The American Society of Business Publication Editors has awarded 2024-25 ASBPE Diversity Fellowships to three industry professionals: Khalil P. Garriott, vice president for creative content & copywriting strategy and executive editor, American Bankers Association; Aaron Kiel, past editor of Questex’s World Tea News, writer and contributor for Questex’s Bar & Restaurant News; and Sara Mosqueda, associate editor, Security Management, ASIS International.

The fellowship, which debuted in 2021-22, is offered on an annual basis and provides 12 months of career development, personalized mentoring and networking opportunities embedded within ASBPE’s membership, affiliated B2B publications and association leadership. Underpinning the program is expenses-paid participation in ASBPE’s annual national conference and Azbee Awards banquet, “Evolve of Die, The Next Wave of B2B’s Digital Transformation,” a virtual event which took place May 15-17, 2024.

Each of this year’s recipients demonstrated a commitment to their craft as well as expressing tangible thought leadership around the importance and impact of diversity, equity and inclusion issues. Garriott, Kiel and Mosqueda bring to nine the number of B2B professionals who have been awarded ASBPE Diversity Fellowships.

Khalil P. Garriott, M.P.S.

Garriott has been with the American Bankers Association since late 2022, and has a diverse background, from covering sports for several news organizations to being the founding director of content marketing and executive editor at James Madison University. The award-winning journalist earned a master’s degree in professional studies, journalism, at Georgetown University, and a BA at James Madison.

“I was motivated to apply for the fellowship primarily because of my commitment to diversity (and adjacent ideals such as justice and belonging),” Garriott said. “These are topics that I am passionate about, and although no one can do everything, everyone can do something.”

He said even with his dedication to professional development and career growth, “we are all works in progress,” and he’s committed to continuing his pursuit of lifelong learning.

“I believe that B2B journalism, with all of its modern-day challenges and benefits, is only as good as the practitioners who represent it,” he said.

Garriott has held key roles across numerous industries such as financial services, nonprofit associations, higher education, sports, entertainment, journalism, and digital media. He interned at The Washington Post at age 19.

He has written for America Online, Red Bull, the National Football League, and Yahoo.

Aaron Kiel

Kiel, the recent editor of Questex’s World Tea News and writer and contributor for Questex’s Bar & Restaurant News, began his tenure at Questex in early 2020, and previously worked for organizations including the Specialty Coffee Association and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. He attended the University of La Verne in California.

“I’m thrilled and grateful to receive the [ASBPE] Diversity Fellowship for 2024-2025,” Kiel said. “It’s an honor to be selected. When I became aware of ASBPE, I knew I wanted to get involved with the organization as much as possible.

“My goal is to enhance my career, network and learn from other professionals, and be a part of the B2B journalism community. Through the ASBPE Diversity Fellowship, I hope to place a greater focus on the journalism side of my career, as I’ve worked in both B2B public relations and B2B content.”

Kiel, an award-winning journalist, has worked in the beverage, tea and coffee industries for two decades, as well as hospitality and technology. His previous roles include managing editor of the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s member journal, The Specialty Coffee Chronicle, as well as publisher and editor of the association’s expo newspapers. He was also editor of the member publications for Xplor International: The Worldwide Electronic Document Systems Association, among other editorial roles.

Sara Mosqueda

Mosqueda joined ASIS International in January 2019, having previously been with organizations such as S&P Global Market Intelligence and The Journal Register’s Daily Local News in West Chester, Pa., throughout her career. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from George Washington University.

“ASBPE offers quality educational experiences, from webinars to the annual conference and more, so when presented with the chance to be part of another such effort, I knew I wanted to be a part of this,” Mosqueda said. “The program also focuses on strengthening reporters and editors’ professional abilities, striving to create a more diverse – and therefore a stronger and collectively more insightful – body of B2B professionals. I think that this will be crucial in advancing the adaptability and success of B2B publications.

“I’ve been lucky enough to find others who are supportive of my belief in journalism and I think that the opportunities that this program may offer can in turn help me become a mentor to others.”

Mosqueda has produced and edited award-winning original content for a monthly B2B publication on the security industry. She is a national and regional Azbee Award winner, and has worked with the Security Management team to achieve ASBPE’s Magazine of the Year award (2020), plus team APEX awards (2020-2022). She also has been a project leader on external-facing DE&I webpages for the association.

In 2016, she was a Society of American Business Editors and Writers Goldschmidt Data Fellow, one of only 22 selected.

About the ASBPE Diversity Fellowship

The ASBPE Diversity Fellowship program’s purpose is to aid in developing a more diverse corps of journalists and leaders within the community of B2B specialty publications and to enhance overall awareness of career opportunities in the sector.

The Fellowship is offered on an annual basis and provides career development, personalized mentoring and networking opportunities, as well as expenses-paid participation in ASBPE’s National Conference.

If you would like more information about the fellowship program or would like to serve as a mentor, host an event for our fellows, or involve our program in your editorial recruitment or inclusion efforts, please reach out to the Diversity Committee through our contact form.