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The Mississippi Ag & Water Desk is proud to announce the addition of two new Expert Journalists to its growing team. The Desk, based at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, employs a handful of experienced reporters across the country to mentor and support its early-career reporters and join collaborative projects.
Kathleen Davis is an audio producer at Science Friday, a public radio show and podcast from WNYC Studios. She leads Science Friday's "The State of Science" vertical, working with local journalists across the country to elevate their science and environmental reporting to a national audience. Her reporting work has been featured on NPR, Marketplace, and WHYY's The Pulse. In 2024, she was recognized by the nonprofit news organization Current as a Rising Star of Public Media. She's based in New York City.
"I'm excited to join the Ag & Water Desk as an Expert Journalist," said Davis. "My specialty is in expanding the reach of local stories to a national audience, and I'm glad to bring that skillset to the Desk. Mentorship is a large part of why I've had success in my journalism career, and I look forward to paying that forward to this group of fantastic young reporters."
Michael Hawthorne is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and investigative reporter who focuses on the environment and public health for the Chicago Tribune. He has written extensively about the Great Lakes and Chicago River, the dangers of toxic chemicals in household products, and the lingering hazards of brain-damaging lead in homes and drinking water. Hawthorne grew up on a central Illinois farm and raised hogs to help pay for college. He covered state government and the environment for newspapers in Florida, Illinois and Ohio before joining the Tribune in 2004.
"Despite seemingly endless stories about the decline of legacy media, the Ag & Water Desk is a shining example of why being a young journalist is so exciting today," said Hawthorne. "I'm looking forward to sharing insights, exploring story ideas and assisting in story development as one of the organization's latest Expert Journalists."
Davis and Hawthorne join Halle Parker (Verite News), Julia Sklar (Independent), and Kristoffer Tigue (Minnesota Star Tribune) as Expert Journalists with the Desk. This group brings decades of experience covering agriculture, policy, land and water use, energy, industry, and coastal issues.
Learn more about the Desk and read other Expert Journalist bios here.
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