2022-2023

Graycen Wheeler

Graycen Wheeler reports on water issues for KOSU public radio, based in Stillwater, Oklahoma. A scientist-turned-journalist, she has written about science and technology for Symmetry, Science, Mongabay, among others, and covered local news, particularly housing and environmental issues, for the Monterey Herald, The Mercury News and Santa Cruz Local. Wheeler grew up in Norman, Oklahoma and started reporting while she was a graduate researcher at the University of Colorado Boulder. There, she wrote and edited for Science Buffs, a student-run STEM blog, and hosted a podcast, “Buffs Talk Science.” After earning a doctorate in biochemistry, Wheeler completed a master’s in science communication at the University of California, Santa Cruz. In her free time, Wheeler loves solving crossword puzzles and playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Jason Harward

Jason Harward is a multimedia journalist reporting on the state legislature and the economy for the Mitchell Republic in Mitchell, South Dakota. A recent graduate of Northwestern University, he holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism with a minor in legal studies. Harward spent three months reporting on the U.S. Congress for Medill News Service, part of Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, focusing on infrastructure, antitrust and the early buildup to the midterm elections. As an intern at KSAT, the ABC affiliate in San Antonio, Texas, he assisted in the production of daily newscasts and reported for the news site. When he’s not working, Harward loves the outdoors, cooking and reading Gothic novels.

Katie Redefer

Katie Redefer is a reporter whose work is published in two newspapers, Maryland’s The Salisbury Independent and Delaware State News. Previously, she was a metro correspondent for The Boston Globe’s city desk, reporting on breaking news. Redefer holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Emerson College, where she served as the editor-in-chief of The Berkeley Beacon, the student paper. In her free time, she enjoys practicing creative fiction writing, or sitting on the beach with a good book.

Lucy Peterson

Lucy Peterson reports on county government for The Mendocino Voice, which covers news across Mendocino County, California. A recent graduate of The University of Kansas, Peterson earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism and minored in political science and French. She spent several years reporting for the student paper, The University Daily Kansan, winning local and regional journalism awards, and helped direct coverage that won an Associated Collegiate Press Online Pacemaker Award. In 2021, she was recognized as a White House Correspondents’ Association Scholar for her work at the paper. Peterson has interned at The Kansas City Star, the Dow Jones News Fund, and reported on local businesses in her hometown, Denver, Colorado.

Nathan Hart

Nathan Hart covers education and workforce development in Ashland, Ohio for Ashland Source, a digital news organization serving residents of Ashland County in north central Ohio. Before joining Ashland Source, Nathan worked on Capitol Hill and covered the Texas delegation of Congress for McClatchy DC and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram as an intern reporter. Prior to that, Nathan worked in the Ohio statehouse as a statehouse news fellow for Cincinnati-based news station WCPO. Nathan’s journalism career started in high school where he worked on his school’s newspaper and weekly news show. Nathan has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Ohio University. He is a member of Phi Betta Kappa and Kappa Tau Alpha, both academic honor societies for college students. In his free time, Nathan enjoys playing video games, performing stand-up comedy, and going to social events.

Sami Edge

Sami Edge covers higher education with a focus on community college for The Oregonian/Oregon Live, which is based in Portland. Edge has reported on public safety for The Santa Fe New Mexican, and wrote about K-12 schools in Idaho for the nonprofit newsroom, Idaho Education News. She was an American Press Institute community listening fellow, and is a graduate of the University of Oregon, where she edited the independent student paper, The Emerald. Born in Reno, Nevada, she plans to spend her career exploring the American West.

Timothy Pratt

Timothy Pratt chronicles the long-term effects of the pandemic on Georgia for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, focusing on communities—demographic and geographic—that have suffered the most and will likely face the greatest challenges moving forward. Pratt has reported for the last 25 years, in English and Spanish, from Latin America and the U.S. on immigration, education, elections and voter suppression, race and more. His work has appeared in dozens of outlets, including The New York Times, The Guardian, The Atlantic, AP and Reuters. He has been a National Health Journalism Fellow, an Education Writers Association Reporting Fellow, a Marguerite Casey Foundation Fellow, among others, and the recipient of various awards, including one from the National Association of Hispanic Publications for a series in Spanish on how immigrant communities in Las Vegas experienced the 2010 World Cup.

Aaron Bonderson

Aaron Bonderson is a multimedia journalist covering the news in underserved communities for Nebraska Public Media, the state’s NPR and PBS stations. A recent graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, he holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism. While there, Bonderson interned as a general assignment reporter at Nebraska Public Media, covering agriculture, business, COVID-19, the environment and more. He has also worked as a sportscaster for KRNU, the university’s radio station, and as a reporter, producer, and sportscaster at KTCH radio in Wayne, Nebraska.

Bobby Brier

Bobby Brier covers mental health issues, especially issues affecting rural New Jerseyans, for NJ Spotlight News, a nonprofit news organization. Previously, Brier reported for New Mexico In Depth, covering the housing crisis across New Mexico and tracking bills in the state Legislature aimed at addressing the problem. His stories on the economic impact of a new professional soccer stadium in Albuquerque, and the financial contributions of land developers to political action committees in the lead- up to the city’s mayoral election earned an award for political news coverage from the Society of Professional Journalists. Hailing from Scranton, Pennsylvania, Brier has reported on arts and culture for The Scranton Times-Tribune. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, and a master’s degree in journalism from New York University.

Cris Villalonga-Vivoni

Cris Villalonga-Vivoni, better known as CV, is the health equity beat reporter for the Record-Journal, based in Meriden, Connecticut. Previously, as a Field Foundation fellow, Villalonga-Vivoni reported for the Windy City Times, a Chicago-based LGBTQ+ newspaper. Hailing from Puerto Rico, Villalonga-Vivoni holds a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and a bachelor’s in English from Boston College. When not on the beat, Villalonga-Vivoni can be found caring for horses at a local barn or on the couch cuddling a cat.