OGIS Staff and FOIA Advisory Committee Members to be Honored in FOIA Hall of Fame

by Kimberlee N Ried, posted in FOIA Advisory Committee, Uncategorized
Fleet Trophy. National Archives Identifier 6281309

Two OGIS staff members, along with 10 current and former members of the FOIA Advisory Committee, have been selected for induction into the 2026 National FOIA Hall of Fame. This year’s honorees were selected for their unique roles in helping to establish, defend, and utilize the legal basis for the right to know about the actions of the government. This year’s honoree class: 

  • Jaron R. Baron – FOIA Advisory Committee member, 2018-2020, 2022-2024 and 2024-2026
  • Lauren Harper – FOIA Advisory Committee member, 2022-2024 (partial term) 
  • Liz Hempowicz – FOIA Advisory Committee member, 2022-2024
  • William H. Holzerland – FOIA Advisory Committee member, 2016-2018 (partial term)
  • Alexander Howard – FOIA Advisory Committee member, 2022-2024
  • Richard L. Huff 
  • Nate Jones – FOIA Advisory Committee member, 2014-2016, 2016-2018
  • Margaret Kwoka – FOIA Advisory Committee member, 2016-2018, 2024-2026
  • Adam Marshall – FOIA Advisory Committee member, 2022-2024
  • David McCraw
  • Kirsten B. Mitchell – OGIS Compliance Team Lead, Committee Designated Federal Officer since 2018
  • Michael Morisy – FOIA Advisory Committee member, 2018-2020, 2020-2022
  • Ginger Quintero-McCall – FOIA Advisory Committee member, 2016-2018, 2018-2020 (partial term), 2022-2024 (partial term)
  • Carol Rosenberg  
  • Daniel Schuman 
  • Alina M. Semo – OGIS Director, Chairperson of the FOIA Advisory Committee since 2016

The National FOIA Hall of Fame was started in 1996 by the Freedom Forum and Society of Professional Journalists, honoring those who have gone above and beyond in advancing federal FOIA. The University of Florida Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project assumed coordination of the award in 2025 as part of Sunshine Week.

This year’s selection committee was comprised of Miriam Nisbet, the first director of OGIS, Jameel Jaffer, director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, Brechner FOI Project Director David Cuillier, and Kevin Goldberg and Gene Policinski of the Freedom Forum. Nisbet, Jaffer and Goldberg are current members of the National FOIA Hall of Fame. Selection was based on long-time involvement in federal FOIA, impact on federal transparency, and personal commitment.

The honorees will be recognized during Sunshine Week at Sunshine Fest.