Press Freedom Center

Journalists around the world face growing threats—from imprisonment and violence to exile and dislocation. The Press Freedom Center at the National Press Club is dedicated to defending press freedom and supporting those who risk their lives to report the truth.

The Press Freedom Center at the National Press Club defends press freedom by assisting detained, threatened or exiled journalists through advocacy, direct support and community.

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Press Freedom Center Staff

Bill McCarren - Executive Director
Jason Rezaian - Chair, Press Freedom Center Advisory Board
Julie Schreiber - Operations Manager
Mo Mosaed - IT Manager

Reach out to the team at [email protected]

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For decades, the National Press Club has been a leading champion for press freedom and a resource for reporters in danger. These efforts have ramped up in recent years with the wrongful detention of American journalists Austin Tice, Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva.

In each case, we worked with families and news organizations to advocate for the journalist and put a spotlight on the need for their safe return home. Through relationships with key government officials in the White House, Congress and the State Department, we kept the pressure on to bring reporters home. And once journalists are home safe, the Club stays with them each step of the way, including help with jobs, mental health, housing, legal assistance, transportation. In addition, the Club’s 2,500 members provide a welcoming community.

The Club also provides critical assistance and long-term support for journalists who have been exiled or forced to leave their home countries and have come to the U.S. This includes assistance in housing, job and fellowship opportunities, legal assistance and community.

In a world where press freedom is under attack, the Center is a beacon of hope and action.

With your donation, we can do even more. Your support helps us expand our efforts to protect journalists both in America and across the world. Together, we can defend the free press and create a future where journalists can work safely and thrive.

Join us in this vital cause. Donate today and stand up for press freedom.

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About Us

Bill McCarren has had a unique career, managing and scaling successful organizations for 37 years. As an entrepreneur, he bootstrapped his start-up (U.S. Newswire) into a successful company that eventually sold for $26 million.

As executive director of the National Press Club, he led a remarkable turnaround, taking the organization from a high-debt, no reserves, unprofitable business to a debt-free, profitable business with $16 million in reserves before stepping down from that role in July 2023.

During the past year, McCarren has worked as a consultant to lead the Club’s campaigns for Austin Tice, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, YuYu Dong and more. He has also helped exiled journalists including: Mohammad Mosasd, Emilio Gutierrez-Soto and Zaki Daryabi during his career.

From 2006-2007, McCarren was in residence at the Nieman Foundation at Harvard as an Affiliate. He frequently appears on television and is quoted in the press for issues related to press freedom.

Jason Rezaian is an inspirational leader with highest-level contacts in media, policy and government and business earned over a decade of public life in DC. His personal experience and skillset give him a unique and powerful platform to speak out on press freedom and assist journalists in dangerous situations. He is Director of Press Freedom Initiatives at the Washington Post.

A frequent public speaker, Rezaian appears across the country and around the world at conferences, journalism schools, think tanks and corporate functions. He frequently appears on television and radio and is often quoted in the press. His book, Prisoner, and his podcast: 544 Days, were both extremely popular and informative works. He publishes regular columns for Washington Post Global Opinions.

Our Story

The National Press Club has a long history of supporting journalists and a free press. And when Washington Post Tehran Bureau Chief Jason Rezaian was arrested and detained in prison in 2014, the Club sprung into action.

Then-Executive Director Bill McCarren leveraged the assets of the National Press Club to assist the Washington Post in its campaign to free Jason. This included news conferences, panels, satellite media tours, 5k runs, 24-hour read-a-thons and other special events to keep Rezian’s name in the media and keep pressure on the government. McCarren coordinated with the Post team and Rezian’s family on an almost daily basis. He even persuaded Mohammed Ali to plead with Iran for Rezian’s release.

When Rezaian was released from prison, he moved to Washington. McCarren and the Club helped him find housing, fellowships, speaking engagements and provided him career advice. Eventually, Rezaian returned to work at the Post, wrote a book and developed a popular podcast. He and his wife, Yegi, started a family.

Rezaian didn’t stop there. He became an outspoken leader and activist on press freedom issues. His was a unique and powerful voice for those in trouble. He continued to collaborate with McCarren and the Press Club to help other journalists in trouble.

Together Rezaian, McCarren and the Press Club have developed a significant track record for helping free journalists in trouble and helping them return to society. They have also helped foster the lives and evolving careers of many exiled journalists.

In 2024, the National Press Club and the National Press Club Journalism Institute created the Press Freedom Center in order to formalize and bolster the work McCarren and Rezaian have done so the Club can help journalists in need for the next century and beyond.