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Candidates for Election My Cool Headline Applications are now open for the mentorship program at IRE 2026 in National Harbor. If you’re joining us for the conference, you can fill out this form to sign up as a mentor or mentee. IRE will match mentors with mentees and arrange for them to meet at the…
Read MoreCandidates for Election Tipsheets, slides, session recordings and other resources from recent IRE & NICAR conferences are available again at this link. Logged-in members can browse this list of resources, which is a temporary fix while we finalize the import functionality of the new IRE Resource Center. ⚠️ Note: You must be a logged-in, active…
Read MoreWhat I learned from Diana R. Fuentes by Francisco Vara-Orta I never felt like I had enough time in DeeDee’s presence because I genuinely enjoyed being with her. Even though we lived in the same city, we didn’t see each other often since she was always on the go. And when we did, she was…
Read MoreIRE training coming to a city near you! The year is already off to a busy start for Investigative Reporters & Editors’ training team, with bootcamps, conferences and travel already under their belts. Even after the sudden passing of executive director Diana Fuentes, the trainers are committed to continuing her important work and teaching journalists…
Read MoreApril 11, 2026 IRE is kicking off its Spring Member Drive on Monday and there’s never been a more important time for you to invest in your work as a journalist. We know what you’re facing. Reporters across the country continue to face layoffs and newsroom budgets won’t stop shrinking. At the same time, the…
Read More(April 6, 2026) — Would you like to help lead Investigative Reporters and Editors as a new member of the Board of Directors? Or help judge the IRE Awards as an elected member of the IRE Contest Committee? Now is your chance! Seven of 13 board seats are up for election in 2026, along with…
Read MoreBy NaBeela Washington On July 15, 2025, a lightbulb went off at an evening “unveiling.” I sat in a room full of residents and community organizers while Northwestern University researchers presented Chicago’s heat vulnerability index. Graphs flashed on the screen. Neighborhood-level data. Risk factors mapped to census tracts. The kind of granular information that could…
Read MoreFollowing the unexpected passing of Executive Director Diana R. Fuentes last week, Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) is mourning the loss of a deeply respected leader whose impact on the organization and the field of investigative journalism will be felt for years to come. The IRE Board of Directors convened on Sunday to solidify next…
Read MoreMarch 22, 2026 – Investigative Reporters and Editors’ Board of Directors voted Sunday to nominate the organization’s late Executive Director Diana R. Fuentes for induction into its Ring of Honor. Fuentes was completing her fifth year as the leader of IRE when she died unexpectedly on March 20. A proud second-generation Texan, Diana spent more…
Read MoreMarch 20, 2026 – A message from IRE Board President Josh Hinkle: Dear IRE members and the broader journalism community, I’m reaching out on behalf of IRE’s Board and staff with a heavy heart. I’m so sorry to share the news that our executive director, Diana R. Fuentes, died unexpectedly today in Washington, D.C. As…
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