Olivia Bensimon covers Baltimore County for The Baltimore Banner. Prior to this role, she was a freelance journalist specializing in people-centered reporting on topics such as immigration, breaking news, protests, court cases, and local happenings. A longtime New York reporter, she has written for a variety of news outlets like The New York Times, Hell Gate, Crain’s New York Business, and City Limits. She previously roamed the streets for both of the city’s tabloids and cut her teeth as a runner at the New York Post. In 2025, she won a Front Page Award from the Newswomen’s Club of New York for a local feature she wrote for The New York Times about an asylum-seeking family from Guinea. She is a graduate of New York University and the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY.
Beat: Baltimore County Reporter
The Baltimore Banner is looking for an innovative, versatile general assignment reporter to join our regional team covering Baltimore County. As we further expand coverage into the county, this reporter will report on communities that have long been under covered by local media. Reporting of Baltimore County has traditionally focused on areas closest to the city, leaving suburban, rural, and communities of color underrepresented. These gaps limit understanding of how government decisions affect residents and leave important stories untold. This reporter will cover these underrepresented communities as part of their beat. This reporter will go beyond city government and police reporting to examine the full range of issues shaping residentsʼ daily lives, including education, housing, health, transportation and local policy. The beat will provide richer, more inclusive reporting, highlight diverse perspectives, uncover systemic challenges, and ensure all communities across Baltimore County are seen, heard and understood. The reporter will be expected to write a range of stories, including quick hit breaking news, longer enterprise and mid-length dailies. We are looking for a self-starter who thinks outside the box and has a keen eye for unique stories.