Mangloña selected as one of 35 Obama Foundation Asia-Pacific Leaders
Making his family and friends on Rota and the CNMI proud, a Marianas born and bred journalist was selected to represent his home as one of the Obama Foundation Leaders Program.
In showing his desire to positively lead others, journalist and KUAM News chief regional correspondent Thomas Mangloña II was recently selected as one of the 35 Obama leaders for Asia and the Pacific for 2024-2025, one of more than 6,000 applicants from around the globe.
Mangloña will join a select group of emerging leaders chosen to participate in a prestigious program aimed at driving positive change in their communities. The 135 individuals, aged 24-45, come from diverse backgrounds in government, civil society, and the private sector, reflecting a shared commitment to making a difference.
The program, divided into two cohorts, features 100 participants from across 34 U.S. states and territories under the USA Leaders segment. Meanwhile, the Asia-Pacific Leaders cohort includes 35 representatives from 25 nations and territories throughout the region.
Inspired by the leadership approach of former U.S. President Barack Obama, the program offers a blend of group sessions and individual coaching designed to foster meaningful relationships and establish a values-based foundation for effective leadership. This comprehensive approach seeks to equip participants with the tools they need to effect lasting change in their respective fields.
Mangloña told Saipan Tribune that he feels honored to be a part of the selection and such a diverse cohort.
“I look forward to learning about leadership in the program and from my fellow Obama Leaders to benefit our communities. I hope to learn skills and strategies that will help me be a better organizer and journalist.”
Mangloña shared this was his first time being in the list, and that looking back, he would have not imagined himself getting the prestigious opportunity “I could not have imagined being an Obama Leader. I still remember watching his inauguration as a kid. I am very grateful for a chance to engage with everyone in the program and encourage anyone interested to apply next year.”
From reporting the goings on in Rota for fun, to working at the Marianas Variety, Saipan Tribune, and then earning a masters degree in Journalism at Stanford University as a Harry S. Truman Scholar; Mangloña became a Phi Beta Kappa graduate from the University of California at Berkeley where he also earned his BA in Media Studies with High Distinction in 2020, and not to mention becoming a 2016 Gates Millennium Scholar. Mangloña also built up an impressive resume gaining experience in local, regional, and national newsroom. Now currently president of the CNMI Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, and involved in teaching students in the CNMI ethics of journalism, Mangloña hopes to pave a way for young leaders especially young journalists to step out of the mold and become a difference-maker.
“The best advice I ever received as a young journalist was to ‘do every job in the newsroom.’ I echo that advice to youth today. In other words, don’t set limits for yourself and try something new as often as you can. Then, you can learn more and figure out what your passion is in the long run,” said Mangloña.
Thomas Mangloña II
