Statement

I’m honored to seek my third term on IRE’s board at a pivotal moment for the organization and our industry. I aim to continue expanding IRE’s work on press freedom issues, improving training for audio journalists, and pushing good governance principles to ensure the organization will be training investigative journalists for generations to come.

I come to you with the experience of 12 years as a reporter in local newspapers, surviving countless rounds of layoffs and fearing for my future; transitioning from print to public radio, and feeling completely out of my depth; and becoming an editor, feeling certain that I had no idea what I was doing. When each of these moments threatened to make or break me, I turned toward my community at IRE and came out stronger.

My first IRE conference was in Boston in 2012. Work wouldn’t pay, so I and another attendee crashed head-to-toe on a friend’s extremely long sectional. It was worth it. By the time I won my first IRE Award in 2017, it was an annual priority to get to the conference and see the incredible mentors, colleagues and friends I met through this organization.

Today, I’m editorial director at the Center for Investigative Reporting, which houses Reveal and Mother Jones, and I do a mix of podcast and print editing, improving newsroom processes and running partnerships. I have been on the board for four years, having served on the governance, diversity, and conference committees; the affordability and board reform task forces; and as a speaker at the IRE and NICAR conferences. (I also co-host NICARaoke Friday night during that conference. This is one of my prouder achievements.)

For the last year, I’ve been IRE’s vice president and spearheaded our new press freedom initiatives. While our core function will always be world-class training for investigative journalists, we also have an obligation to advocate for the rights and safety of those journalists–especially when they’re under threat. With the help and support of fellow board members and our new Press Freedom Committee, we have developed a strong framework to ensure IRE’s press advocacy work remains focused on issues related to investigative journalism; passed new policies to make IRE more nimble in getting involved in fast-moving issues; and launched a webinar series and a press freedom track at the upcoming IRE conference.

I’ve also worked hard to raise the profile of audio journalists within our space. I worked with a subcommittee to launch our first-ever audio track at last year’s conference, and we will be back even bigger this year.

On a more difficult note, we experienced a huge loss with the unexpected death of our executive director, Diana Fuentes. I’ve worked hard alongside board president Josh Hinkle to support staff and volunteers, ensure IRE’s stability and honor Diana’s legacy. That work continues as we search for her successor and build the framework for a strong future.

Thank you for being a part of this community. I’d be grateful to have your support.

• Current position:
  • Center for Investigative Reporting, which houses Reveal and Mother Jones
    • EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, FEBRUARY 2024-PRESENT
    • DEPUTY EDITOR, MARCH 2023-FEBRUARY 2024
    • INVESTIGATIVE EDITOR, PROJECTS, MARCH 2022-2023

• • Louisville Public Media, Board of Directors, 2024-PRESENT 
• Prior experience:
  • Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting
    • MANAGING EDITOR, 2018-2022
    • INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER, 2016-2018
• • The Omaha World-Herald
    • HIGHER EDUCATION REPORTER, 2013-2016

• • The Florida Times-Union
    • ENTERPRISE REPORTER, 2010-2013

• • The Tennessean
    • REPORTER, 2005-2010

• • Newport Daily News
    • REPORTER, 2004-2005

• IRE experience, including conferences, workshops attended and committee service:
  • Attended most IRE conferences since 2012 and many NICARs
  • Attended data boot camp in 2014
  • Offered the “Backgrounding Like a Boss” training for many, many years
  • Chaired governance and press freedom committees
  • Served on diversity, conference committees and affordability and board reform task forces
  • Planned and organized IRE’s first-ever audio track at the 2025 IRE conference
• Expertise:
  • Investigative reporting, investigative audio storytelling, editing, managing through crisis
• Key issues to address as a board member:
  • Please see my overall statement for a fuller picture, but my priorities include advocating for press freedom, bolstering audio-specific training, supporting diversity efforts, financial stability and good governance on IRE’s board