Maria Ressa
Born 1963 · Age 62
Filipino–American investigative journalist, co‑founder & CEO of Rappler, former CNN bureau chief in Southeast Asia, author, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate (2021) recognized for defending freedom of expression and exposing misuse of social media.
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Life & Career Timeline
Moved to the United States (age 9)
Moved with her mother to the United States after martial law era upheavals; grew up in Toms River, New Jersey.
Adopted by stepfather; takes surname Ressa
Her mother married Peter Ames Ressa and Maria was adopted by him and took his last name.
Graduated Toms River High School North (approx.)
Attended Toms River High School North; was a three-time class president and performer in school plays. (HS graduation year inferred from college entry.)
Graduated Princeton University (BA, cum laude)
Earned BA in English with certificates in theater and dance; senior thesis 'Sagittarius' (an allegorical play about Philippine politics).
Awarded Fulbright fellowship to University of the Philippines Diliman
Returned to the Philippines on a Fulbright to study political theater and taught journalism courses at UP Diliman.
First job at government station PTV-4
Started professional career in broadcast journalism at PTV-4 (Philippine government station) after returning from Fulbright.
Co‑founded Probe production company
Co-founded independent TV production company Probe.
Joined CNN as Manila bureau chief (start)
Became CNN's bureau chief in Manila and began nearly two decades as lead investigative reporter in Southeast Asia (Manila bureau role 1987–1995).
Covered the 1992 Philippine elections
Reported major political events including the first elections after the 1987 constitution.
Became CNN Jakarta bureau chief (start)
Moved to run CNN's Jakarta bureau; served there 1995–2005 covering major Southeast Asian events including Suharto's downfall (1998) and East Timor violence (1999).
Reported on Suharto's downfall
Covered the end of Suharto's regime in Indonesia, a major regional political milestone in her reporting career.
Covered East Timor referendum violence
Reported on the violence after East Timor's referendum on independence.
Investigated growth of terrorist groups after 9/11
Investigated Jemaah Islamiyah and the growth of terrorist networks in Southeast Asia following the September 11 attacks.
Published 'Seeds of Terror' (book)
Published Seeds of Terror: An Eyewitness Account of al-Qaeda’s Newest Center of Operations in Southeast Asia documenting terrorist activity in the region.
Author-in-residence & academic appointments (date unspecified)
Served as author‑in‑residence at ICPVTR, taught at Princeton and University of the Philippines; later held fellowships at MIT's Initiative on the Digital Economy and other institutions.
Returned to ABS-CBN (head of news and current affairs)
Assumed leadership of ABS-CBN's news division while continuing to write for CNN and The Wall Street Journal.
Named Esquire 'Sexiest Woman Alive' (Philippines) (2010)
Named by Esquire Philippines in 2010 as 'sexiest woman alive' in an article referencing her fearless journalism.
Published Wall Street Journal piece criticizing President Aquino
Wrote a WSJ opinion piece criticizing President Benigno Aquino III's handling of the bus hostage crisis (Sept 6, 2010); left ABS-CBN later in 2010 after deciding not to renew her contract.
Launched MovePH Facebook page
Created MovePH, an early Facebook page that would evolve into Rappler.
Co‑founded Rappler; website launched
Co‑founded Rappler with three other female founders and a small team of ~12 journalists and developers; launched the full Rappler website on January 1, 2012; became Executive Editor and CEO.
Published 'From Bin Laden to Facebook'
Published From Bin Laden to Facebook: 10 Days of Abduction, 10 Years of Terrorism, documenting the intersection of terrorism and social media.
Omidyar Network investment in Rappler (investment announced 2015)
Rappler received an investment from the Omidyar Network in 2015 which later triggered government scrutiny; investment amount not specified in source text.
Interviewed Rodrigo Duterte (2015 presidential campaign)
Interviewed Duterte during his presidential campaign; he admitted to having killed three people when he was mayor of Davao City.
Rappler critical coverage of Duterte administration begins
After Duterte's 2016 election, Rappler was one of the few outlets critical of his policies, extensively covering the 'war on drugs' and alleged extrajudicial killings.
Documented weaponization of social media (2016–2017)
Documented how the government and supporters used social media to spread disinformation, harass opponents, and manipulate discourse.
Duterte publicly attacks Rappler (SONA)
In July 2017 Duterte declared Rappler 'fully owned' by Americans and criticized its reporting during his State of the Nation Address.
Philippine SEC investigation into Rappler begins
The Securities and Exchange Commission initiated an investigation into Rappler's alleged foreign ownership and demanded documents (Aug 2017).
Received multiple journalistic awards (2018)
Won Knight International Journalism Award (May 2018), Golden Pen of Freedom (June 2018), Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award (Nov 2018) and other honors recognizing press freedom advocacy.
Subpoena issued over online libel complaint
Subpoena issued on Jan 10, 2018 by authorities in relation to an online libel complaint (Wilfredo Keng) linked to a 2012 Rappler article with a later correction.
SEC revoked Rappler's license to do business
In January 2018 the SEC revoked Rappler's certificate of incorporation/operating license (later remanded to SEC by Court of Appeals).
Appeared before NBI re: cyberlibel subpoena
Maria Ressa complied with the NBI subpoena on Jan 22, 2018 concerning an online libel complaint.
Rappler and Ressa charged with tax evasion (announced Nov 2018)
Philippine government announced charges of tax evasion and failure to file tax returns related to Rappler's 2015 foreign investment; BIR later said Rappler evaded ₱133 million in taxes.
Included in TIME Person of the Year 'The Guardians'
Included in Time magazine's Person of the Year 2018 issue as one of 'The Guardians'—journalists combating fake news.
Feature of documentaries about press freedom
Subject of documentaries A Thousand Cuts (2020) and featured in other films addressing press freedom and the Philippine drug war.
International legal and human rights support
Human rights lawyers including Amal Clooney joined Ressa's defense; international organizations condemned actions against her as attacks on press freedom.
Arrested on cyberlibel charge (Feb 13, 2019)
Arrest warrant issued for cyberlibel related to a Rappler article; arrest was widely livestreamed and internationally criticized as politically motivated.
Released on bail (Feb 14, 2019)
Initially unable to post statutory bail of ₱60,000, she was later released after posting ₱100,000 bail.
Named to Time 100 Most Influential People (2019)
Included in Time's 100 Most Influential People in the World (April 2019).
Received Columbia Journalism Award (May 2019)
Received Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism's highest honor for depth, quality and courage in reporting.
Trial begins for cyberlibel charges (July 2019)
Trial commenced in July 2019; international lawyers including Amal Clooney joined her defense team.
Convicted of cyberlibel (June 15, 2020)
Manila court found her guilty of cyberlibel; conviction carried potential prison term of 6 months to 6 years and fine of ₱400,000; widely condemned by international rights groups.
Joined the Real Facebook Oversight Board (Sept 25, 2020)
Became a member of the independent 25‑member watchdog group offering public commentary on Facebook's content moderation.
Joan Shorenstein Fellowship and other academic fellowships (2021)
Named a 2021 Joan Shorenstein Fellow at the Shorenstein Center and a Hauser Leader at Harvard Kennedy School's Center for Public Leadership.
Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (announced Oct 8, 2021)
Awarded the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with Dmitry Muratov 'for efforts to safeguard freedom of expression'; prize announcement Oct 8, 2021 (prize share 1/2).
Received Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson Award (Feb 2022)
Received Princeton University's highest undergraduate alumni honor for leadership and public service.
Published 'How to Stand Up To a Dictator' (2022)
Published a memoir/manifesto arguing that social media companies contributed to democratic decline.
Appointed to UN Internet Governance Forum leadership panel (Aug 2022)
Named one of ten members of the leadership panel supporting the UN Internet Governance Forum.
Joined Issue One's Council for Responsible Social Media (Oct 2022)
Joined the Council for Responsible Social Media to address social media's public health and civic impacts.
Honorary degree from MacEwan University (Nov 2022)
Received an honorary degree from MacEwan University in Edmonton, Canada.
Court of Tax Appeals acquitted Rappler and Ressa of four tax evasion charges
On January 15, 2023, CTA cleared Rappler and Ressa of four tax evasion charges related to the 2018 case.
Joined The Intercept board of directors (2023)
Appointed to the board of The Intercept (announced March 2023).
Distinguished Fellow at Columbia's Institute of Global Politics (fall 2023)
Named Distinguished Fellow at Columbia University's Institute of Global Politics (fell 2023 start).
Acquitted in an additional tax evasion case (Sept 2023)
Rappler and Ressa were acquitted of a fifth tax evasion charge in September 2023.
Named Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia SIPA (2024)
Appointed Professor of Professional Practice in the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University.
Selected as Harvard commencement speaker (2024)
Named Harvard University's 2024 commencement speaker; speech drew controversy and on‑stage walkout by a Harvard rabbi during protests.
Supreme Court allows Irene Khan to intervene as amicus curiae (Jan 24, 2024)
The Philippines Supreme Court First Division admitted an amicus curiae brief by Irene Khan concerning Ressa's cyberlibel case.
Scheduled Cannes LionHeart keynote (June 21, 2024)
Named the 2024 Cannes LionHeart recipient and scheduled to deliver a keynote address on June 21, 2024.
Ongoing appeals and international advocacy (2023–2025)
Continued legal appeals (cyberlibel, SEC actions) and high‑profile international advocacy for press freedom; subject of documentaries 'A Thousand Cuts' (2020) and 'We Hold the Line' (2020).
Acquitted in Anti‑Dummy Law case (June 13, 2025)
A Pasig court acquitted Ressa and five Rappler executives of violating restrictions on foreign ownership under the Anti‑Dummy Law.
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