2026-2027

Elise Plunk

Elise Plunk

Before joining Louisiana Illuminator, Plunk earned her bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Florida, where she worked as editor-in-chief of Atrium magazine, a narrative nonfiction outlet on campus. She also worked as an environmental communications intern for the Thompson Earth Systems Institute, where she wrote feature stories and produced social media content on environmental topics relevant to Floridians, and as a climate journalist fellow at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. Plunk's favorite class in college was environmental journalism, where she learned to connect her passion for the natural world with her studies in reporting. When she isn't working, she loves making art from upcycled materials.
Gisselle Medina

Gisselle Medina

Gisselle Medina covers religion, culture and community development in the Central Valley for Fresnoland. Prior to joining Report for America, Medina built an education beat from scratch at The Frisc, a small newsroom in San Francisco. Their work has been published in the L.A. Times, The Oaklandside, The Daily Californian, Greater Good Science Center, and much more. Medina was a 2023 White House Correspondents' Association scholarship recipient and was part of the 2023 NAHJ and NLGJA student projects. Medina received a master's degree in journalism, with concentrations in investigative reporting and multimedia, from UC Berkeley, where they also studied English as an undergraduate. Originally from Los Angeles, Medina lived in Fresno for 10 years, where they cultivated a passion for helping people while residing in a room and board facility and uncovering the disparities faced by the residents. Outside of work, Medina loves to spend time with loved ones, playing board games, dancing to music, traveling to new places, and reading poetry.
Isabella Aldrete

Isabella Aldrete

Isabella Aldrete is a bilingual journalist for The Nevada Independent. She covers political races up and down the ticket, as well as the Legislature and how policies affect Latinos. Prior to joining Report for America, Aldrete interned for NBC News. There, she covered everything from Sam Altman’s investments to the CHIPs Act. Aldrete also worked at the Dow Jones News Fund, covering workplace benefits for Employee Benefit News. She’s a 2024 graduate of Barnard College.

David Escobar

David Escobar covers diversity in the Adirondacks for the Adirondack Explorer & North Country Public Radio. He previously served as the news editor for WFUV 90.7 FM in the Bronx. Along with mentoring student reporters, he produced, directed, and hosted the station's daily news podcast "What's What". Escobar has also worked as an associate producer for the podcast and radio show "Our Body Politic" and as an intern for WNYC's "The Takeaway". His journalism career started at WFUV as an anchor and student reporter. Prior to working in journalism, Escobar researched the history of Chinese migrant labor at the John Muir National Historic Site as an intern for the National Park Service. He has a master's degree in public media from Fordham University, where he also earned bachelor's degrees in journalism and digital technology & emerging media.

Emily Small

Emily Small does accountability reporting on economic disparities and health and human services issues for Door County Knock. She had bee a freelance journalist reporting on county government and local impacts of national issues like substance use disorder and labor shortages for Door County Knock and the Washington Island Observer. She received a first-place Wisconsin Newspaper Association award for Feature Writing in 2023. Small started in journalism as a staff writer and assistant editor for the Washington Island Observer, covering local government, business, features, and writing a bi-weekly personal column. She has a bachelor's degree in English literature and gender studies from Carthage College.

Fernando Figueroa

Fernando Figueroa covers the environment and climate change for The Ithaca Voice in NY. Figueroa previously worked as the environment beat reporter at The Independent Florida Alligator covering local protests, hurricanes, and the University of Florida administrative transition's implications on university climate policy. He also worked at WUFT covering Florida's water quality, Gainesville's regenerative agriculture, and sustainable architecture. Figueroa grew up in Venezuela and is fluent in Spanish. Outside of the newsroom, he loves to cook for his friends and will never miss an opportunity to dance.

Illan Ireland

Illan Ireland covers environmental threats and challenges facing Mississippi communities at the Mississippi Free Press. Previously, he completed a fellowship at The Futuro Media Group in New York City, taking on projects related to public health, climate change and housing insecurity. Working with Futuro’s investigative unit, he helped uncover significant disparities in mortgage outcomes between white and Latino homebuyers in New Jersey. Ireland holds a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University and a master’s degree from the Columbia Journalism School, where he reported on the escalating drug overdose crisis in New York City and the near collapse of the local shelter system. He’s a native Spanish speaker, a proud Mexican American and a lover of movies, soccer and unreasonably spicy foods.

Isabelle Tavares

Isabelle Tavares covers environmental and public health impacts in Southwest Detroit at Planet Detroit. Before that, she spent two years in the Santo Domingo art scene exploring her heritage and making films about her experience as a Dominican-American. Her interest in film was spurred by her work as an associate archival producer for a PBS docu-series about public health. She holds a master’s degree in magazine, news, and digital journalism from Syracuse University, where she reported on the food apartheid. This reporting came after her time in Cuba learning climate resilience strategies from rural and urban farmers. In 2019, she wrote data-driven lifestyle articles for Reader's Digest as an intern with the American Society of Magazine Editors. She is co-editor of Clearline Magazine, a Detroit-based environmental textile art publication.

Jabari Gibbs

Jabari Gibbs covers Glynn County in Coastal Georgia at The Current. Before joining Report for America, Gibbs was an Emma Bowen Foundation Fellow at The Current, covering Savannah government and city politics. He graduated from Georgia Southern University in 2023, where he served as editor-in-chief of The Inkwell, the campus newspaper. Under his leadership, the paper received multiple awards for investigating neglected student housing conditions. When he is not writing, Gibbs enjoys watching the NBA and going on long walks.

Jack Brook

Before joining The Associated Press, Brook lived in Phnom Penh, Cambodia for three and a half years, initially arriving as a Henry Luce Scholar. He has since worked as a freelance journalist covering Southeast Asia with a focus on human rights and environmental issues. His reporting has appeared in a range of publications, including The Guardian, Al Jazeera, Nikkei Asia, Mongabay and Vice World News. He also served as an editor with CamboJA News, one of Cambodia's last independent media outlets at the time. He grew up in Palo Alto, California, and graduated from Brown University with a bachelor's degree in history. He speaks conversational Khmer and Spanish and once attended an elephant’s wedding.