Ryan Oehrli is a statewide accountability reporter at NC Local. Before joining Report for America, Oehrli reported on criminal justice at The Charlotte Observer, public safety at the Asheville Citizen Times, and other beats at several Mississippi outlets. Oehrli covered Border Patrol and ICE operations, the killing of Iryna Zarutska and North Carolina’s pardon system, among other issues. In 2025, with colleagues at the Observer and the News & Observer in Raleigh, he was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for breaking news reporting on Hurricane Helene.
Beat: Accountability Reporter in North Carolina
The reporter in this beat will take an investigative approach to large, complex statewide issues, such as Hurricane Helene recovery. By tracking funding sources and policy decisions, the position will strengthen accountability reporting in the area. This reporter will collaborate with other news staff and partners to use investigative skills to answer questions from audiences across a range of issues. In addition to investigative reporting and writing, the position will help translate investigative findings into digestible and accessible forms for all audiences.