Contact: Bill McCarren, (301) 275-1597 or wmccarren@voicesunbound.org
WASHINGTON, May 1, 2026 — Voices Unbound (“VU”), a leading 501(c)(3) NGO that assists journalists and human rights advocates facing legal trouble, has recruited long-time press freedom advocate Bill McCarren to lead them into the future.
McCarren joined Voices Unbound as Executive Director in April. He is based in the Washington, DC area.
VU was founded in 2023 by journalist Jason Rezaian and several of the nation’s top immigration attorneys. Initially, VU assisted over 100 journalists and activists fleeing persecution in their home countries, by facilitating pro bono legal representation and helping them find safe haven—protecting voices that would otherwise be silenced. In 2025, VU supported journalists from Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Europe, VOA, and Middle East Broadcasting who faced deportation to their passport countries after losing their jobs in mass layoffs. This year, VU is helping several journalists at the Washington Post who lost their visa status, along with their jobs, and faced legal challenges.
VU is supported by foundation grants and individual donations.
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VU is a registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization (EIN: 93-1559432), and all donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.
McCarren led some of the most high-profile campaigns for journalists in trouble, including Jason Rezaian, Emilio Gutierrez Soto, Austin Tice, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, Dong Yuyu, and others. He is currently supporting journalists in the U.S. and abroad, including Jimmy Lai, Georgia Fort, Tice, and Dong. He works to help families advocate for journalists wrongly detained or facing significant challenges.
“We are so happy to have Bill McCarren join Voices Unbound. He brings impressive advocacy skills including media relations, government relations and strategic planning to VU,” said Rezaian. “Bill and I have worked together for a decade helping journalists and I look forward to our spirited collaboration.”
— Jason Rezaian, Voices Unbound trustee and board member
McCarren also brings significant management experience to VU. He has led businesses and NGOs in Washington since 1986, including start-ups and turnarounds. He has an impressive record of success in business.
“I have worked closely with the VU team of lawyers and have seen their significant skills in practice. They are a great organization and I am honored to join them. I am deeply grateful they provide a solid platform for my current cases and the significant work ahead in press freedom. To work with Jason Rezaian is a great honor. His lived experience is an inspiration to all in the field. I am glad our work together will continue at this critical time for press freedom,” said McCarren.
— Bill McCarren, Executive Director, Voices Unbound
In addition to his work for Voices Unbound, McCarren serves on several boards, including Etilaatroz Foundation, which operates the third-largest news organization in Afghanistan.
A Chicago-area native, McCarren received a BA from Vanderbilt and an MA from Brown. He founded U.S. Newswire LLC in 1986 and ran it until 2006. From 2006 to 2007, he was in residence at Harvard as an affiliate in the Nieman Fellowship program. From 2007 to 2023, he led the National Press Club as Executive Director. In 2024, he founded the Press Freedom Center at the National Press Club. He left the Center at the end of 2025.
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Voices Unbound depends on foundation grants and individual donations to provide pro bono legal representation to journalists and activists at risk.