What I Cover

I cover issues that matter to Missouri and the Midwest, including politics, crime, abortion and reproductive rights, policing and incarceration. I also examine how cultural and political shifts are unfolding in a traditionally conservative state, focusing on policies, conflicts and power struggles shaping daily life in a region that is often overlooked.

My Background

At ProPublica, my reporting has focused on government accountability, law enforcement and the influence of money in public policy. I’ve investigated a “clean energy” lending program, exposing how a taxpayer-backed financing tool meant for home improvements has left vulnerable homeowners saddled with debt and the risk of losing their homes. I’ve reported on the tensions between St. Louis police and prosecutors, including efforts by police to undermine prosecutorial reforms. I’ve also examined the rise of private policing in St. Louis, where wealthy business interests fund and influence law enforcement outside of public oversight. In addition, I’ve covered the battle over reproductive rights in Missouri, revealing how state funds support anti-abortion groups beyond its borders and how conservatives in state government are working to reverse a constitutional amendment enshrining abortion rights. My work aims to expose abuses of power and the ways public policies impact the people they are supposed to serve.

Before joining ProPublica in 2021, I spent more than 22 years reporting for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, covering government, policing, health care and corruption. Before that, I worked for newspapers in New Jersey, including the Courier-Post, The Trentonian and the Gloucester County Times.