Maria Burns Ortiz

Awards/Recognition

2012
• Recognized by the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education as one of 31 “exceptional sports journalists of color.”

2009
• Selected to take part in the Fulbright Commission’s Berlin Capital Program.
• Video piece Chalk on the Walk received second place at Alliance for Community Media Northeast Region Video Festival.

2008
• One of three journalists named Faces of the Future – Hispanics Who Will Influence the World by Newspapers in Education.

2007
• Received the National Associations of Hispanic Journalist’s ñ Award for Emerging Journalist of the Year. The ñ Awards are the most prestigious awards given out by the organization.
• Graduate Fellowship for “Development of Research on Gender, Sport and the Dominican Republic” – Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, University of Connecticut.

2006
• ESPN story International influx broadens the college game was named college soccer story of the year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

2005
• Enterprise story Homestead Remembers (The News-Sentinel/Fort Wayne, Ind.) received third place for Best Coverage of Children’s Issues from Indiana Society of Professional Journalists “Best of Indiana Awards.”

Professional Organizations/Community Involvement

National Association of Hispanic Journalists
• Chair, NAHJ Sports Task Force. April 2010 – present.
• Region 2 Director, National Association of Hispanic Journalists Board of Directors. July 2009 – June 2011.
• Professional Development Co-Chair, National Convention Organizing Committee. 2010, 2011.
• Vice President, NAHJ New England – Boston area chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. June 2008 – June 2009. Co-founder of chapter, established in June 2008.

UNITY: Journalists for Diversity
• National Board of Directors. January 2013 – present.

WGBH Community Advisory Board
• Community Advisory Board member. September 2011 – present.

Panels/Speaking

How Sports Media is Ahead of the Game. National Association of Hispanic Journalists Northeast Regional Conference. New York, N.Y. March 8-9, 2013.

Introduction to Latinos in the Media. East Coast Chicano Student Forum, hosted by Harvard University. Cambridge, Mass. Feb. 16, 2013.

Social Media Best Practices. Boston Sports Blogapalooza III. Boston. June 25, 2011.

Networking Your Network: How to use social media to advance your career. National Association of Hispanic Journalists National Convention. Denver. June 15-18, 2011.

Athletic-ISM: Social media in sports. National Association of Hispanic Journalists National Convention. Denver. June 15-18, 2011.

Now a Blogger, Always a Reporter. National Association of Hispanic Journalists National Convention. Denver. June 15-18, 2011.

Social Media. Boston Celtics Corporate Partners Summit. Boston. June 9, 2011.

Latinos in U.S. Sports. Texas Tech University panel. Lubbock, Texas. May 4, 2011.

Networking Your Networks: Social media for freelancers. National Association of Hispanic Journalists Northeast Regional Conference. New York, N.Y. Feb. 4-5, 2011.

The Business of Freelancing. National Association of Hispanic Journalists National Convention. Denver. June 23-26, 2010.

Freelancing 101. National Association of Hispanic Journalists National Convention. Denver. June 23-26, 2010.

Freelancing Basics. National Association of Hispanic Journalists Northeast Regional Conference. Boston. March 13, 2010.

Related Links/Coverage

Changing the journalism radar: That’s Maria Burns Ortiz’s story

NeighborMedia Spotlight on Maria Burns Ortiz

Maria Burns Ortiz Receives 2007 NAHJ Emerging Journalist of the Year Award