our mission and assets. Through responsible fiscal management and improvements we can help Pacifica to realize its potential as a powerful peace and social justice radio network.

I live in the Washington DC area and have recently retired from a career in government service with FEMA. I understand the urgent need for independent media to help keep our communities and families safe and informed in these challenging times.

Please vote for me and Pacifica Forward Candidates. We are endorsed by: Evelia Jones, Brian Edwards-Tiekert, Egberto Willies

Fred Dodsworth for PNB Treasurer

Fred Dodsworth Cropped — **Fred Dodsworth**

With decades of experience in journalism, everything from the business of publishing to the hard work of daily journalism, I know the media business first hand.

Additionally, as a long time Pacifica fan and listener, I know what it once was and can still be. America needs the voices and ideas Pacifica offers more now than ever before and I’m here to do everything I can to see the network survives and thrives.

For the past five years, as a member of the KPFA Local Station Board and as an elected delegate to the Pacifica National Board I’ve worked hard to insure that the network endures, and as important, grows and responds to the needs of these times. I’ve been bringing order and fiscal management to the Pacific Network in my role on the PNB member, including as chair of the Governance Committee, current chair of the Finance Committee, and as a voting member of the Personnel Committee. I have worked with delegates from the other stations and the affiliates to see that they are getting the support they need.

As the chair of the National Finance Committee, I’ve worked with the Pacifica National Board, the local station managers and the Executive Director to make sure we have up-to-date financials allowing us to work together to make sure each station has the tools it needs to remain on the air.

We have been building a network-wide news team that unites and coordinates our terrestrial stations with our 300 affiliates. Pacifica is a truth and integrity oasis in a sea of dishonest, divisive broadcast media. Pacifica’s critical network is situated, both on the radio waves and on the internet to connect us all, giving us the tools to see our nation lives up to its professed ideals.

If I’m elected Treasurer I will see our tools are up to date and accurate so that we can ensure our survival as a voice of peace and freedom in this nation.

Akio Tanaka for PNB Secretary

Akio Tanaka Photo2 Cropped 761x1024 — **Akio Tanaka**

I am Akio Tanaka—current PNB Recording Secretary and a PNB Secretary candidate with the Pacifica Forward Coalition. I help to ensure that meeting decisions are recorded and available to listeners and staff and have helped to update past records.

I work with our national Pacifica Forward Coalition and others across the network to foster collaboration among board members, staff, volunteers, management and the listeners from all of the Pacifica stations and 200+ affiliates to meet the challenges ahead.

Many conflicts and legal challenges have been resolved through board training and mediation initiated by the Pacifica Forward Coalition. I appreciate that board meetings are more productive and respectful This past year the PNB and our local boards began implementing the 2025 Pacifica Bylaws which support democratic direct member voting for board members and decision making by majority vote.

With the implementation of new policies Pacifica operations are expanding and becoming more productive. After the 2025 LA fires and violent immigration raids Pacifica Forward board members began advocating for a strong Pacifica National News Team capable of responding to the daily emergency events that are unfolding across the country. And now, Pacifica News Team members from all of the stations meet weekly and produce headlines and coverage of major events in collaboration with the Pacifica Affiliates.

Please help Pacifica Forward to continue to build unity and expanding the network in these challenging times. Please nominate, vote and ask others to support me and Pacifica Forward candidates, endorsed by KPFA Protectors, Brian Edwards Tiekert, Philip Maldari, Sasha Lilley, Evelia Jones, Egberto Willies