I am passionate about my profession
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Curious by nature, some might say I have a habit of putting my nose where it doesn’t belong. They probably are right, because I am a journalist who breaks important news, explains complex issues and reveals the human impact of policy changes. I use public records and existing databases — or those I have created — to break news, provide analyses and help readers interact and check up on their schools districts and local or state government entities.
In short, I own my beats — and I help others own theirs. My Specialties: Writing, editing and managing reporters. Delving into documents and databases. Reporting on race, diversity and social inequality, education, government, business, health care, economics, crime and courts, retail, marketing, tourism, faith issues, social issues, insurance, consumer affairs and bankruptcies. I began my career covering business for the Grand Rapids Press, The Orlando Sentinel and The Detroit News. I literally had to chase down a CEO during a black-tie affair after a crucial board meeting. I've also been chased around an office by an executive trying to get my notebook after a series of questions about his use of company funds. And I lived among and told the heart-wrenching stories of the people in a small Florida town where the only plant was closing, forcing generations of workers back into the sugar-cane fields. For the St. Petersburg Times, I wrote about marketing, health care, citrus and agribusiness. I also covered U.S. Bankruptcy Court and broke regional and national news about major companies. As an editor at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, I guided a team covering crime and courts in a city teeming with too many of both. And I helped build a health science team. At the helm of The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Kentucky bureau, I supervised a Metro team of reporters. As a columnist, I often challenged community and business leaders about their unwise or unsound economic development decisions. As a senior reporter, I traveled the country to tell intimate and at times infuriating stories about the city’s connection to The Underground Railroad. And I made a very challenging education beat my own, informing readers about national and statewide K-12 issues and the inner workings and finances of 24 suburban school districts and several dozen private schools. I was honored with a prestigious award for best use of social research methods as one of several reporters assigned to a nationwide corporate project. We exposed a litany of teachers who cheated on standardized tests. As part of this beat, I also covered Cincinnati’s archdiocese, which runs the 8th-largest Catholic school system in the country. With The Florida Times-Union, I reported on the $1.7 billion Duval County school system — and my stories resonated with readers. With resolve, I delved deeply into public documents and databases to help readers understand what it means when education becomes a big business. American Press Institute audience metrics showed readers engaged more with my education stories more often than other categories of news stories. From that report: "Your coverage of K-12 schools is the No. 1 engagement driver, which is an unusual finding and makes you different from other partners we work with. We generally see this is a topic that tends to be more of an average performer. In your case it's performing 40% better than the average story you publish, so you are doing a lot right with this category." As the leader of the San Diego Union-Tribune's Watchdog and Accountability team, I oversaw newsgathering, enforced standards, edited copy and orchestrated collaboration with other teams as I supervised several investigative reporters, individual reporters for education, military, government, and politics, two columnists and a data specialist. Twice, our investigations led to the convictions of corrupt members of Congress, won utility ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars in rebates and exposed secret payments to City Hall insiders. Together, we exposed San Diego County jails as being the most deadly for inmates, compared to other large jail,systems in California. And as a deputy editor at CalMatters, a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization devoted to explaining the policy and politics, I have led reporters on the California Divide team who write about income inequity and poverty in California. I guided this team’s award-winning expose on wage theft, which typically impacts society’s most vulnerable workers: those with the least education, financial means and the fewest legal protections. Often those workers are immigrants. We exposed how some of California’s largest employers steal from their lowest-paid employees. Now, as deputy editor for California Voices, I seek out individuals with underrepresented viewpoints and offer to help their words find a vast audience. I also write well-researched, thought-provoking columns about subjects pertinent to our far-reaching coverage. |
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Education
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Northwestern University
Bachelor of Science: Journalism with a minor in economics Reporter, recruiter and editor at the Daily Northwestern. Worked part-time at TriQuarterly Magazine. University of Missouri Davenport Business Journalism Fellowship |
Broadening my horizons
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The Program was led by Poynter adjunct Tom Huang, Dallas Morning News assistant managing editor for journalism initiatives. The goal of the seminar is to assist journalists of color in the process of finding and refining their voices while also building their skill at writing opinion pieces and personal essays.
“The Power of Diverse Voices seminar is my way of helping writers from all sorts of backgrounds to dig deeply and do the hard work of telling honest stories from perspectives only they have,” Huang said. “And I’m encouraging them to find their voice. And encouraging them to use their voice.” Working with Huang were Eric Deggans, TV critic, media analyst and guest host for NPR; Fernanda Santos, managing editor of The 19th News and Diverse Voices workshop alum; and Aisha Sultan, home and family editor and columnist at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. |
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At home on the national stage
Investigative Reporters
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Recipient of a 2018 fellowship to attend an intensive data institute for journalism, visuals and website training in New York City via ProPublica and the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting, which is committed to growing the ranks of minority investigative journalists.
Judge: National Awards
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Education Writers Association
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Best Beat Reporting — Minority Issues
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In 2017, I was recognized for my continuing commitment to diversity issues in Education. The award was presented as part of the annual competition organized by the Florida Pro chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, a national organization “dedicated to the perpetuation of a Free Press as the cornerstone of our nation and our liberty.” The Florida Times-Union competed alongside the largest daily newspapers in Florida including the Miami Herald, Tampa Bay Times and Sun Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale.
Best Education Writing
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Morris Journalism Excellence Awards
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Audio/Video adept
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Focus group facilitator
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And in my spare time, I get to know the lay of the land
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