A Legacy of Defending Truth-Tellers
The Press Freedom Defense Fund stands as a cornerstone initiative of The Intercept, embodying the publication’s founding commitment to safeguard journalists facing persecution. Established in 2014 and revitalized in 2025, the Fund represents a steadfast beacon for press freedom in increasingly turbulent times.
The Fund’s legacy is written in its defense of journalism’s most courageous voices. We stood firmly alongside Nobel laureate Maria Ressa as her newsroom in the Philippines faced relentless persecution from the Duterte regime. When journalists risked their safety to document social movements and civil unrest, the Fund provided crucial protection. In landmark cases, we defended principled whistleblowers — Chelsea Manning, Reality Winner, and Terry Albury — against the full weight of Espionage Act prosecutions.
Beyond individual cases, the Fund’s vision for systemic change led to the co-founding of Lawyers for Reporters, now an indispensable resource for emerging journalism ventures navigating complex legal landscapes. Through this multifaceted approach, the Press Freedom Defense Fund continues its essential work: not merely responding to threats, but also fortifying the foundations of a free press.
The Team
The Press Freedom Defense Fund team brings together deep expertise in media law, investigative journalism, and information security with decades of experience in newsroom business and editorial operations.
David Bralow is the co-director of the Fund and the Chief Legal Officer of The Intercept. From First Amendment defense to engaging in complicated corporate transactions, Bralow has spent more than 30 years providing legal advice to media companies. His practice includes libel and privacy defense; access to government information under FOIA and state laws; content protection, including copyright and trademark advice; new media transactions; and regulatory advice, including telemarketing and consumer regulations. Bralow was senior vice president for law at First Look Institute, general counsel at Digital First Media (now known as MediaNews Group), and assistant general counsel at the Tribune Company, where he provided legal advice to their newspapers, websites, and television stations. Bralow co-founded Lawyers for Reporters at the Vance Center for International Justice. Presently, he is a visiting lecturer at Yale Law School. He has taught media law at City University of New York’s Craig Newmark School of Journalism and New York University School of Continuing Professional Studies. Among other awards, Bralow was recognized by the Florida Bar in 1999 for his work in helping to get the journalist-friendly Florida Shield Law enacted. Prior to attending law school, he was a reporter and editor for newspapers in New York, Pennsylvania, and Florida.
Sumi Aggarwal serves as co-director and brings her experience as The Intercept’s Chief Strategy Officer along with her background as an investigative reporter and editor. Prior to joining The Intercept, she was the editor-in-chief at Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting, during which time the newsroom won two Robert F. Kennedy Awards and was nominated for Emmy and Peabody awards. Her nearly decadelong tenure at CBS News’s “60 Minutes” saw her produce impactful investigative work, including stories on civil rights cold cases. Aggarwal has also worked as a booking producer at the “Today” show and led executive communications for Google’s Search and Maps teams. She was also an adjunct professor at the City College of New York, where she helped establish the broadcast journalism curriculum. She has served as a judge for many prestigious journalism awards, including the Pulitzer Prizes and the National Magazine Awards.
Nikita Mazurov is a security researcher focusing on source protection and has previously worked with the Committee to Protect Journalists, Internews, and other media organizations to develop best practices for source and journalist protection.
Annie Chabel is The Intercept’s chief executive officer, where she oversees the Press Freedom Defense Fund program. Chabel was previously the chief operating officer at the Center for Investigative Reporting, where she oversaw all business operations for the organization and served as interim CEO in 2021.
Celine Piser is the chief philanthropy officer for The Intercept and supports the Fund’s grant-making program. With a focus on fundraising and communication strategy, she leads efforts to develop partnerships with institutional and individual supporters.
Miroslav Macala is the chief operating officer at The Intercept and provides operational support to the Fund. He oversaw all financial and operational planning for the spin-out of The Intercept from First Look Media in 2023, and he’s now utilizing that experience in the building of the Press Freedom Defense Fund. Originally from the Czech Republic, he earned a master’s degree from Columbia University and previously worked for one of the top entertainment law firms in New York.