Stephanie Casanova is a Colorado River reporter for Arizona Luminaria. Her position is part of a partnership with High Country News Western Environmental Collaborative (WERC). Prior to joining Report for America, Casanova worked as an independent bilingual journalist from Tucson, Arizona, who has covered community stories for more than 10 years. She is passionate about narrative, in-depth and investigative storytelling that is inclusive and reflects the diversity of the communities she covers. Her work has been published by CALÓ News, Somos Tucson, Arizona Luminaria and Prism. She previously reported for Signal Cleveland, the Chicago Tribune and the Arizona Daily Star.
Casanova is a 2026 investigative fellow with the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting and has completed fellowships with the SPJ Future Leaders Academy, the Maynard 200 investigative reporting program and the IRE Data Journalism Bootcamp. She has also mentored students through the SPJ Future Leaders Academy.
When she is not working, Casanova is most likely dancing salsa or baking something sweet.
Beat: Colorado River reporter
The Colorado River reporter covers the water crisis through investigative and environmental justice reporting for Arizona communities facing severe water cuts. The position holds decision-makers accountable for the policies that created today's crisis, centers tribal voices fighting for access to their legal water rights, and examines how rural farming communities and low-income neighborhoods bear disproportionate burdens. The reporting provides communities with clear information about negotiations leading to 2026 management guidelines and actionable pathways to participate in water governance decisions that will shape Arizona's future for generations. The position is part of a partnership with High Country News Western Environmental Collaborative (WERC).