COGEL members are well-versed in government ethics, lobbyists, elections, and campaign finance—topics that also frequently feature in journalistic reports. This panel discussion promises to be a fascinating discourse about the state of journalism and how it relates to the public trust. Our distinguished panelists will discuss the ethics of journalism, common dilemmas, the credibility of news media, the phenomenon of “fake news”, journalists privilege, “unidentified sources” and political spin. Gain valuable insights as our panelists share their firsthand experiences reporting on government corruption and local ethics cases, offering a nuanced perspective on the intersection of government ethics and ethical journalism.
Frank Cipolla Owner & Founder Contacts Media Frank Cipolla is a former radio and TV news broadcaster who was seen and heard in and around NYC and nationally for almost 40-years. He began his on-air career
at several small radio stations in New Jersey. In the mid 1980’s Frank was hired as the news anchor for the Soupy Sales Radio Show on WNBC-AM in NYC. There he also worked with ‘Imus in the Morning’ and Howard Stern often filling in on the Imus Show.
Later he worked as a reporter for the NBC Radio Network before moving into local TV news - first as host of ‘Staten Island Live’ and then as the co-host of the popular ‘Morning Show’ on News 12 New Jersey. In 2001 he moved over to WWOR-TV Channel
9 in NYC where he worked as a reporter and anchor. Frank most recently was heard on the Wall Street Journal Radio Network. He has lived in Naples, Florida full time since 2017 and worked for a short time as an investigative reporter at Fox 4 in Fort
Myers. He owns a media coaching and guest placement company called Contacts Media and is the author of “It Shocked Even Us” - a look at all the behind the scenes stories from his many years in radio and TV.
Susannah Nesmith Staff Attorney Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust Susannah Nesmith has worked for the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust since 2017. She began her ethics career in the enforcement unit as an investigator and moved into a staff attorney role
after she passed the Florida Bar in 2023. Before she worked in the field of ethics, Ms. Nesmith had a career as an award-winning journalist, spending 25 years chasing stories – and weighing ethical considerations - all over the world. Her work
has appeared in Bloomberg News, BusinessWeek, The New York Times, Columbia Journalism Review, AARP Bulletin, Planning, CNN, Horticulture, The Miami Herald, The Daily Business Review and a variety of other publications. Susannah lived abroad
for five years, working as a freelance reporter in Bosnia-Hercegovina and as a staff writer for the Associated Press in the Dominican Republic and Colombia. She ran the AP’s operation in the Dominican Republic and in Colombia, she covered the war.
She earned a BA in history and Latin American studies from Vassar College, an MFA in nonfiction writing from Goucher College and a JD from Florida International University.
Joey Flechas Reporter Miami Herald Joey Flechas joined the Miami Herald in 2013. He covers government and public affairs in the city of Miami, from City Hall politics to neighborhood news. He was part of the team that won the
2022 Pulitzer Prize for reporting on the collapse of a residential condo building in Surfside, FL. He previously won a Sunshine State award for revealing a Miami Beach political candidate’s ties to an illegal campaign donation. Prior to joining the
Herald, Joey worked at the Gainesville Sun and also held several positions with the Independent Florida Alligator including managing editor and editor-in -chief. He was an intern reporter at both the St. Petersburg Times in Clearwater Florida and
the Washington Examiner in Washington DC. He graduated from the University of Florida with a BS in Journalism.
|
