JAWS CAMP 2026: Health Journalism Fellowship Showcase
JAWS CAMP 2026: Eight fellows from the 2026 JAWS Health Journalism Fellowship, sponsored by the Commonwealth Fund, will present their final projects at this year's JAWS CAMP conference in Santa Monica, California. The panel is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 3.
With critical support from the Commonwealth Fund, the fellowship is in its fourth year. The goal of the fellowship is to train more journalists in health reporting and help diversify the journalist pool for better and more inclusive reporting on health issues across the nation.
Each fellow has spent the past several months months working on a substantive reporting project, assisted by a reporting grant from the fellowship. Additionally, fellows receive a one-year membership to JAWS and registration and travel expenses to the JAWS annual conference.
This year's fellows are: Lingzi Chen, Ngozi Cole, Kathleen Davis, Ashley Fredde, Rose Lundy, Margaret Manto, Ashley Moss, and Lucia Starbuck. You can learn more about the fellows here.
Thank you to Fellowship Program Director Liz Seegert and mentors Naseem Miller and Bara Vaida for their hard work and dedication to the fellows and their projects.
JAWS’ annual Conference and Mentoring Program (CAMP) will be held Oct. 2-4, 2026 at the Hyatt Centric Delfina in Santa Monica, California.
Registration for the conference is open! Reserve your spot now:
This panel is generously sponsored by:
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FAQs
Where is Conference and Mentoring Program (CAMP) 2026? CAMP 2026 will be held October 2-4 at The Hyatt Centric Delfina, located at 530 Pico Blvdin sunny Santa Monica, CA. The hotel is steps from the world-famous Santa Monica pier along with restaurants, shops and entertainment.
The CAMP Site Selection Committee chose Santa Monica based on feedback from members urging a balance between an urban setting allowing easier travel with access to a get-away-from-it-all vibe. The committee also took into account the venue’s capacity, support for conferences, cost and location. We chose this location intentionally for its walkability, safety and convenience, prioritizing an environment where attendees can focus on community, learning and connection without added logistical stress.
What happens at CAMP? This will be JAWS’ 41st CAMP. While the format and size have varied over the years, the goal has not: to bring women* journalists together from different specialties, beats, demographics and geographies to share with, learn from and empower each other. There will be structured presentations and workshops, planned social events and free time for unstructured relationship-building and city exploration. The current, rough agenda is as follows:
Oct. 1: Self-organized social activities for early arrivals
Oct. 2: Daytime workshops, evening welcome reception at Ms. Magazine offices
Oct. 3: Morning plenaries, lunch provided, afternoon sessions, Books & Browse evening reception
Oct. 4: Morning member meeting, morning sessions, lunch provided, afternoon sessions
Oct. 5: Self-organized social activities for late departures
Will meals be provided? Yes! Lunch will be provided Saturday and Sunday. Other provided meals and receptions will be announced. Meals not on the official schedule will be unstructured, allowing attendees to explore nearby eateries and spend time together away from the venue.
What is the CAMP refund policy? CAMP registration at the Early Bird rate is non-refundable and non-transferable. Regular registration can be transferred before September 1, 2026 upon written request to hello@jaws.org.