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Paroma Soni

Paroma Soni
Statement

I am a Data and Graphics Reporter at POLITICO, where I cover trade, immigration and agriculture. Before this, I was an Associate Visual Journalist with FiveThirtyEight, where I worked on data-driven stories about politics, abortion, and public policy. I am also currently a member of the IRE Board, where I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside incredible investigative reporters and contribute to the work of bolstering, protecting and advocating for our industry and its community.

I first ran for the Board because IRE has had an immense impact on my career. When I came to the U.S. from India, I was trying to break into a completely unfamiliar field of data journalism in a new country where I had no professional contacts. NICAR, IRE trainings and events, and the people in this community helped find my footing and build a successful and sustainable career. Those relationships and collaborations have continued to shape my work, and remain one of the most important parts of what IRE offers.

In my time on the Board, I have participated in panels at IRE conferences and online trainings, as well as served as a mentor for the Chauncey Bailey Fellowship. I have served as Chair of the International Subcommittee, where I have worked to expand and pass on the kind of support I received from IRE. We have worked on building resources and training for international members, from journalism students trying to study and work in the U.S. to reporters working around the globe. We have also focused on outreach and expanding IRE’s role as the gold standard for excellence in investigative reporting worldwide. This has included thinking through how IRE can better meet the needs of a membership that is increasingly global, and ensuring that international journalists see IRE as a resource they can rely on.

I have also been the Vice Chair of the Contest Committee for the past two years, judging dozens of entries from our members that reflect the best work of our reporters across beats, regions and formats. Reviewing this work year after year has underscored how much rigor, time and persistence investigative reporting now demands, and it has been a privilege to help recognize and elevate work that continues to inform and inspire audiences worldwide.

Needless to say, this past year has been fraught with challenges for newsrooms and reporters across the country and the world. During my time on the Board, I’ve come to appreciate the enormous effort of the IRE staff and members in helping our industry and community thrive.

If re-elected, I would continue focusing on making IRE’s resources more accessible, diverse and meaningful. I would prioritize support for international and early-career journalists navigating barriers to entry, and expand practical, skills-based training that reporters can immediately apply to their work. Finally, I would work to strengthen the sense of community that makes IRE not just a resource, but a professional network journalists can rely on throughout their careers.

  • Current position:
    • Data and Graphics Reporter at POLITICO
  • Prior experience:
    • Associate Visual Journalist at FiveThirtyEight
    • Delacorte Magazine Fellow at Columbia Journalism Review
    • Video Producer at BuzzFeed India
    • Assisted on The Markup’s “Still Loading” series, which won several awards including the IRE Phillip Meyer Award
    • Contributed articles to The Wire, The Swaddle, and BBC Studios
    • Guest lecturer for the Data Journalism program at Columbia University
  • IRE experience, including conferences and workshops attended and committee service:
    • Vice Chair of the Contest Committee, where I was on the panel of judges for the IRE awards this year and last year. We also contributed to updating the awards’ rules and structures.
    • Chair of the International Subcommittee, where we worked to expand IRE’s role globally and provide resources for our international members
    • Mentor for the Chauncey Bailey Journalist of Color Investigative Reporting Fellowship for last year’s winner
    • Conducted three to four sessions each at NICAR 2024, 2025 and 2026, two panels at IRE 2025, two sessions at the last AccessFest, and attended several of the conferences and local meetups in years prior
    • Annual mentor at NICAR and IRE conferences and for IRE’s collaboration with JournalismMentors.com
    • IRE member since I was a student
  • Expertise:
    • Beat reporting on trade, agriculture and immigration policy for industry professionals
    • Extensive technical skills in data analysis and graphics – including Python, JavaScript, Excel/Google Sheets and new AI tools like Codex; Adobe Illustrator and other Creative Suite software; off-the-shelf tools like Datawrapper, Rawgraphs and Flourish
    • Data-driven investigations
    • Long-form writing
    • Video production and editing
    • Mentorship and teaching
    • FOIA and public records-driven reporting
  • Related links:
  • Issues you would like to address as a board member:
    • Expanding resources and support for IRE’s growing international membership, including by providing guidance on immigration challenges and reporting safely across hostile environments
    • Increasing access to practical job training and meaningful networking opportunities for students and early-career journalists
    • Strengthening IRE’s support for press freedom initiatives
    • Continuing to cultivate and expand a strong sense of community for both new and long-time members

Nominated by Sheridan Wall, New York Residential Reporter

I'm reaching out to nominate Paroma Soni for re-election to the IRE Board. As a years-long friend and former colleague, I know Paroma to be among the most thoughtful of reporters, as well as a great mentor and teammate. She has a wealth of experience both professionally and personally, and her work reflects that diversity.

Paroma is a fierce advocate for international students and journalists, motivated by her own experiences as an immigrant, and her desire to improve accessibility for these reporters was among the reasons she previously ran for a seat on the board.

Paroma is generous with her time and talent, including recently pitching, organizing and conducting several sessions at NICAR that were well-received by a large number of students in attendance.

Aside from being an accomplished, award-winning journalist, Paroma also has a gift for connecting people from all walks of life and making them feel welcome. She is always a pleasure to work with, and I have no doubt she will continue to bring valuable insight and positivity to the board.

 

Second nomination by Jessie Blaeser, Senior Data Reporter, POLITICO

I’m pleased to nominate Paroma Soni for re-election to the IRE Board. As a colleague and friend, Paroma is a thoughtful reporter and an excellent collaborator and teammate. At POLITICO, she covers trade, immigration and agriculture — complex policy areas that she reports on with care, clarity and determination. She brings that same approach to her work with IRE. Over the past two years on the Board, she’s been actively involved in supporting other journalists, from mentoring sessions to contributing to panels and sessions at NICAR, many of which I have attended. She’s especially good at creating spaces where students and early-career reporters feel comfortable asking questions and learning.

Paroma is someone who takes both her reporting and her commitments seriously. She’s reliable, generous with her time, and invested in helping others do better work. I think she would continue to be a strong and thoughtful voice on the Board.

She will be an excellent selection to continue to serve this group.

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