Justin Mitselmakher. Journalist. Digital Curator.
about me
Justin Mitselmakher is a multimedia journalist based in New York City. He is a production assistant at NBC Nightly News and has worked in locations ranging from the New York metropolitan area, Chişinău, Moldova, Honolulu, Hawaii, and back again.
First-gen with both parents from the former Soviet Union, he learned the importance of ethical, quality journalism early on. His character-driven work highlights global affairs, underrepresented communities, art, culture, climate, and strives to capture the fleeting moments of this ever-changing world.
As a child, Justin developed a sweet tooth for entertainment news. The gutsy interview styles of television icons like Barbara Walters and those irresistibly glossy 2000s magazines ignited a lifelong lust for being in the know and pulling (yanking) the curtain behind the glitz. A decade-long journey of acting and theater productions cemented storytelling as the forefront of his life, and eventually inspired his career in journalism — one where he could ditch the script and bring real-world stories to life.
Embracing the multifaceted nature of journalism, he’s tapped into production, print, on-air and digital roles. His pitches have materialized into aired and written stories across NBC News. His reporting has been featured in the Long Island Press, Hawaii News Now, the Marie Colvin Center for International Reporting, the Garnette Report and The Statesman. Justin also spearheaded Instagram and TikTok coverage at Hawaii News Now and launched a student ambassador social media program at Stony Brook University.
Justin was a founding member of his university’s only student-led broadcast news show, The Stony Brook Media Group, with programming featured on ESPN and SNY. He produced news packages and anchored segments — including coverage of the war in Ukraine, using his Russian-speaking ability to conduct interviews with refugees. A day after his college graduation, he journeyed to Moldova as a foreign correspondent for the Marie Colvin Center, where he immersed himself in the country's Ukrainian refugee crisis and reported on the fight against Russian disinformation within the geopolitical climate of the Eastern European republic.
In 2025, Justin earned a nomination by the News & Documentary Emmys for his participation in NBC News’ “Special Report: Assassination Attempt.” His multimedia project "The Village: Landmarks of the HIV/AIDS Epidemic" won a Hearst Award in late 2023. The Stony Brook University School of Communications and Journalism awarded Justin the Matthew T. Crosson Memorial Scholarship for student journalists who pursue public affairs journalism and advance public discourse, as well as the Marcy McGinnis Scholarship for Broadcast Journalism. He graduated summa cum laude in the top two percent of his class at Stony Brook.
When he's not reporting, he's absorbing. Whether it's social media discourse, inspecting art exhibits or garden hopping in Central Park — he seeks inspiration and adventure wherever they may lie.
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