Before joining CPJ in 2016, Angela Quintal worked as an editor and journalist for more than two decades in South Africa. She was the editor of Mail and Guardian, one of South Africa's leading investigative newspapers. She also edited The Witness and The Mercury newspapers and held several senior positions in South African newsrooms, including group political editor at the Independent Newspaper Group and parliamentary editor for the then-national news agency, the SA Press Association. Quintal changed direction from a career in human rights and constitutional law to become a journalist in 1992 during South Africa's transition to democracy. She was presidential correspondent during Nelson Mandela's term as South Africa's first democratically elected president and travelled extensively. She has served as the secretary-general and treasurer of the SA National Editors' Forum and before joining CPJ was media freedom committee chair in South Africa for Wan-Ifra's program on strengthening media and society. Quintal holds a Bachelor of Journalism and a Bachelor of Laws from Rhodes University.