Mikella Schuettler covers the impact of federal politics on communities across Arizona. Before joining the Associated Press, she reported on crime, courts and the craziness of New York City for Bloomberg and the New York Post. This included covering the Sean “Diddy” Combs trial and tracking asylum denial rates across New York’s immigration judges. Schuettler is from Alberta, Canada, but grew up in South Africa, Thailand and Singapore. She recently earned a master’s degree from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, specializing in data journalism, and loves hunting for the story in the numbers.
Beat: Federal Impact Reporter, Arizona
Arizona is a state that plays an outsized role in the national political climate heading into the upcoming election cycles. It is profoundly impacted by federal policies on topics like health, immigration and federal lands. This reporter covers the impact of national actions and battleground issues, with a specialty on how leaders, families, schools and public officials navigate shifting policy and guidance on health issues such as vaccines, food and medical choices. The work combines breaking news, explanatory, accountability and solutions-focused journalism of national significance.