ABOUT US - TEAM

Sharon Tzur is Founder and Executive Director of Media Watch International (MWI) and the moving force behind Caravan for Democracy.

Canadian-born, Israel-raised Tzur completed her military service in the Israeli Air Force. Tzur is the granddaughter of the late Revisionist Zvi Rosenblatt, who was accused of the 1933 murder of Chaim Arlozoroff and cleared of any suspicion by an official inquiry commission in 1984. Following a stint as assistant to MK and former Tel Aviv Mayor Roni Milo, Tzur became Director of Betar USA, a Zionist Youth Movement.

In 1999, Tzur joined the Jewish National Fund as National Director of Project Development. Following the beginning of the renewed Intifada, Tzur founded Media Watch International to counter the growing media bias in coverage of the Middle East. She oversaw the runaway success of Honestreporting.com, until it reached over 50,000 activists and became an independent organization.

Tzur is the address for national media outlets, like Fox News and CNN, who seek her counsel in securing articulate Israeli voices - she herself has appeared on these networks and has been featured in articles in the US and Israel. She travels as a speaker from Montreal to Miami.

Laura B. Newmark is Manager of Programs for Media Watch International. A native of Cincinnati, OH, Ms. Newmark has been active in media and politics since high school. A 1998 graduate of Barnard College with a degree in Urban Studies and English, Ms. Newmark has worked extensively in the convergence of media and social justice from the Soros Documentary Fund to UNITE's Behindthelabel.org to Lichtenstein Creative Media to her present position at Media Watch International.

In Ms. Newmark's spare time, she serves as the Co-Chair of the Young Leaders group of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society.

Lenny Ben-David is a consultant and writer for Media Watch International.

From August 1997 until August 2000, Ben-David served as Israel's Deputy Chief of Mission (number two diplomat) in Washington after being appointed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. As Deputy Chief of Mission, his duties included contact with the U.S. Executive offices of the White House, State Department and Defense Department, as well as the Legislative branch. Ben-David also held senior posts in the American Israel Public Affairs Committee for 25 years, in both Washington and Israel.

Ben-David is a graduate of Yeshiva University in New York. He received his Masters degree in Political Science from the American University in Washington.

Ben-David's analyses and columns have appeared in numerous American and Israeli newspapers as well as in the American Jewish press. He has appeared in television interview shows, including CNN News, PBS' News Hour, Fox News, and CNN's Burden of Proof.

Lenny Ben-David was born in Washington D.C. and is married to Rochelle Black of Washington.

Ronn D. Torossian is the communications and marketing consultant for Media Watch International.

A native New Yorker, Ronn D. Torossian is President and CEO 5W Public Relations, a pr firm he founded in the spring of 2003. He held senior managerial positions with a number of New York's top PR agencies, prior to forming 5W Public Relations.

Client experience includes extensive work with Fortune 1000 companies, government agencies and media outlets. He has directed major Public Relations programs for Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment Group, Clinique, Fox News Channel, Yankelovich Partners, Marriott Hotels, Tzell Travel, the Government of Israel, and a wide variety of others.

With extensive communications experience in Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and Crisis Communications, Torossian has been quoted extensively by the media, including by CNN, Fox News Channel, ABC, NBC, The New York Times, The Washington Post and others.

A board member of numerous nonprofit organizations, Torossian resides on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.