Dr. PJ Cabrera, MJE is an accomplished educator, communicator, and advocate for journalism education, media literacy and student voice. With over a decade of experience spanning K–12 and higher education, he has consistently demonstrated a commitment to creating inclusive learning environments, developing innovative curricula, and leading strategic initiatives that elevate student success.
His work has earned recognition from national and state organizations for excellence in teaching, advising, and communications. Dr. PJ is a published author on topics including journalism education, student censorship, and media literacy. He frequently speaks at conferences and workshops to share insights on scholastic journalism and communication pedagogy.
Dr. PJ actively contributes to professional communities through leadership roles on national boards and committees that support journalism educators and academic programming. Whether mentoring emerging journalists or new advisers, developing programs and designing impactful courses, or collaborating on media education initiatives, he brings a collaborative spirit and strategic mindset to every endeavor.
Experience
Dr. PJ is currently in his 14th year in education. He's taught middle school, high school, worked in central office administration, and has been in higher education for over seven years.
His teaching and research interests include scholastic journalism, journalism education, gatekeeping theory, communication and media studies, media Literacy, student leadership, student voice, and student censorship.
Publication
The basic qualitative research aimed to examine how campus administrators determined “legitimate pedagogical interest.” Based on the data, participants said that determining" legitimate pedagogical interest" ensured that student-created media was factual, unbiased, and aligned with district and state curriculum standards. Administrators decided to initiate prior review or prior restraint because of the community, politics, and current events, and district forces.
Cabrera, P. J. (2023). Administrative Use of Prior Review in High School Journalism Programs (Doctoral dissertation, Walden University).
