Before joining Rocky Mountain PBS, Priya Shahi was a reporter for the Staten Island Advance, covering public health and human-interest stories, including disparities in maternal health outcomes and the region’s response to the mental health crisis. Her passion for journalism began after moving from Nepal to Queens, New York — one of the world’s most diverse places — where every block held untold stories. Today, she holds a master’s degree in journalism from Syracuse University.
Beat: Rural communities and economies in Eastern Colorado
In late July and early August of 2024, five local newsrooms in Colorado shuttered: the Plainsman Herald, the Burlington Record, the Lamar Ledger, the Fort Morgan Times, and the Brush News-Tribune. All were in Eastern Colorado, significantly expanding the news deserts in this rural region of the state. The Rural Communities Journalist will help fill this critical and widening coverage gap by establishing a beat that encompasses eastern plains communities currently lacking local news outlets.