V Spehar

Few journalists have reshaped how news reaches younger audiences the way V Spehar has. A Wagner College graduate who spent years in the culinary and hospitality industries in New York City, Tampa, and Washington DC — including stints with catering companies, the James Beard Foundation, and the food-insecurity organization Hungry Harvest — Spehar first turned to TikTok during the early COVID-19 pandemic, posting cooking videos that hinted at the accessible storytelling style to come.

The breakthrough came in January 2021, when Spehar recorded a short video addressed to then-Vice President Mike Pence while lying under a desk during the Capitol insurrection. The clip took off, and UnderTheDeskNews was born — a channel built on explaining current events in plain, direct language. Within two years the account grew past 2.7 million followers, earning Spehar a six-month role overseeing the Los Angeles Times’ TikTok and a 2022 podcast deal with Lemonada Media for “V Interesting.”

Spehar’s journalistic reach soon extended offline. They received a New York Commendation Award in July 2022, appeared on the Today Show, and attended White House briefings on the Inflation Reduction Act and 2022 midterm voter turnout, working with Barack Obama’s team on encouragement videos. In 2023, they reported from the congressional hearing on the RESTRICT Act — seated directly behind TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew — and criticized the bill at a press conference hosted by Rep. Jamaal Bowman.

Recognition has followed: a 2023 Webby Special Achievement Award, 2025 Shorty Awards News Creator of the Year, and a spot on the 2025 TIME100 Creators list. Spehar also lent their platform to advocacy, appearing as a guest on Mercury Stardust’s 30-hour livestream that raised more than $2 million for transgender healthcare.