IRE 2024 conference schedule The IRE 2024 conference will run from Thursday, June 20, to Sunday, June 23 in Anaheim, at the Anaheim Marriott, 700 West Convention Way, Anaheim, CA 92802. More details will be added to this schedule as they are confirmed. To register for the conference, please navigate to this page: https://www.ire.org/training/conferences/ire-2024/ire24-registration/ 214 sessions confirmed - Updated May 18 - All times are PT View schedule in another format: - HTML: https://schedules.ire.org/ire-2024/index.html - PDF: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NPBT2rxI3MBImoKPCAdOAZAIQX7duI-RHTphYeXfEQQ/export?format=pdf - CSV: https://schedules.ire.org/ire-2024/ire-2024-schedule.csv - JSON: https://schedules.ire.org/ire-2024/ire-2024-schedule.json *** THURSDAY, JUNE 20 *** ------ Welcome, first-timers! ������ Time: Thursday, June 20, 8 – 8:45 a.m. (45 minutes) Location: Platinum 5, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speaker information coming soon. ------ Broadcast Track: 60 ideas in 60 minutes Time: Thursday, June 20, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 7, lobby level A speed round of best ideas anyone can do in their markets. Jot these down and go do them now! Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Broadcast track Speakers: - Jenna Bourne, 10 Tampa Bay (WTSP-TV): Jenna is an investigative reporter at 10 Tampa Bay (WTSP-TV), a TEGNA-owned and CBS-affiliated station. She previously worked at WJAX/WFOX in Jacksonville, FL; WSPA in Greenville, SC; and WKBT in La Crosse, WI. Connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennabournewtsp | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennabournewtsp/ | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennabourne/, - Katie Wilcox, KPNX, - Tracee Wilkins, WRC-TV, Washington, D.C. ------ Broadcast Track: Fighting for time: How to make the most of your best investigations. Time: Thursday, June 20, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Gold Key 1, lobby level Your investigation just aired on TV, but you have so much more of the story to tell! From multi-part TV stories, to podcasts, to longform and streaming specials, these creative storytellers will demonstrate ways to maximize your content. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Broadcast track Speakers: - Jeremy Finley, WSMV-TV: Jeremy Finley's heroes are investigative reporters, so he hopes to meet you. He's a three-time IRE award winner and the chief investigative reporter at WSMV-TV. As an internationally published novelist, his books have been featured in People Magazine, the NY Post, and NPR. He's also the co-host of the literary public affairs show, A WORD ON WORDS, on Nashville Public Television. He lives with his wife, daughters, terrible dog and the James Bond of cats in Nashville, TN. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/JFinleyreports | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyfinleyreports/ | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeremyfinleyreports, - Wendy Halloran, KUTV, - Tomas Navia, ABC News, - Bigad Shaban, NBC Bay Area ------ Covering elections by putting the community first Time: Thursday, June 20, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand F, lobby level Dozens of newsrooms are giving up horse-race coverage in favor of investigating the issues — problems and solutions — that matter most to the community. By reporting on politicians' proposals and campaign promises on these key issues, they are holding politicians accountable. They're also making campaign coverage less toxic and polarizing, and more helpful to voters. This panel will feature journalists who have transformed their newsroom's coverage, and tips for newsrooms who want to get away from the horse-race. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Elections track Speakers: - Brianna Lee, Southern California Public Radio, - Tina Rosenburg, Solutions Journalism Network ------ Excel 1: Getting started with spreadsheets Time: Thursday, June 20, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 3, lobby level (PC) In this introduction to spreadsheets, you'll begin analyzing data with Excel, a simple but powerful tool. You'll learn how to enter data, navigate spreadsheets and conduct simple calculations like sum, average and median. This session is good for: Data beginners. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor information coming soon. ------ FYI Forum: Hispanic Media GOTV Coalition Time: Thursday, June 20, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand B, lobby level This session is sponsored by the National Association of Broadcasters. IRE retains control of content, including the topic and speaker selection, for all conference sessions. Notes: - Session type: FYI Forum Speaker information coming soon. ------ Finding the story: Police stop data Time: Thursday, June 20, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 2, lobby level (BYO) A couple years ago, a few IRE members formed a collaborative – starting at one of our conferences – to gather police officer work history and discipline data from all 50 states. That work has taken years and is paying off, and we are about to release the data via Big Local News’ platform for more than 20 states, with close to 30 following before summer ends. We'll share what data is being released, when, and how, along with some tips and guidelines for its use. And! the data will be available to all local journalists at the end of June. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructors: - John Kelly, CBS News: John Kelly is Vice President of Data Journalism for CBS News and Stations, leading data-driven investigations, enterprise and innovation for the network and 14 local stations from New York to Los Angeles. He's built and led investigative data journalism units at USA Today and ABC News. A champion for collaboration across newsrooms, his teams' stories include winners of Edward R. Murrow Awards, Emmy Awards, and Goldsmith Prize, and finalists for the Pulitzer Prize. Connect: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnkelly3rd/, - Cheryl Phillips, Stanford University ------ How AI can elevate your newsroom Time: Thursday, June 20, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand G, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - AI track Speakers: - Ernest Kung, The Associated Press, - David Lesher, CalMatters, - Julie Watts, CBS News California Investigates ------ How to make a FOIA request Time: Thursday, June 20, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand C, lobby level The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) specifically guarantees reporters access to many records from federal agencies. While FOIA comes with a presumption of openness, access is not guaranteed: the law permits agencies to hold records if they fall within an “exemption” to FOIA. And in some cases, an agency may still delay responding. Learn how to write a public records request and how to make the most of them. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Public records track Speaker: - Suzy Khimm, NBC News ------ Investigating climate change Time: Thursday, June 20, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand E, lobby level While there is great reportage on climate change, there remains a dearth of investigative reporting on this issue. Like almost all issues investigative reporters are looking into, there are powerful individuals and organizations driving climate change. So, where do you start? How do you go about an investigation into climate-related issues? And what separates an investigation from reportage around climate change? Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Beat reporting track Speakers: - Lauren Etter, Bloomberg News: Lauren Etter is an investigative reporter and editor at Bloomberg News. She was a lead editor on the 2024 Pulitzer finalist series “Water Grab,” which documented how corporate water profiteers “willfully exacerbate the effects of climate change at the expense of less powerful communities.” Previously a staff reporter at The Wall Street Journal, Etter holds master’s degrees in journalism and in law from Northwestern University., - Miranda Green, Floodlight: Miranda is the LA-based Director of Investigations at Floodlight, where she reports on climate-focused projects including the intersection of dark money, the fossil fuel industrial complex and the manipulation of news to spread misinformation. A two-part series she co-reported with NPR was chosen as a finalist for the 2023 Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting and won the Los Angeles Press Club’s award on misinformation. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/mirandacgreen, - Ben Stockton, Centre for Climate Reporting, - Amy Westervelt, Drilled: Amy Westervelt is an award-winning investigative climate reporter whose work has been published by The Guardian, The Intercept, The Washington Post, and many more. Today, she runs Drilled, a global investigative newsroom publishing climate accountability stories in print and audio. In 2023, Amy was named a Covering Climate Now Journalist of the Year. Her work has previously received Murrow, ONA, SEJ, and Rachel Carson awards, as well as two Peabody nominations. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/amywestervelt ------ Investigative journalism with Pinpoint Time: Thursday, June 20, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 1, lobby level (BYO) Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor: - Shlomo Urbach, Google: Shlomo Urbach is a senior software engineer with a diverse technological background who has been at Google for 16 years. In the past few years, he has been working on tools for investigative journalists, most recently using Generative AI. Urbach was the technical lead for the Pinpoint Extract Structured Data tool, and he is a huge fan of investigative journalism. Connect: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shlomo-urbach/ ------ Networking: International journalists Time: Thursday, June 20, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 2, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Networking Speaker information coming soon. ------ Tools for FOIA and large project organization Time: Thursday, June 20, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 6, lobby level This panel will showcase how to use some of the most popular no-code tech tools to organize large investigative projects. We'll cover how to automate FOIA tracking, facilitate collaborative projects, and create databases for interview notes and fact checking. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Public records track Speakers: - Matt Dempsey, Spotlight PA, - Madison Hopkins, Better Government Association ------ Broadcast Track: Thinking outside the (TV) box: Tips to reach audiences on platforms beyond broadcast Time: Thursday, June 20, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 7, lobby level Broadcast audiences may be shrinking, but our panel of innovators deliver 10 tips to add multiplatform elements to your investigations and find audiences in new places - without burning yourself out. You'll leave with ideas on how to reach new viewers - on YouTube, on social media, OTT, and other platforms you may have never even considered - to get better ROI from your hard work and to amplify your impact. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Broadcast track Speakers: - Levi Ismail, NewsChannel 5: Levi Ismail is an award-winning investigative reporter for the prestigious NewsChannel 5 Investigative Unit in Nashville, Tennessee. Most of Levi’s 10+ year career involved shooting, writing and editing his own stories, but now he applies those same skills to sharing his investigations across multiple platforms. Ask Levi about “vertical video storytelling,” and don’t forget to catch more of his reporting on-air and on the TikTok channel Nashville News. Connect: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/levi.ismail/ | TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nashvillenews | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/levi-ismail-2aab0452 | X: https://twitter.com/LeviAIsmail, - Ashlyn Lipori-Russie, Freelance: Ashlyn is an Emmy-nominated journalist with a diverse background in broadcast and digital news. She started her career with the Investigative Unit at NBC Bay Area before becoming a producer at KGTV. Ashlyn then worked as content manager at inewsource, a nonprofit investigative newsroom in San Diego, where she took the lead on audience engagement and innovation. Most recently, she has launched her own venture called Ask Ashlyn, working to combat news avoidance. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/ask_ashlyn | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashlyn-lipori-russie/ | TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ask_ashlyn: undefined, - Noah Pransky, Independent journalist ------ Covering public stadium boondoggles Time: Thursday, June 20, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 2, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Beat reporting track Speakers: - Spencer Custodio, Voice of OC, - Michael Hitzik, Los Angeles Times, - Arlene Martinez, Good Jobs First, - Norberto Santana, Voice of OC ------ Diving into historical displacement and denial of housing rights within communities of color Time: Thursday, June 20, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 6, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Brandi Kellam, ProPublica and the Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism at WHRO, - Cheryl W. Thompson, NPR ------ Excel 2: Formulas & sorting Time: Thursday, June 20, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 3, lobby level (PC) Much of Excel's power comes in the form of formulas. In this class, you'll learn how to use them to analyze data with the eye of a journalist. Yes, math will be involved, but it's totally worth it! This class will show you how calculations like change, percent change, rates and ratios can beef up your reporting. This session is good for: Anyone who is comfortable navigating Excel. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor: - K. Sophie Will, Bloomberg Law: K. Sophie Will is an investigative data reporter at Bloomberg Law, Government and Tax. Previously, she was a congressional action reporter at CQ Roll Call and Utah Investigative Journalism Project's Alicia Patterson fellow. The award-winning Utah native graduated from Boston University with bylines found in the Deseret News, USA Today, AP, Thomson Reuters, HuffPost, WGBH and more. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/ksophiewill | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ksophiewill/ ------ Extracting data from PDFs Time: Thursday, June 20, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 1, lobby level (BYO) Join this class to learn how to “liberate” trapped data locked inside of PDF’s. This class will cover basic approaches for getting text out of PDF documents using powerful and freely available tools. Participants will be introduced to basic concepts and walked through tackling common challenges encountered with tricky PDF documents. This session is good for: People who are unfamiliar with PDF-to-text tools or would like to learn how these tools can be used for extracting difficult text from images embedded in a PDF document. Attendees will need to bring their own laptop (no tablets) for the training and should have access to a CometDocs account, which you can access through your IRE membership; the free software Tabula; and access to Google Drive. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor: - Aaron Kessler, Bloomberg ------ Finding the Story: Court records Time: Thursday, June 20, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 2, lobby level (BYO) Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor: - Daniel Connolly, Law360: Daniel Connolly is a senior reporter with Law360 —the nation’s leading legal news service— and recently won a first-place national SABEW award for coverage of a nationwide debt relief scam. He formerly worked for publications including The Commercial Appeal (Memphis), contributed to USA Today’s investigative and immigration teams, and wrote "The Book of Isaias," a critically acclaimed book on Mexican immigration to the U.S. South. Connect: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-connolly-ab5b948/ ------ Finding the story: Campaign finance data Time: Thursday, June 20, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand C, lobby level A hands-on introduction to searching for, finding and using federal campaign finance data for beginners. This class will cover using the new Federal Election Commission website to find and download different types of campaign finance data. We'll also review things to know about the data, including common pitfalls. This session is good for: people who want an introduction to finding and working with federal campaign finance data. Knowing Excel will be helpful. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor information coming soon. ------ Gender & reproductive rights track: Covering the local beat Time: Thursday, June 20, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 5, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speaker information coming soon. ------ How to build inclusive global collaborative investigations Time: Thursday, June 20, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand B, lobby level Investigative journalism is increasingly collaborative – across newsrooms and across borders. But are we developing models of collaboration that recreate -- rather than challenge – historic power imbalances between journalists in the Global South and Global North? International journalism has a long history of extractive practices, from exploiting “fixers” to failing to credit local outlets. But even the most well-intentioned global collaborations can fall into some of the same patterns. We will convene a frank, off-the-record discussion between editors and project managers about equity and inclusion in cross-border investigations. Facilitated by Lighthouse Reports editors working on collaborations in Mexico, Afghanistan and Syria, we will discuss practical steps the industry can take to create more inclusive cross-border collaborations. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Management track Speakers: - Mohammad Fahim Abed, Lighthouse Reports : Fahim Abed is a investigations editor with Lighthouse Reports and 2023 Nieman fellow at Harvard. He was a reporter for The New York Times in Afghanistan until the Taliban takeover of the country in August 2021. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/fahimabed | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fahim-abed-06824338?utm_source: share&utm_campaign, - Charlotte Alfred, Lighthouse Reports: Charlotte is senior editor at investigative newsroom Lighthouse Reports, developing cross-border projects that combine OSINT, data journalism and money trails tools. She focuses on investigations in countries affected by conflict, in partnership with local and exiled journalists. Previously based in the Middle East, she has worked in news, features and documentary, reporting on migration, misinformation and conflict. Connect: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlottealfred/, - Melissa del Bosque, Lighthouse Reports ------ How to get funding for investigative projects Time: Thursday, June 20, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand G, lobby level Tips and tricks from some of the leading journalism foundations on applying to grants. Do's and don'ts of writing an application, creating a budget, and more Notes: - Session type: FYI Forum Speakers: - Eric Ferrero, Fund for Investigative Journalism: Eric Ferrero is the Executive Director of the Fund for Investigative Journalism, which provides grants and other support directly to journalists for groundbreaking stories. He previously served in leadership roles in nonprofit and philanthropy, including at the Open Society Foundations, Innocence Project and Amnesty International. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/ericferrero | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericferrero/, - Jane Sasseen, McGraw Center ------ How to make a great story into a great narrative podcast Time: Thursday, June 20, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 4, lobby level Ever wondered what it takes to make a limited-run podcast, the kind that unfurls an investigation over episodes, introduces unforgettable characters and asks big questions? We'll give you a high-level view of how to turn great reporting into a great audio narrative. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Reporting and writing strategies track Speaker: - Kristin Nelson, Boston Globe ------ How to report on what goes on in prisons and jails Time: Thursday, June 20, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand E, lobby level Prisons and jails are difficult institutions to crack. Guards maintain a blue wall of silence. Unlike police, citizen cell phones can't capture official misbehavior. And many people don't care about the incarcerated. Hear from panelists about how they get behind the walls to tell the stories of what goes on in prisons and jails. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Beat reporting track Speakers: - Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times: Keri Blakinger is a Los Angeles Times reporter covering the Sheriff's Department and county jails. Previously, she covered prisons for The Marshall Project and criminal justice for the Houston Chronicle. She is a two-time Pulitzer finalist and the author of Corrections in Ink. Connect: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keribla | X: https://twitter.com/keribla | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keriblakinger/ | Threads: https://www.threads.net/@keriblakinger, - Jan Ransom, The New York Times: Jan Ransom is an investigative reporter for The New York Times focusing on criminal justice issues, law enforcement and incarceration in New York. The Newswomen's Club of New York named her “Journalist of the Year” for their 2022 Front Page Awards for her coverage of the crisis at Rikers Island, one of America's most notorious jail complexes. Connect: X: twitter.com/Jan_Ransom | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-ransom-a26b2ba8 | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/by_jan_ransom/, - Mike Sisak, The Associated Press, - Christie Thompson, The Marshall Project ------ Networking: Students Time: Thursday, June 20, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand F, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Networking Speaker information coming soon. ------ A matter of life and death: How to investigate healthcare failures Time: Thursday, June 20, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand G, lobby level When a patient dies in alarming circumstances or lifesaving medicines become potentially lethal, how can you develop sources and follow the paper trail to determine who is responsible? Reporters who have dug into the vital parts of the healthcare industry – from the global pharmaceutical supply chain to defective medical device manufacturers to healthcare providers serving the most vulnerable – will lay out sources, documents and data that you can use in your own investigations. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Beat reporting track Speaker: - Kendall Taggart, Bloomberg News ------ AI and automation for the local beat Time: Thursday, June 20, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 6, lobby level Tips and tools to help journalists tap emerging new technologies in AI to monitor, summarize, and get alerts on key topics in their community, using low-cost and free tools. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - AI track Speaker information coming soon. ------ Best practices on navigating disinformation and online abuse in an election year Time: Thursday, June 20, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 5, lobby level Disinformation and online abuse are significant threats for investigative journalists, editors, and their work, and are expected to increase exponentially in the lead up to the elections. This session will explore how new technologies, including generative AI, can disrupt traditional reporting and fuel online abuse, and how these disruptions can, in turn, threaten progress on diversifying the journalism industry. Featuring an investigative journalist and producer, and digital safety and disinformation experts, this session will offer journalists and editors the opportunity to exchange best practices and practical tools on defending against online abuse and disinformation campaigns. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speaker: - Jeje Mohamed, PEN America: Jeje Mohamed is the senior manager, digital safety and free expression at PEN America. She has over a decade of experience working on journalism, human rights issues, and safety and security in the Middle East and internationally. She develops identity-centric and trauma-informed physical, digital, and psychological safety and security training for journalists and media organizations. She is on the advisory board and newsroom lead for Coalition Against Online Violence. Connect: X: twitter.com/JejeRMohamed | Instagram: instagram.com/notajeje | Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jejem.bsky.social | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jejemohamed?trk ------ Broadcast Track: Making the jump: How to get the investigative title (or do the job without one!) Time: Thursday, June 20, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 7, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Broadcast track Speakers: - Matt Goldberg, CBS News, - Jatara McGee, Hearst Television, - Walter Smith Randolph, CBS News New York: Walter Smith Randolph is a national award-winning investigative journalist. He's currently the Executive Producer of Investigations at CBS News New York. He's also an adjunct assistant professor the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY and he serves as Vice President-Broadcast of the National Association of Black Journalists. Walter is a past member of IRE's Contest Committee. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/WalterReports | Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/waltersmithrandolph/ ------ Digging into corporate behavior: Tracking and reporting on business influence Time: Thursday, June 20, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 2, lobby level This session is sponsored by Bloomberg. IRE retains control of content, including the topic and speaker selection, for all conference sessions. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speaker: - Arlene Martinez, Good Jobs First ------ Excel 3: Filtering & pivot tables Time: Thursday, June 20, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 3, lobby level (PC) A look at the awesome power of pivot — and how to use it to analyze your dataset in minutes rather than hours. We'll work up to using a pivot table by first sorting and filtering a dataset, learning how to find story ideas along the way. This session is good for: Anyone familiar with formulas, sorting and filtering in Excel or another spreadsheet program. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor: - Gary Harki, Bloomberg Law ------ FYI Forum: How to help your audience avoid news fatigue Time: Thursday, June 20, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand C, lobby level The news is exhausting. Journalists are exhausted producing it. The public is exhausted consuming it. And research shows more people are avoiding news than ever before. Journalists can both earn audience trust and diminish this news avoidance by helping people know when to step away from the news. In this session, you’ll walk away with in-hand strategies and tools for how you can help your audience become smarter news consumers and better navigate the news. Notes: - Session type: FYI Forum Speaker: - Mollie Muchna, Trusting News: Mollie Muchna is a project manager at Trusting News. Most of her journalism career has been spent working in audience and engagement journalism in legacy newsrooms across the Southwest. She lives in Tucson, Arizona, where she is also an adjunct professor at the University of Arizona’s School of Journalism. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/MollieMuchna | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollie-muchna-829169102/ ------ Finding the story: Housing data Time: Thursday, June 20, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand B, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor information coming soon. ------ How to make investigative reporting about non-English speaking communities more accessible to them Time: Thursday, June 20, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand F, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Maryam Jameel, ProPublica: Maryam Jameel is an engagement reporter at ProPublica based in Washington DC. She focuses on community-sourced investigations mainly tied to workers' rights issues. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/mrym_jml, - Wendy Selene Pérez, Independent Journalist: Wendy Selene Pérez is a journalist with a two-decade career spanning various media outlets in Mexico, Argentina, and the US. Her work focuses on social justice, government accountability, and immigration. Pérez's articles have been featured in The Texas Tribune, EHN, El País, Gatopardo, Proceso, and Al Día/Dallas Morning News. She has been honored with the National Journalism Awards in Mexico, Walter Reuter German Journalism Award, and Breach-Valdez Human Rights Award. Connect: X: twitter.com/wendyselene | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyselene/ ------ Networking: LGBTQ+ Time: Thursday, June 20, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand E, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Networking Speaker information coming soon. ------ Should I learn to code? Time: Thursday, June 20, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 2, lobby level (BYO) Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructors: - Liz Lucas, IRE & NICAR, - Cody Winchester, IRE & NICAR: Cody is the director of technology and online resources at IRE, where he has also been a trainer. Before that, he was a journalist focused on data and investigations at various newspapers. Connect: GitHub: https://github.com/cjwinchester ------ Unlocking data.census.gov for your news stories Time: Thursday, June 20, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 1, lobby level (BYO) In this hands-on training session, journalists will learn how to access data from the Census Bureau’s main data dissemination tool, data.census.gov. We will first provide the data availability within the site, including the availability of widely used products like the American Community Survey and 2020 Decennial Census. Then, we will pivot to a live demonstration of how to access various data tables, and attendees will have the opportunity to participate in group and individual exercises to explore the site directly. We will then provide users with resources relevant to journalists for learning more about the Census Bureau and its data products, as well as highlighting the recent changes and improvements made to data.census.gov so that reporters have the latest skills to stay up to date on how to retrieve Census data. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor: - Tyson Weister, U.S. Census Bureau: Tyson Weister is a survey statistician at the U.S. Census Bureau, where he engages users in the new dissemination platform on data.census.gov. He also helps users navigate the Census data API and microdata access tool. ------ What to cover in education (K12 and higher ed) Time: Thursday, June 20, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 4, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - CD Davidson-Hiers, EWA, - Matt Drange, Business Insider: Matt Drange is a reporter at Business Insider, previously with The Information, FORBES magazine and The Center for Investigative Reporting. He's spent the past two years investigating educator sexual abuse in K-12 schools across America. In addition to IRE, Drange volunteers with SABEW's First Amendment Committee and SPJ NorCal’s Freedom of Information Committee. He graduated from Columbia University and teaches journalism at Cal Poly Humboldt and Laney College. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/mattdrange | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattdrange/, - Jewel Jackson, Better Government Association, - Marina Villeneuve, Salon: Marina Villeneuve is an investigative journalist based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 2023, she graduated from Columbia University's Lede Program in data journalism and was a USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism National Fellow for a broadcast series she led on sexual abuse in Massachusetts public schools. She worked for six years as a statehouse reporter for The Associated Press in Maine and New York. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/reportermarina | GitHub: https://github.com/reportermarina | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marina-villeneuve-8b7b5a23/ ------ IRE Board of Director candidate speeches & meet and greet Time: Thursday, June 20, 12:45 – 1:30 p.m. (45 minutes) Location: Grand G, lobby level Come hear from the folks running for a seat on the IRE Board! A meet-and-greet will follow the candidate speeches. Notes: - Session type: Special ------ IRE Board of Directors meeting Time: Thursday, June 20, 2 – 5 p.m. (180 minutes) Location: Platinum 9-10, lower level The IRE Board of Directors will meet on Thursday from 2-5 p.m. in Oceans 10 at the Renaissance Orlando SeaWorld, as part of the annual conference. The meeting is open to all IRE members. Notes: - Session type: Special ------ Bridging the newsroom and the classroom: Tackling big projects with student journalists Time: Thursday, June 20, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand E, lobby level Hear from journalism educators who are using their classrooms as places where young reporters work with actual professionals to provide reporting and assistance with public service accountability projects. You'll learn about how these collaborations happened and why they mattered-- and how other reporters and newsrooms can collaborate with higher ed institutions. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Amara Aguilar, USC Annenberg, - Kathy Best, Howard Center for Investigative Journalism: Kathy Best is the inaugural director of the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland. She previously was the executive editor of The Seattle Times, editor of the Missoulian in Missoula, MT, and a top editor at The Baltimore Sun, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Students in the Howard Center produce national investigations, often working with other universities or professional partners. Connect: X: twitter.com/kbest | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathy-best-15b1784/, - Kathleen Johnston, Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism, - Justin Pritchard, The Associated Press, - Erin Siegel-McIntyre, UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media ------ Broadcast Track: Make me care! Writing scripts that hook viewers and keep them invested Time: Thursday, June 20, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 7, lobby level Whether you’re writing a longform investigation or turning something shorter, in this panel you’ll learn tips for making your scripts sing. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Broadcast track Speakers: - A.J. Lagoe, KARE11, - Joce Sterman, InvestigateTV, - Chris Vanderveen, KUSA-TV, Denver, CO ------ Deep Dive: Two reporters talking writing Time: Thursday, June 20, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 6, lobby level In investigative journalism, Sarah Stillman (newly minted Pulitzer winner) and Ava Kofman are two of the finest writers around, able to pull readers into deeply reported, long-form pieces on critical but oh-so-gloomy subjects. In this session they'll talk shop, asking each other about their techniques and stories, which range from the draconian felony-murder doctrine and debtors' prisons to penile enlargement surgery (gone wrong) and turning hospice care into a hustle. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Reporting and writing strategies track Speaker information coming soon. ------ Excel: Importing and data prep Time: Thursday, June 20, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 3, lobby level (PC) Don't give up if your data isn't presented in a neat Excel file. This session will teach you how to get data into Excel and prepare it for analysis. We will look at how to import text files, deal with data in a PDF, and get a table on a web page into Excel. This session is good for: Anyone comfortable working in Excel. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor information coming soon. ------ Facts, fallacies and frames: getting trans issues right in the 2024 elections Time: Thursday, June 20, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand F, lobby level Right-wing politicians are pushing trans issues to the fore — in campaign rhetoric, proposed bills and executive actions — as they try to mobilize their base. In the process, it’s become a story across a broad range of beats, from health to education to sports to public accommodations, and beyond. On this panel, editors experienced with trans coverage will discuss key issues to consider when covering the topic, traps to avoid, and stories that are being missed. This session was planned in collaboration with TJA. IRE retains control of content, including the topic and speaker selection, for all conference sessions. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Gina Chua, Semafor: Gina Chua is Executive Editor at Semafor. She was previously Executive Editor at Reuters, Editor-in-Chief of the South China Morning Post and The Asian Wall Street Journal; a Deputy Managing Editor at The Wall Street Journal; a correspondent in Singapore, Manila and Hanoi; and a television and radio journalist in Singapore. She graduated with a BA in mathematics from the University of Chicago and a MS from Columbia University. Gina transitioned in late 2020. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/GinaSKChua | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginachua/ | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gina_chua_nyc/, - Ina Fried, Axios: Ina Fried is Chief Technology Correspondent at Axios and co-author of its daily AI+ newsletter. She also appears frequently on broadcast outlets including NPR and CNBC. Before Axios, Ina worked at Recode, AllThingsD and CNET. She is a member of the Transgender Journalists Association and NLGJA: The LGBT Journalists Association and is a member of the LGBT Journalists Hall of Fame. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/inafried | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/inafried/, - Noia Karr, Marketplace/APMG: Noia Karr's path to marketplace ran through NPR (as engineer, producer, reporter, and host), PBS (as producer and correspondent), and Columbia's j school (teacher). Noia is also a songwriter and musician with the collective box set authentic. They live in brooklyn with artist and educator Birgit Rathsmann., - Izz LaMagdeleine, ------ Google Sheets 1: Getting started with spreadsheets Time: Thursday, June 20, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 1, lobby level (BYO) Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor: - Fernando Diaz, Northwestern University ------ How to investigate charities 101 Time: Thursday, June 20, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 2, lobby level Public charities, family foundations and other nonprofits – including those founded by professional athletes and celebrities – are required to submit financial filings to the IRS and state governments. An investigative sports journalist and charity watchdog expert team up to walk you through their in-depth, impactful and award-winning reporting on nonprofits. Learn where to obtain data and how much to trust it, how to navigate roadblocks, analyze charity financial reporting, identify red flags and follow leads. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Beat reporting track Speakers: - Laurie Styron, CharityWatch, - Jason Wolf, The Arizona Republic ------ Introduction to teaching data journalism - pre-registered attendees only Time: Thursday, June 20, 2:30 – 6 p.m. (210 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 2, lobby level (BYO) Have you ever thought about teaching data journalism? Maybe to a class of college students, a cohort of curious reporters at your newsroom, or even just a protégé that want to know what you know? This 3-hour class will get you started on the fundaments of teaching data skills to the uninitiated at any level. We'll talk about how to structure a lesson, explain fundamental concepts, lead hands-on exercises, and more. Notes: - Session type: Pre-registration - Hands-on Instructor: - Liz Lucas, IRE & NICAR ------ Master Class: FOI frenzy: Psychological strategies for getting records out of their grubbies - pre-registered attendees only Time: Thursday, June 20, 2:30 – 6 p.m. (210 minutes) Location: Grand C, lobby level This master class provides a deep dive into research-based psychological strategies to help you get stubborn public officials to provide you the records you are legally entitled to. This hands-on workshop will include tactics for eliminating copy fees, effective wording for request letters, principled negotiation strategies, and how to craft a denial story that hits home with the public. Warning: When you leave the workshop, we urge you to apply these Jedi mind tricks for good, not evil. Preregistration is required and seating is limited. Notes: - Session type: Pre-registration - Master Class, - Public records track Speaker: - David Cuillier, University of Florida Brechner FOI Project: David Cuillier is director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida, which has provided research and education in access to government records since 1977. He was a data journalist before earning his doctorate in 2006. He is co-author of “The Art of Access: Strategies for Acquiring Public Records,” and has trained more than 11,000 journalists in FOI since 2004. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/BrechnerCenter ------ Master class: The investigative interview - pre-registered attendees only Time: Thursday, June 20, 2:30 – 6 p.m. (210 minutes) Location: Grand B, lobby level You need one final confirmation to run your story. It's the key piece of a months-long project, only one person can provide it, and you've got one shot to get it. The entire story comes down to The Interview. Will you be ready? We can help. Sign up for this half-day Master Class in interviewing and get a playbook for getting the information you need. We'll cover all the crucial steps, from preparation to the conversation, confrontational interviews, talking with survivors, getting the most from witnesses, convincing those who don't want to talk with you and much more. So the next time you dial that number, knock on that door or corner an official who’s been avoiding you, you’ll be ready. Preregistration is required and seating is limited. Notes: - Session type: Pre-registration - Master Class Speakers: - Mark Horvit, University of Missouri, - Cheryl W. Thompson, NPR, - Scott Zamost, CNBC: As the senior investigative producer for CNBC, Scott oversees investigative reports and documentaries. Scott joined CNBC in 2017 after nine years at CNN as a senior investigative producer. During his career, he has won more than 75 journalism awards, including two IRE awards, four national Emmy nominations, three National Headliner awards and 23 regional Emmys. A former newspaper reporter, he has spoken or moderated at IRE conferences every year since 2002. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/scottzamost | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottzamost/ ------ Starting an investigative unit at smaller news organizations Time: Thursday, June 20, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand G, lobby level Newsrooms across America have been struggling for decades to navigate how to create enterprise and investigative work where dedicated funding does not exist. This is a particular pain point for smaller newsrooms, nonprofit and for profit. In this session, participants will learn from current and former investigative editors about how to create and support an investigative unit or team by accessing philanthropic and grant funding, including for specific stories, projects and even capacity building and identifying partnerships to support your work. This panel will be moderated by two journalists who have successfully fundraised to create investigative units as well as for individual reporting projects. Notes: - Session type: FYI Forum Speakers: - Eric Ferrero, Fund for Investigative Journalism: Eric Ferrero is the Executive Director of the Fund for Investigative Journalism, which provides grants and other support directly to journalists for groundbreaking stories. He previously served in leadership roles in nonprofit and philanthropy, including at the Open Society Foundations, Innocence Project and Amnesty International. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/ericferrero | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericferrero/, - Damaso Reyes, New York Amsterdam News: Damaso Reyes is the executive and investigative editor at the Amsterdam News. He has been published by the Associated Press, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the San Francisco Chronicle, New York Magazine, Der Spiegel, KSFR radio, the Miami Herald, Forbes.com and The Irish Times. Previous assignments and projects have taken him to countries including Rwanda, Iraq, Indonesia, Tanzania and throughout the United States and Europe. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/damasoreyes, - Diane Sylvester, Editor & Publisher: Diane is an award-winning journalist and news executive. Formerly working for Futuro Media, CNN & WSJ, she works with newsrooms as a senior editor and as a fundraising consultant. She currently writes for Editor & Publisher. Connect: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianesylvester/ | X: https://twitter.com/sylvesterd | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianesly18/, - Noy Thrupkaew, Type Investigations: Noy Thrupkaew is Director of Partnerships and a reporting fellow at Type Investigations. She previously worked as an independent journalist reporting on human trafficking and labor exploitation and has written for outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, National Geographic, and Reveal Radio. A recipient of Open Society Foundation and Fulbright grants, she has also taught at Princeton University and the University of Southern California. ------ State government reporting that matters Time: Thursday, June 20, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 5, lobby level The federal government receives the greatest share of media attention, but state governments, often overlooked, wield incredible power over its citizenry, making profound decisions that intimately affect disadvantaged youth, people living in poverty, individuals with disabilities and women's health care, for instance. Want to know how to move beyond insider Capitol reporting and horse-race election coverage to stories that compel change and resonate with the people and communities affected by state policy makers? This session will focus on how to find meaningful, people-first investigations on the state government beat. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Beth Hundsdorfer, Capitol News Illinois: Beth has worked in journalism for 25 years. She has been the co-winner of two Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards, two John Jay College Awards, an IRE award, a National Headliners grand award, a Sigma Delta Chi award and George Polk Award. Beth has a daughter, Hannah and a son, Jameson. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/BethCapNews, - Meribah Knight, Nashville Public Radio: Meribah Knight is a senior reporter at Nashville Public Radio. She’s the host and creator of the Peabody Award-winning podcast The Promise and Serial’s recent podcast The Kids of Rutherford County. Knight has received numerous national awards for her reporting, including the George Foster Peabody and George Polk awards. She was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, the Goldsmith Award, and twice for the National Magazine Award. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/meribah, - Molly Parker, Southern Illinois University, Capitol News Illinois: Molly Parker is a Southern Illinois University assistant professor of journalism, a Capitol News Illinois reporter and ProPublica Local Reporting Network fellow. She has reported extensively on rural issues, affordable housing, child welfare and mental health. In 2022, Molly and CNI Reporter Beth Hundsdorfer won the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights print award for exposing patient abuse inside a state-run developmental center. Connect: X: twitter.com/mollyparkersi ------ Vetting investigations to reduce legal risk Time: Thursday, June 20, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 4, lobby level Pre-publication review can be a crucial step for editors and reporters to protect themselves and their news organizations from legal liability. This session will provide an overview of common vetting principles to assess and reduce legal risk throughout the reporting process. Participants will come away with practical tips they can apply to their work and a better understanding of the resources available to help with legal vetting. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speaker: - Katie Townsend, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press ------ Behind the story: Misplaced Trust Time: Thursday, June 20, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand E, lobby level We’ll discuss the methodology behind Grist's project examining how land-grant universities got their land and money. Grist located and compiled data on more than 8 million acres of state trust lands associated with land-grant universities, established the parcels’ provenance, analyzed the revenue those lands produce for their associated institutions, and retrieved and categorized the income-generating activities in question, which include timber harvesting, oil and gas prospecting and leasing, mineral extraction, and agriculture. We’ll tell you about our research process, highlight the difficulties of tracing geospatial data and revenue streams across hundreds of years of history, and explain how to use our public dataset and get involved. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Story ideas track Speakers: - Clayton Aldern, Grist: Clayton Aldern is a senior data reporter at Grist. His writing has also appeared in The Atlantic, The Economist, Scientific American, Logic, The Guardian and elsewhere. He holds a master's in neuroscience and a master's in public policy from the University of Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar. His book "The Weight of Nature," on the effects of climate change on neurobiology, brain health, and cognition, is out now from Dutton. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/compatibilism | GitHub: https://github.com/clayton-aldern | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aldern/, - Rachel Glickhouse, Grist: Rachel Glickhouse is the director of editorial partnerships at Grist and an advisor to the Democracy Day project. She has worked at the News Revenue Hub, the COVID Tracking Project, ProPublica and Univision, and she has taught at the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and the New School. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/Riogringa | Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/rachelg.bsky.social ------ Broadcast Track: The art of the interview Time: Thursday, June 20, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 7, lobby level One of our most popular panels every year - we give step by step techniques to persuade reluctant subjects to go on camera. And then when you have them in the hot seat, there is, indeed, an art to your questioning. Learn from the best here. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Broadcast track Speakers: - Tony Kovaleski, KMGH-TV, Denver, CO, - Tisha Thompson, ESPN: Tisha is most well-known these days for her investigation of wire transfers sent from the bank account of MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani to an illegal bookmaker, which included Tisha's interviews with Ohtani's former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara that immediately resulted in a federal investigation and Mizuhara pleading guilty to bank fraud. A former local investigative TV reporter, Tisha appears on all of ESPN's platforms, including SportsCenter. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/TishaESPN | Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tishathompson1/, - Lee Zurik, WVUE-TV, New Orleans, LA ------ Deep Dive: Cultivating sources on the inside Time: Thursday, June 20, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand G, lobby level You have the seeds of a promising investigation, but how do you develop the sources you’ll need to deliver the goods? Two veteran reporters will break down how they worked their way inside institutions that seemed impenetrable, from the US Supreme Court to major corporations. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Reporting and writing strategies track Speakers: - Justin Elliott, ProPublica: Justin Elliott has been a reporter with ProPublica since 2012, where he covers business and politics. Last year he was one of the reporters covering U.S. Supreme Court justices' hidden relationships with billionaire political donors. He was also on the team of reporters documenting how the rich avoid taxes for “The Secret IRS Files” series. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/justinelliott | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-elliott-29276a25/ | Personal website: https://justinelliott.co/: undefined, - Anna Wener, CBS News: Anna Werner is CBS News Senior Consumer Investigative Correspondent. In 2024, Werner won her second Polk Award and the Biedler Prize for Cancer Journalism. She’s won three IRE awards, two duPont-Columbia awards, two Peabody awards, four SPJ awards, three Scripps-Howard awards, six Murrow awards, 35 Emmy awards, and been named ‘journalist of the year’ seven times. Previously, she was an investigative reporter at WISH, KHOU, KPIX, and CIR. ------ Finding stories in IRS Filings Time: Thursday, June 20, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 3, lobby level (PC) In this session, journalists will learn how to find and read various IRS filings and how to identify potentials stories. Attendees will be given concrete examples from the last year of stories that came through the analysis of IRS filings. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor: - David Armiak, Center for Media and Democracy ------ Google Sheets 2: Formulas & sorting Time: Thursday, June 20, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 1, lobby level (BYO) Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructors: - Jill Castellano, ConsumerAffairs: Jill Castellano is the Data Editor at Consumer Affairs, launching a data-based investigative reporting team. Jill has worked for The Salt Lake Tribune, The Desert Sun, inewsource and the USA TODAY Network, earning a Pulitzer Prize for explanatory reporting in 2018 for her reporting on the deaths of undocumented border crossers. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/Jill_Castellano, - Amy DiPierro, EdSource: Amy DiPierro covers California State University —the nation's largest four-year public university system— at EdSource. She previously worked as a data journalist at the Center for Public Integrity. She graduated from Swarthmore College and the master's journalism program at Stanford University, where she was a Knight-Hennessy Scholar. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/amydipierro | GitHub: https://github.com/DiPierro | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dipierro/ ------ Google Trends for election coverage Time: Thursday, June 20, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 2, lobby level Learn how to use Google Trends to track search interest in real-time and support election coverage. We’ll show you how to watch for major spikes in searches, get national and regional-level data and use search insights to find inspiration for your next story. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on, - Session audio will be recorded Instructors: - Gabriela Caesar, Google Trends: Based in Brazil, Gabriela Caesar is responsible for analyzing Google Trends data in Latam. With over 13 years of experience in newsrooms, she has worked at G1/TV Globo, Folha de S.Paulo and Estadão. Gabriela holds a master's degree in data and automation, enabling her to uncover valuable data points and insights by combining her expertise in journalism and technology. Elections are her primary passion, driving her work both professionally and in personal projects. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/gabrielacaesar | GitHub: https://github.com/gabrielacaesar | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielacaesar/ | Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@gabrielacaesar, - Shanti du Rocher, Google Trends - EMEA ------ How to background people in an hour Time: Thursday, June 20, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 5, lobby level Whether covering a mass shooting or a breaking political scandal, reporters need to know how to thoroughly and quickly background people involved in breaking news events. In this panel, journalists will share concrete tips about mining social media accounts, maximizing Nexis searches, accessing public records online, finding friends and relatives and turning hunches into distinctive stories. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Michael Biesecker, The Associated Press: Michael Biesecker is a global investigative reporter for The Associated Press. Biesecker’s work tracking potential war crimes in Ukraine was recognized with the 2022 IRE Gold Medal, as well as the top award for investigative reporting from the Overseas Press Club of America. He was a contributor to the AP team that won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. Biesecker also teaches investigative and environmental reporting at Georgetown University. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/NewsDudeAP | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelbiesecker, - Jennifer Gollan, San Francisco Chronicle, - PJ Randhawa, WMAQ-TV, Chicago, IL ------ Investigating campus sexual assault Time: Thursday, June 20, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand F, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Hannah Dreyfus, The Arizona Republic: Hannah Dreyfus reports on gender justice, child welfare and higher education for The Arizona Republic's investigative team; previously, she was a fellow at ProPublica. Her investigation into Liberty University's handling of sexual assault contributed to a historic fine and received national recognition, including the 2022 Society of Professional Journalists’ Ethics in Journalism Award and a National Award in investigative reporting from the Education Writers Association. Connect: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-dreyfus/ | X: https://twitter.com/Hannah_Dreyfus, - Asia Fields, ProPublica: Asia Fields is an engagement reporter at ProPublica, where she focuses on crowdsourced and community-driven investigations. She has recently worked on projects related to school facilities and discipline. Previously, she was on The Seattle Times’ investigative team, where she reported on how Washington state colleges handled Title IX cases. Her reporting led to a state law requiring colleges to share information about employee misconduct as part of the hiring process. Connect: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fieldsreports/ | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asiafields/: undefined | Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fieldsreports | X: https://twitter.com/asiakmfields, - Kenny Jacoby, USA TODAY, - Thomas Peele, EdSource ------ Investigating hospitals Time: Thursday, June 20, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 4, lobby level Hospitals are among the largest employers in many communities across the U.S. but often don't receive much scrutiny. We'll teach you the basics about how a hospital functions, including how to find and analyze little-examined financial reports and other public records that you can track down for your local hospitals within minutes. You'll also come away with tips for finding sources and navigating around the health privacy law HIPAA — plus, you'll bring home plenty of story ideas. If you've ever felt intimidated by health care reporting, this session is for you. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Beat reporting track Speakers: - Melanie Evans, Wall Street Journal, - John Hillkirk, KFF HEALTH NEWS: John Hillkirk was at USA Today for 33 years before joining KFF Health News in 2016. John’s investigative team at KFF Health News has won a Loeb Award, a Goldsmith Prize, a Polk Award, a Sigma Delta Chi award for public service, the Batten Medal from the News Leaders Association, two National Press Club awards, and two Pulitzer Prize finalists. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/johnhillkirk, - Kristen Hwang, CalMatters: Kristen Hwang is a health reporter for CalMatters covering health care access, abortion and reproductive health, workforce issues, drug costs and emerging public health matters. Her work has been recognized by the Association of Health Care Journalists, Radio Television Digital News Association, Sacramento Press Club and more., - Maya Kaufman, POLITICO New York: Maya Kaufman is a health care reporter with POLITICO's New York bureau. She previously covered the business of health care for Crain's New York Business. She graduated from Kenyon College and received a master's degree from Columbia Journalism School, where she was a fellow at the Toni Stabile Center for Investigative Reporting. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/mayakauf | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayakaufman/ | Threads: https://www.threads.net/mayabkaufman ------ The year in international investigations Time: Thursday, June 20, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 6, lobby level Come hear how your colleagues abroad are fighting back with extraordinary stories, holding power to account despite the worst kinds of corruption, crime and outright deceit. The panel will give a rapid-fire tour of inspired muckraking from around the world. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speaker information coming soon. ------ 36 chapters and no nut graph: A case study in merging investigative and narrative Time: Thursday, June 20, 5 – 6 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 6, lobby level “The Landlord & the Tenant,” by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and ProPublica, took a bold approach to telling an investigative story: 14,000 words; no nut graph; 36 short chapters, all based on scenes. The braided narrative won the National Magazine Award for feature writing, the first time ever for a double-bylined story. Co-authors Raquel Rutledge and Ken Armstrong will talk inspiration and structure; what makes a successful partnership; and how to keep a narrative rolling without sacrificing your investigative findings. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Reporting and writing strategies track Speakers: - Ken Armstrong, Bloomberg: Ken Armstrong now works at Bloomberg. He’s won Pulitzer Prizes for investigative and explanatory reporting and shared in two staff Pulitzers for breaking news. Other awards include a Peabody for radio and the National Magazine Award for feature writing. He co-wrote the story that became the Netflix series, “Unbelievable.” He was the McGraw Professor of Writing at Princeton and co-authored the book, “Scoreboard, Baby,” winner of the Edgar Award for nonfiction. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/bykenarmstrong | LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/armstrongken, - Raquel Rutledge, The Examination ------ Broadcast Track: Investigating breaking news Time: Thursday, June 20, 5 – 6 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 7, lobby level How to cover breaking news - and then take it further. Concert tragedies, missing people and children, bridge and building collapses. How to stay on a big story and advance it from an investigative perspective. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Broadcast track Speakers: - Eric Flack, WUSA-TV, Washington, D.C., - Daniela Ibarra, KSAT: Daniela Ibarra is a reporter at KSAT in San Antonio. She returned home after two years in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her reporting at KTUL led to a change in state law, exposed public safety issues and held leaders accountable. Daniela began her career at KTXS in Abilene, Texas. She serves as the Secretary-Treasurer for the Society of Professional Journalists. Daniela graduated from the University of North Texas and is the proud daughter of Ecuadorian immigrants. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/DanielaIbarraTV | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielaibarratv/, - Jessica McMaster, KSHB-TV, Kansas City, MO ------ FYI Forum: Uncovering secret Canada: How our FOI and transparency project has made public records more accessible Time: Thursday, June 20, 5 – 6 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand G, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: FYI Forum Speakers: - Tom Cardoso, The Globe and Mail: Tom Cardoso is a Toronto-based investigative journalist with The Globe and Mail, a national newspaper in Canada. His most recent project was “Secret Canada,” an 18-month examination of Canada’s broken freedom of information regime. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/tom_cardoso | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cardosotom/, - Robyn Doolittle, The Globe and Mail: Robyn Doolittle is an award-winning journalist and author with the Globe and Mail, Canada's national newspaper. Her “Unfounded” investigation, which explored the ways that police handle sexual assault cases, prompted a national overhaul of policy, training and practices around sexual violence. More recently, she has worked on “Secret Canada,” an examination of Canada’s broken freedom of information system. Connect: X: twitter.com/robyndoolittle ------ Free, easy data viz Time: Thursday, June 20, 5 – 6 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 3, lobby level (PC) Need a chart, map or other visualization to make your work stand out? Come learn how to quickly create an attractive, effective data visualization using free tools. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor: - Phillip Reese, Sacramento Bee/Sacramento State: Phillip Reese is a data specialist at The Sacramento Bee and an associate professor of journalism at Sacramento State, where he teaches news reporting, data journalism, and data visualization. His journalism has won the George Polk and Worth Bingham awards, and he was a finalist for the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/PhillipHReese | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillipreese1/ ------ Google Sheets 3: Filtering & pivot tables Time: Thursday, June 20, 5 – 6 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 1, lobby level (BYO) Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor: - Yue Stella Yu, CalMatters: Yue Stella Yu covers campaigns and elections for CalMatters. She is a Mizzou grad who covered local and state politics in Michigan, Tennessee, and Mississippi. She is an avid Google Sheets and SQL user and a campaign finance nerd. Outside of political coverage, Stella investigated the dairy farmworker housing regulations in Michigan, the lack of flood prevention in Waverly, Tennessee, and inconsistencies related to a police shooting in Columbus, Mississippi. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/bystellayu | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stella-yoo/ ------ How to deal with AI audio deepfakes in election campaigns Time: Thursday, June 20, 5 – 6 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 5, lobby level Just as lower-tech cheapfakes – rather than video deepfakes – did greater harm to elections in recent years, simulated voice fakes (using AI voice cloning tools) pose a potentially greater threat than face-swaps and other video fakes in the seismic election year of 2024. They have already affected elections in Slovakia and Nigeria, and tried to deceive Democratic voters in New Hampshire in the US. They are often combined with robocalls – an existing blind spot for investigative reporters – and timed to a few days before voter registration and election deadlines, when there is too little time to refute them. In this panel, hear from disinformation experts on new techniques to detect and trace audio fakes; how to counter politicians’ “It must have been a deepfake” denials about real audio obtained by reporters; and how to minimize the harm the phenomenon poses to audiences. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - AI track Speakers: - Dean Jackson, Public Circle, LLC: Dean Jackson is principal of Public Circle, LLC and a specialist in democracy, media and technology. In 2023, he was named an inaugural Tech Policy Press reporting fellow and an affiliate fellow with the Propaganda Research Lab at the University of Texas at Austin. He was previously an investigative analyst with the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol and has ten years of experience in the think tank sector. Connect: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-jackson-18339a25/, - Rowan Philp, Global Investigative Journalism Network , - Naomi Zeveloff, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) ------ Reporting on teacher misconduct Time: Thursday, June 20, 5 – 6 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand E, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Beat reporting track Speakers: - Matt Drange, Business Insider: Matt Drange is a reporter at Business Insider, previously with The Information, FORBES magazine and The Center for Investigative Reporting. He's spent the past two years investigating educator sexual abuse in K-12 schools across America. In addition to IRE, Drange volunteers with SABEW's First Amendment Committee and SPJ NorCal’s Freedom of Information Committee. He graduated from Columbia University and teaches journalism at Cal Poly Humboldt and Laney College. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/mattdrange | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattdrange/, - Jakob McWhinney, Voice of OC, - Marina Villeneuve, Salon: Marina Villeneuve is an investigative journalist based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 2023, she graduated from Columbia University's Lede Program in data journalism and was a USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism National Fellow for a broadcast series she led on sexual abuse in Massachusetts public schools. She worked for six years as a statehouse reporter for The Associated Press in Maine and New York. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/reportermarina | GitHub: https://github.com/reportermarina | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marina-villeneuve-8b7b5a23/ ------ Spatial investigations and reporting at The New York Times Time: Thursday, June 20, 5 – 6 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand F, lobby level Four members of The New York Times graphics department will break down the reporting and storytelling techniques behind their spatial investigations and narratives using 3-D. These pieces have combined traditional digging, meticulous spatial reporting and highly technical 3-D innovation to cover some of the biggest news stories. Panelists will take you behind the scenes of their recent projects. They will discuss the ins and outs of spatial and open source reporting; how they navigate building, construction and engineering plans; how they overcome reporting roadblocks; and the storyboarding process that allows them to pull the pieces together, both narratively and visually. Their editor will moderate the panel, and offer insights into how these massively collaborative projects are edited. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Tools & Tech track Speakers: - Haeyoun Park, The New York Times: Haeyoun Park is a deputy editor in the graphics department at The New York Times, where she has edited award-winning visual stories. She first joined the department as a graphics editor in 2006, and for a decade, she led the desk’s reporting on national issues. She is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/haeyoun, - Anjali Singhvi, The New York Times: Anjali Singhvi is a reporter and senior staff editor for spatial investigations at The New York Times. She covers a range of topics and specializes in investigative visual journalism in which she combines traditional reporting techniques with advanced spatial analysis. She is an expert in forensic 3D reconstructions and digital investigations. Ms. Singhvi is a trained architect and holds a master’s degree in Urban Planning from Columbia University in New York. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/singhvianjali | Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjalisinghvi/, - Jeremy White, The New York Times: Jeremy White is a graphics editor for The New York Times. He contributes to visual stories that span many desks, including international, climate and science. He has taught for many years at Columbia University. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/blueshirt ------ When data is not available Time: Thursday, June 20, 5 – 6 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 4, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Mark Albert, Hearst Television, - Amy DiPierro, EdSource: Amy DiPierro covers California State University —the nation's largest four-year public university system— at EdSource. She previously worked as a data journalist at the Center for Public Integrity. She graduated from Swarthmore College and the master's journalism program at Stanford University, where she was a Knight-Hennessy Scholar. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/amydipierro | GitHub: https://github.com/DiPierro | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dipierro/, - John Kelly, CBS News: John Kelly is Vice President of Data Journalism for CBS News and Stations, leading data-driven investigations, enterprise and innovation for the network and 14 local stations from New York to Los Angeles. He's built and led investigative data journalism units at USA Today and ABC News. A champion for collaboration across newsrooms, his teams' stories include winners of Edward R. Murrow Awards, Emmy Awards, and Goldsmith Prize, and finalists for the Pulitzer Prize. Connect: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnkelly3rd/, - Mc Nelly Torres, Center for Public Integrity: Mc Nelly Torres is an award-winning investigative journalist and editor at the Center for Public Integrity, where she leads a team investigating inequality. Before, Torres worked as an investigative producer for NBC6 in Miami and co-founded FCIR.org. Torres is a product of newspapers including the Sun-Sentinel and the San Antonio Express-News. Torres was the first Latina to be elected to the IRE board of directors. She was a recipient of the Gwen Ifill Award in 2022. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/WatchdogDiva ------ Game night! ������������️������ Time: Thursday, June 20, 6 – 8 p.m. (120 minutes) Location: Platinum 5, lobby level Have some fun with friends old and new at IRE game night! We'll set up tables in Platinum 5 with games provided, or feel free to bring your own. Everyone is welcome. Notes: - Session type: Special ------ Welcome reception Time: Thursday, June 20, 6 – 7:15 p.m. (75 minutes) Location: Marquis Center, lower level Join your fellow IRE conference-goers for fun and fellowship. Light appetizers will be served and a cash bar will be available (each attendee will receive one drink ticket). Conference name tags are required to attend the event. Notes: - Session type: Special *** FRIDAY, JUNE 21 *** ------ IRE mentorship program breakfast — invitation only Time: Friday, June 21, 7:30 – 8:45 a.m. (75 minutes) Location: Marquis South, lower level If you signed up for the conference mentor program, come meet your match at this invitation-only breakfast. Notes: - Session type: Special ------ Bill tracker: How to keep up on state legislation regarding any beat Time: Friday, June 21, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 1, lobby level (BYO) This session explains how reporters can search for pending legislation in any state – or across the country – through a new tool developed with journalists in mind. This bill tracker, provided through Big Local News in partnership with BillTrack50, allows journalists to search for bills by topic. The tool is beginning to integrate machine learning, which allows searches with greater precision, reducing false positives and misses resulting from simple keyword searches. Spot trends over the past decade, and be notified when bills on your topic of interest are proposed. Come to this session to learn how to use it, hands-on. Also, get a sneak peek at a “Secrecy Tracker” that will provide research and analysis of national trends in legislation that infringes on public record and open meeting laws, through the University of Florida Brechner Freedom of Information Project. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on, - Tools & Tech track Instructors: - David Cuillier, University of Florida Brechner FOI Project: David Cuillier is director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida, which has provided research and education in access to government records since 1977. He was a data journalist before earning his doctorate in 2006. He is co-author of “The Art of Access: Strategies for Acquiring Public Records,” and has trained more than 11,000 journalists in FOI since 2004. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/BrechnerCenter, - Karen Suhaka, BillTracker50 ------ Broadcast Track: Sources - How to get em, how to keep em Time: Friday, June 21, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 7, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Broadcast track Speakers: - Scottie Hunter, WAFB: Scottie Hunter is the co-anchor of 9News at Five and serves as the lead investigative reporter at WAFB in Baton Rouge, LA. Most recently, he exposed alleged police misconduct at the Brave Cave, a secretive facility where officers are accused of beating and strip-searching certain people in their custody in an off-the-books manner. He, his wife Jasmine, his son Jason and dog Bear enjoy calling Baton Rouge home. Connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScottieHunterNews | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottie-hunter-841ab741/, - Kerry Kavanaugh, WFXT-TV, Boston, MA, - Ross Palombo, KCBS-TV, Los Angeles, CA ------ Developing curriculum for the next generation of journalists Time: Friday, June 21, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand G, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel Speakers: - Rob Cribb, Toronto Star, - Barbara Gray, Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY: Barbara Gray is a research methods professor and oversees Newmark J-School’s Research Center. She is the former director of news research at The New York Times and a recognized expert on investigative research. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/BarbGray | Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbaragray1/, - Derek Willis, University of Maryland: Derek Willis teaches data journalism at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland. Previously he has worked at ProPublica, The New York Times, The Washington Post and other news organizations. He runs OpenElections. Connect: Github: https://github.com/dwillis/ ------ Engagement experiments for investigations Time: Friday, June 21, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 6, lobby level If you write it, they will come: this has never been true. When news avoidance and mistrust is rampant, it’s more important than ever before to make sure that the people who are impacted by the harms we investigate can understand our findings in a way that is accessible and clear. Learn creative engagement and distribution strategies to make sure your work finds its readers. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Owen Berg, NYU Studio 20 and The City, - Darla Cameron, The Texas Tribune: Darla Cameron is the interim chief product officer at The Texas Tribune. She guides product development and management, engineering and design, working closely across the organization to deliver the Tribune’s journalism in fresh and innovative ways that build trust with more Texans. Darla was previously the managing editor for visual journalism, overseeing the work of the photo, multimedia and data visuals teams. She serves on the board of IRE. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/darlacameron, - Sahana Jayaraman, The Arizona Republic: Sahana Jayaraman is an award-winning investigative data reporter at The Arizona Republic. She mostly works in R and Python. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/SahanaJayaraman, - Caitlin McGlade, Arizona Republic: Caitlin is an award-winning investigative reporter at the Arizona Republic and a data professor at Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism. Her most recent series exposing widespread violence in assisted living facilities prompted a new law that created tougher assisted living standards and also a state takeover of a troubled facility. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/caitmcglade, - María Méndez, The Texas Tribune, - Andrew Pantazi, The Tributary: Andrew Pantazi is the editor of The Tributary, a nonprofit investigative newsroom based in Jacksonville, Florida. He previously worked at The Florida Times-Union and as a union organizer with the NewsGuild-CWA. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/apantazi ------ Ethics of reporting in Indigenous communities Time: Friday, June 21, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand E, lobby level Learn how to build respectful, reciprocal relationships with Indigenous communities when researching and sharing their stories, and avoiding extractive journalism. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Equity, inclusion and accessibility track Speaker: - Karyn Pugliese, Canadaland ------ How to turn your investigation story into beautiful audio narrative Time: Friday, June 21, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand F, lobby level We'll teach reporters how to turn their print into audio storytelling. Fundamentals of longform audio. Finding sources, gaining their buy-in, creating a narrative arc, identifying soundbites and putting it all together. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speaker: - Sitara Nieves, Poynter ------ Interviewing your data with spreadsheets - pre-registered attendees only Time: Friday, June 21, 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (210 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 2, lobby level (BYO) Attend this hands-on workshop and learn how to use Google Sheets, a simple but powerful spreadsheet application, to begin analyzing data for stories. We'll start from the beginning with basic formulas and work our way up to summarizing information using pivot tables and more. How do you think about data analysis as a journalist? How do you find the story within the columns and rows? You'll need to bring a laptop and have a free Google account for this class. Preregistration is required and seating is limited. Notes: - Session type: Pre-registration - Hands-on Instructors: - Laura Moscoso, IRE & NICAR: Laura Moscoso is a Puerto Rican journalist and educator. She currently works as training director for IRE & NICAR. , - Adam Rhodes, IRE ------ Master Class: Outlining and structure: The writer's missing manual - pre-registered attendees only Time: Friday, June 21, 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (210 minutes) Location: Grand B, lobby level Outlining might be the single best thing you can do to make you a better, faster writer. This isn't the roman numeral outlining your middle school teacher taught you. We'll take a story from the ground up, showing how early considerations about structure and framing develop into a draft. Preregistration is required and seating is limited. Notes: - Session type: Pre-registration - Master Class Speaker: - Matt Apuzzo, The New York Times ------ Networking: Freelancers Time: Friday, June 21, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand C, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Networking, - Networking track Speaker information coming soon. ------ Politicization of children and families: Enforcement and consequences of anti-trans policies Time: Friday, June 21, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 2, lobby level Schools are the new battleground in the culture wars — with state and national organizations, teachers’ unions, parents and students clashing over curricula, gender, sports, bathrooms and more. What are the connections behind the multiple efforts to regulate what happens in the classroom, and what’s the endgame? Join the panel to discuss how children and families have become the focal point in politics and the consequences of anti-trans policies on them. This session was planned in collaboration with TJA. IRE retains control of content, including the topic and speaker selection, for all conference sessions. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Tat Bellamy-Walker, Seattle Times, - Taylor Lorenz, The Washington Post: Taylor Lorenz is a technology columnist at The Washington Post and host of the Power User podcast on Vox media, a weekly tech and online culture show. She covers social media, the content creator industry, and online radicalization. She has written for the New York Times, New York Magazine, and more. , - Cora Neas, KXAN ------ Scraping license and violations data with browser automation tools Time: Friday, June 21, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 3, lobby level (PC) License data, lists of violations, and other high-value information is often locked behind hard-to-scrape pages, especially for state and local governments. In this session we'll see how browser automation tools can interact with web pages in ways traditional scrapers can't! You'll learn to automate the process of: - Filling out form fields - Clicking next, search, or login buttons - Making searches for every row in your spreadsheet - Download lists, tables and documents - Breaking CAPTCHAs - Taking screenshots While we'll specifically be looking at state-level license and violations data, this is a great skill for anyone performing web-based investigations. This session is good for: Even if you don't have Python skills, scraping is an accessible entryway into learning to code! Laptops will be provided. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor: - Jonathan Soma, Columbia University ------ The stories you're missing in your higher education covereage Time: Friday, June 21, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 4, lobby level This session is sponsored by the Lumina Foundation. IRE retains control of content, including the topic and speaker selection, for all conference sessions. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Beat reporting track Speakers: - Michael Burke, EdSource, - Adam Echelman, CalMatters: Adam Echelman covers community colleges for CalMatters through a partnership with Open Campus. Before CalMatters, he worked as an equity reporter at the Modesto Bee, where his coverage received a California News Publishers Association award. For three years, he served as the executive director of Libraries Without Borders, a nonprofit organization that helps expand access to information. He’s a graduate of Yale University and is fluent in Spanish and French. Connect: X: twitter.com/AdamEchelman ------ A world of possibilities: Lassoing satellite data for global and local investigations Time: Friday, June 21, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 4, lobby level Journalists have used satellite data to map flooding, illegal deforestation, methane emissions, high-risk zones for future epidemics and much more. We’ll cover accessing and analyzing satellite data with platforms like Google Earth Engine and Global Forest Watch to produce investigations that break new ground with help from the sky. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Isabela Barriga, World Resources Institute, Global Forest Watch: Isabela is a Community Engagement Manager for Global Forest Watch (GFW) at the World Resources Institute. She works across GFW to strengthen usership and the impact of GFW solutions by assessing and addressing the needs of GFW’s global user community. This includes managing virtual engagement opportunities, developing training resources, cultivating partnerships, building an online user community, and capturing and writing user stories. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/Isabela_Barriga | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabela-barriga/, - Carl Churchill, The Wall Street Journal: Carl Churchill is a graphics reporter with The Wall Street Journal. He primarily covers issues related to climate, ecology, and U.S. news. He joined the Journal after working for Woodwell Climate Research Center, a climate science organization based in Massachusetts. While there, he received recognition for his graphics work on Amazon deforestation and Arctic climate change. He has a master's in GIS from Arizona State University. Connect: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-churchill/, - Deborah Nelson, University of Maryland ------ Accessing courts in high-profile cases Time: Friday, June 21, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 2, lobby level Whether covering a criminal trial or civil dispute, journalists reporting on high-profile cases have found themselves barred from accessing court records and proceedings that are essential to providing the public with in-depth information about how the judicial system is functioning. This session will discuss the types of information and proceedings that courts must make publicly available, and share lessons learned from recent instances where journalists and news organizations have successfully challenged undue efforts to limit access in important cases at both the state and federal level. This session is sponsored by Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. IRE retains control of content, including the topic and speaker selection, for all conference sessions. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speaker: - Katie Townsend, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press ------ Authenticity in Investigations: Covering Your Own Communities Time: Friday, June 21, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand E, lobby level Racial/ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ persons, women... journalists who are members of these groups and others can enrich their stories with their experiences, but they can often also face criticism for their closeness to their subjects. When the story is investigative, the need for objectivity and transparency in reporting grows. Find out how a group of journalists covers its own community and works to ensure trust among its audience - tactics that may work for you or your newsroom, too. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Equity, inclusion and accessibility track Speakers: - Josh Hinkle, KXAN: Josh Hinkle is KXAN’s director of investigations and innovation, leading the station’s duPont and IRE Award-winning investigative team on multiple platforms. He also leads KXAN’s political coverage as executive producer and host of “State of Texas,” a weekly statewide program focused on the Texas Legislature and elections. In 2021, he was elected to the IRE Board of Directors and currently serves as its vice president. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/hinklej | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hinklej | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hinklej002/, - Barbara Rodriguez, The 19th: Barbara Rodriguez is the state politics and voting reporter at The 19th, an independent nonprofit newsroom that writes about gender, politics and policy. She previously covered politics and health care at the Des Moines Register. Before that, she was the Iowa statehouse reporter for The Associated Press. Barbara recently finished a two-year term on the IRE Board of Directors. Connect: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bcrodriguez/, - Kat Stafford, Reuters: Kat Stafford is the Global Race and Justice Editor. She is an award-winning journalist, whose work has centered on covering and investigating how structural racism has fueled inequity across America. She is the former vice president of IRE's Board of Directors. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/kat__stafford ------ Backgrounding like a boss: Perfecting your 15-minute background check and why you should do it every time Time: Friday, June 21, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand G, lobby level How are you sure that great source with the perfect quote isn't too good to be true? Even great reporters can get tricked by fake names or sketchy backgrounds. We'll walk through some websites and strategies you can use to create a routine and spot potential red flags before you get burned. This session is great for new reporters or anyone who wants to background people more thoroughly. Notes: - Session type: Panel Speaker: - Kate Howard, Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting ------ Broadcast Track: The 10 most important lessons I've learned Time: Friday, June 21, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 7, lobby level Brutally honest talk from three TV veterans about the mistakes they've made, the questions they've missed, and the trust they’ve misplaced in 60+ years of combined reporting. Come join the conversation as they open up about the important lessons they've learned the hard way. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Broadcast track Speakers: - Cindy Galli, ABC News: Cindy Galli is Executive Producer of ABC News’ Investigative Unit, leading a team of award-winning reporters and producers who investigate government fraud, corporate corruption, racial injustice and consumer and environmental issues. She led the network’s Uvalde:365 commitment to remain in and cover the community after a mass shooting. Her team’s recent recognitions include a duPont-Columbia baton and three national Murrow awards. Cindy also oversees collaborative projects between ABC News and local stations and affiliates. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/mustangalli, - Lori Jane Gliha, Scripps News: Lori Jane Gliha is a national investigative reporter for Scripps News. She specializes in smart, ethical journalism and has been a finalist for a duPont-Columbia Award and the IRE competition. She spent years uncovering critical details in the death of Elijah McClain, who was forcibly detained by police and injected – by paramedics -with ketamine. Her recent original reporting examines the impact of the fentanyl crisis on babies and young children. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/ljgliha | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lorijaneinvestigator/ | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ljgliha , - Rick Yarborough, WRC-TV, Washington, D.C. ------ Data analysis with Python Time: Friday, June 21, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 3, lobby level (PC) In this session, you'll learn how to analyze data using the popular Python data analysis library pandas. You'll learn about the benefits of scripting your data projects and enough syntax to load, sort, filter and group a data set. This class is good for: People who are comfortable working with data in spreadsheets or SQL and want to make the leap to programming. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor: - Eli Murray, The New York Times: Eli Murray is a graphics editor at The New York Times where he uses code to scrape records, crunch numbers, and visualize complex topics. Prior to joining NYT, Eli worked as an investigative data reporter at The Tampa Bay Times where we he was on the team that won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting and the IRE Medal among other honors. ------ Disrupting and complicating the narrative: Finding fresh ways to write about guns, other tough topics Time: Friday, June 21, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand F, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Reporting and writing strategies track Speakers: - John Diedrich, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Marquette University: John Diedrich is an investigative reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Through an O’Brien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism at Marquette University, Diedrich examined gun deaths in Wisconsin, reframing the issue in deep reporting with gun owners. Earlier work revealed electrical fire risk and dangers in factories, MMA and hospitals. A finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, he also received a George Polk and Gerald Loeb, among other awards. Connect: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diedrichjohn | X: https://twitter.com/john_diedrich | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/john_diedrich | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/john.diedrich.79, - Mollie Muchna, Trusting News: Mollie Muchna is a project manager at Trusting News. Most of her journalism career has been spent working in audience and engagement journalism in legacy newsrooms across the Southwest. She lives in Tucson, Arizona, where she is also an adjunct professor at the University of Arizona’s School of Journalism. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/MollieMuchna | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollie-muchna-829169102/, - Tina Rosenburg, Solutions Journalism Network ------ Go dox yourself Time: Friday, June 21, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 1, lobby level (BYO) Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor information coming soon. ------ Holding your public officials accountable Time: Friday, June 21, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Marquis Northeast, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - George Joseph, The City, - Lauren McGaughy, The Texas Newsroom (Based at KUT, Austin's NPR Station): Lauren McGaughy is an investigative reporter and editor for The Texas Newsroom, a collaboration of NPR stations in Texas. She focuses on criminal justice, governmental ethics and LGBTQ issues. In 2020, the Headliners Foundation honored her work on how police use hypnosis to investigate crimes. Lauren previously worked for The Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle and New Orleans Times-Picayune. She loves cats, cemeteries and comic books. Ask about her wig collection! Connect: X: https://twitter.com/lmcgaughy | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-mcgaughy | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurenrmcgaughy, - Phil Williams, NewsChannel5 ------ How does your state stack up when it comes to protecting athletes? Time: Friday, June 21, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 6, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Rob Byer, The Courier Journal: Rob Byers has decades of experience in reporting, editing and project planning. The Amity, Pa., native rose from intern to executive editor while at the Charleston Gazette in West Virginia. He was an editor on the Gazette's first-ever Pulitzer Prize (investigative reporting) in 2017. After joining The Courier Journal in Louisville, Ky., in 2018, Byers was lead editor on a quick-turn investigation that won the Pulitzer for breaking news in 2020. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/RobertJByers | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rob.byers.5 | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-byers/, - Stephanie Kuzydym, The Courier Journal: Stephanie Kuzydym is an investigative journalist for The Courier Journal. For the last decade, her reporting largely focused on health and safety of athletes, including “Safer Sidelines,” which uncovered the many ways high schools, athletic associations and lawmakers have failed to prepare for the worst-case scenario – sudden death in sports. Her work received awards from the Online News Association, the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Kentucky Press Association. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/stephkuzy | LinedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-kuzydym-666a8720/ | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephkuzy25, - Maya Miller, ProPublica ------ Master class: Writing for broadcast TV - pre-registered attendees only Time: Friday, June 21, 10:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (135 minutes) Location: Grand C, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Pre-registration - Master Class, - Broadcast track Speakers: - A.J. Lagoe, KARE11, - Chris Vanderveen, KUSA-TV, Denver, CO ------ Unsung documents Time: Friday, June 21, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 5, lobby level Veteran investigative reporters reprise a classic panel and list obscure but powerful documents that anyone can use to turbocharge a project or bulk-up daily beat coverage. They also provide practical guidelines for unearthing, scrutinizing, managing and cross-referencing routine documents to unleash their full investigative power. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Reporting and writing strategies track Speakers: - James Grimaldi, Wall Street Journal, - Cheryl W. Thompson, NPR ------ 10 international financial crimes journalists should understand Time: Friday, June 21, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 4, lobby level International illicit financial flows affect so many areas of life from crime to the democratic process. This session will lay out the top financial crimes that you should know about — and how to investigate them. Learn how bad actors hide these transactions in plain site. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Martha Mendoza, Associated Press: A two-time Pulitzer Prize and Emmy winner, Martha Mendoza’s reports have prompted Congressional hearings and new legislation, Pentagon investigations and White House responses. She was part of a team whose investigations into slavery in the Thai seafood sector have led to the freedom of more than 2,000 men. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/mendozamartha | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/marthamendoza | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarthaMendozaAP, - Drew Sullivan, OCCRP ------ Broadcast Track: Anatomy of an investigation Time: Friday, June 21, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 7, lobby level From pitch to air, how an initial and maybe obscure tip led to successful investigative stories. Challenges, work arounds, solutions, successes – plus collaborations, partnerships, team projects and more! We pick apart compelling content to find out how they got the end result. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Broadcast track Speakers: - Jennifer Cobb, KHOU-TV, Houston, TX, - Scott Friedman, KXAS-TV, Dallas/Fort Worth, TX, - Eva Parks, NBC 5/KXAS-TV: Eva Parks is the resident watchdog for KXAS-TV’s award-winning team covering big government, fraud, education and exposing safety issues in North Texas and beyond. While data and open records are her jam, Parks loves breaking news and producing long-form stories that matters. Parks has been honored with multiple national awards but her greatest honor is exposing the truth and advocating for those who may not have a voice. Connect: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evaparks/, - Jeremy Rogalski, KHOU-TV, Houston: Investigative Reporter Jeremy Rogalski is a three-time recipient of the IRE award and duPont Columbia University award, the broadcast recipient of the Pulitzer Prize. In his 23-year career at KHOU-TV in Houston, TX, Jeremy’s exclusive reports have changed policy, sparked criminal prosecutions and helped countless Texans along the way. He’s a native Chicagoan and die-hard Cubs fan, who somehow convinced his lovely wife to name their first child Nicholas Wrigley Rogalski. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/JRogalskiKHOU | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KHOUJeremyRogalski | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyrogalski/ ------ Deep Dive: How to dig on deadline Time: Friday, June 21, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 6, lobby level From the collapse of a condo building in Florida to the mass shooting in Uvalde to the wildfires that killed over a hundred people in Hawaii, Mike Baker has consistently found unique investigative angles on major national stories. Across the newsroom on the tech team, Ryan Mac’s relentless sourcing has enabled him to break news and pull back the curtain on key figures in the industry, from Elon Musk to Peter Thiel. The two reporters will interview each other about how they find stories, develop sources, stay organized, and keep longer-term stories afloat while tending to more urgent reporting. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Reporting and writing strategies track Speakers: - Mike Baker, The New York Times, - Ryan Mac, The New York Times ------ FYI Forum: The New York Times Local Investigations Fellowship Time: Friday, June 21, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand G, lobby level Are you a local beat reporter or freelancer with a burning investigative story idea? The New York Times Local Investigations Fellowship is accepting applications for its one-year fellowship program aimed at developing the next generation of investigative journalists. Join Dean Baquet, the program's executive editor, and other members of the editing staff to learn more about the program and tips for how to do accountability reporting at the local level. Editors will also answer questions about the program, which recruits local journalists for one year to report local investigations in their communities. Visit the fellowship’s website for program requirements and details about how to apply. https://www.nytco.com/careers/local-investigations-fellowship/ This session is sponsored by The New York Times. IRE retains control of content, including the topic and speaker selection, for all conference sessions. Notes: - Session type: FYI Forum Speakers: - Dean Baquet, The New York Times: Dean Baquet leads a local investigative NYT fellowship. He served as Executive Editor of The New York Times from May 2014 until June 2022. Mr. Baquet served in the highest-ranked position in The NYT's newsroom and oversaw its news report in all its various forms., - Chris Davis, The New York Times, - Kathleen McGrory, The New York Times: Kathleen McGrory is an investigations editor with the New York Times's Local Investigations Fellowship. She was previously a reporter on ProPublica's national staff. McGrory began her career at the Miami Herald and was later an investigative reporter and editor at the Tampa Bay Times, where she won the Pulitzer Prize in Local Reporting. She teaches at the University of Florida and holds degrees from Columbia's Graduate School of Journalism and Hamilton College. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/kmcgrory | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleen-mcgrory/, - Sona Patel, The New York Times: Sona Patel is the Program and Editorial Director for The New York Times’s Local Investigations Fellowship, where she oversees recruiting and newsroom partnerships for the program. She also edits local investigations. She started her career as a reporter for The Tribune (San Luis Obispo) and later pivoted to audience. Sona was the first Social Media editor for The Seattle Times and was part of the team that won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/sona | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonakpatel ------ Finding the right solutions angle for your investigation Time: Friday, June 21, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand F, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - John Diedrich, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Marquette University: John Diedrich is an investigative reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Through an O’Brien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism at Marquette University, Diedrich examined gun deaths in Wisconsin, reframing the issue in deep reporting with gun owners. Earlier work revealed electrical fire risk and dangers in factories, MMA and hospitals. A finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, he also received a George Polk and Gerald Loeb, among other awards. Connect: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diedrichjohn | X: https://twitter.com/john_diedrich | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/john_diedrich | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/john.diedrich.79, - Tina Rosenburg, Solutions Journalism Network ------ Gender & reproductive rights track: The gender-targeted disinformation machine Time: Friday, June 21, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand E, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speaker information coming soon. ------ Investigating scams Time: Friday, June 21, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 2, lobby level Scammers' schemes evolve rapidly, and it can be hard to keep up with their tactics. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) can help. In this demo, reporters will: -Learn insider tips on how to use BBB's Scam Tracker tool -Discover how to mine the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Sentinel data for information gems -Explore case studies demonstrating the use of BBB's resources and tools After this hourlong demo, any intrepid reporter interested in uncovering fraud will be equipped with the tools to tackle a variety of systemic scams. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Tools & Tech track Speaker: - Brian Edwards, Better Business Bureau ------ OSINT visual investigations Time: Friday, June 21, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 1, lobby level (BYO) Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor: - Michael Biesecker, The Associated Press: Michael Biesecker is a global investigative reporter for The Associated Press. Biesecker’s work tracking potential war crimes in Ukraine was recognized with the 2022 IRE Gold Medal, as well as the top award for investigative reporting from the Overseas Press Club of America. He was a contributor to the AP team that won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. Biesecker also teaches investigative and environmental reporting at Georgetown University. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/NewsDudeAP | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelbiesecker ------ Using OpenRefine, a power tool for cleaning data Time: Friday, June 21, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 3, lobby level (PC) Learn how to use OpenRefine, a powerful tool for quickly cleaning up dirty data. You'll learn about faceting, simple clustering, applying common data transformations and more. This session is good for people with basic experience working with data. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor information coming soon. ------ Using data and docs to investigate the gun industry Time: Friday, June 21, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Marquis Northeast, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Eric Fan, Bloomberg News: Eric Fan is an investigative data journalist at Bloomberg News, where his work investigating US gun exports was a 2024 Pulitzer finalist and winner of IRE's Tom Renner Award. He previously reported for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Columbia University's Brown Institute for Media Innovation. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/ericfan_journo | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericfan24, - Cheryl Phillips, Stanford University, - Alain Stephens, The Trace ------ What to do when you become the subject Time: Friday, June 21, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 5, lobby level Increasingly, the subjects of stories are not just denying wrongdoing. They are attacking journalists -- launching PR campaigns to lie about them, putting up billboards to belittle them and even opening criminal investigations into their work. On this panel, reporters who have been through the wringer will discuss how to handle it with grace, and how to know when to make it part of the story. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Katherine Long, Business Insider: Katherine Long is a Business Insider's national desk reporter, focused on quick-turn investigations. Previously, she reported on Amazon for Business Insider and The Seattle Times. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/ByKLong | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-long-6a7227118/, - Taylor Lorenz, The Washington Post: Taylor Lorenz is a technology columnist at The Washington Post and host of the Power User podcast on Vox media, a weekly tech and online culture show. She covers social media, the content creator industry, and online radicalization. She has written for the New York Times, New York Magazine, and more. , - Brian Rosenthal, The New York Times, - Stephanie Sugars, U.S. Press Freedom Tracker: Stephanie Sugars is the senior reporter for the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, documenting press freedom violations across the U.S. A graduate of NYU's GloJo program in journalism and international relations, her work focuses on human rights, politics and targeted violence. She has previously worked at the Committee to Protect Journalists and the Post-Conflict Research Center, and her reporting has appeared in Al Jazeera, Columbia Journalism Review and Balkan Diskurs. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/stephanie_alena | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniesugars/Mastadon ------ Broadcast Track: Teamwork makes the dream work Time: Friday, June 21, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 7, lobby level Collaborating with other stations, nonprofits, or print/digital organizations can level up your investigative game. Come learn how to pitch a collab and best practices for managing a collab. You'll hear horror stories and award winning successes to help guide your next collaboration. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Broadcast track Speakers: - Jodie Fleischer, Cox Media Group, - Tonya Simpson, ABC News, - Julie Watts, CBS News California Investigates ------ Deep Dive: Vetting story ideas Time: Friday, June 21, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand G, lobby level A reporter brings in a promising idea. How do you assess what it’s going to take to land the story in the most explosive and compelling form possible? And how do you build in checkpoints to know when things are going off the rails? Three veteran editors will interrogate each other's approaches and share concrete tips any journalist — whether you’re a reporter or manager — can use to hone their own story ideas. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Managing & Editing track Speakers: - Dean Baquet, The New York Times: Dean Baquet leads a local investigative NYT fellowship. He served as Executive Editor of The New York Times from May 2014 until June 2022. Mr. Baquet served in the highest-ranked position in The NYT's newsroom and oversaw its news report in all its various forms., - Mark Katches, Tampa Bay Times, - Ron Nixon, The Associated Press ------ Google Sheets: Using string functions to manipulate data Time: Friday, June 21, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 1, lobby level (BYO) Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructors: - Lauren McGaughy, The Texas Newsroom (Based at KUT, Austin's NPR Station): Lauren McGaughy is an investigative reporter and editor for The Texas Newsroom, a collaboration of NPR stations in Texas. She focuses on criminal justice, governmental ethics and LGBTQ issues. In 2020, the Headliners Foundation honored her work on how police use hypnosis to investigate crimes. Lauren previously worked for The Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle and New Orleans Times-Picayune. She loves cats, cemeteries and comic books. Ask about her wig collection! Connect: X: https://twitter.com/lmcgaughy | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-mcgaughy | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurenrmcgaughy, - Janelle O'Dea, Independent Journalist: Janelle O'Dea uses data to dig in and assist local reporters with their investigations. She spent 5 years at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch as a data reporter before moving on to the Center for Public Integrity. Laid off as of May 1, she’s freelance consulting the rest of the project she was working on for the Center before finding her next gig. Connect: X: twitter.com/jayohday | Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/jayohday ------ How do you cover crime? And why do we do it? Time: Friday, June 21, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand C, lobby level As the U.S. confronts critical questions about policing and justice, join The Associated Press for an essential dialogue about the evolving journalism landscape and learn about brand new updates to AP’s criminal justice coverage guidance designed to enhance the fairness, accuracy, and sensitivity of crime and law enforcement coverage. Join AP editors for a revealing conversation on the challenges and responsibilities of reporting on crime and how these changes could help redefine your newsroom’s approach to crime reporting. Learn how to effectively illuminate the lives impacted by violence, ensure accountability in law enforcement, and adopt best practices that emphasize ethical reporting. We'll delve into guidance from the 2024 AP Stylebook on critical aspects of reporting such as language choices, the implications of using mug shots, building reliable sources, and handling graphic content responsibly. We'll also spotlight the latest AP Stylebook guidance examining common law enforcement terminologies. Equip yourself with the tools to produce reporting that not only informs and holds the powerful to account but respects and uplifts, ensuring every story is told with accuracy and empathy. Notes: - Session type: FYI Forum Speakers: - Mike Balsamo, The Associated Press: Mike Balsamo is the national law enforcement editor for The Associated Press, overseeing a team covering the U.S. criminal justice system and leads AP’s coverage of the criminal cases involving former President Donald Trump. He previously covered the Justice Dept. and spearheaded a multiyear investigation into the federal prison system. Balsamo is a two-time winner of awards from the White House Correspondents’ Association and is vice president of the National Press Club Connect: X: https://twitter.com/MikeBalsamo1, - Jill Bleed, The Associated Press ------ How to connect and earn trust with communities we've failed Time: Friday, June 21, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand E, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Gonzalo Magana, ABC10: Gonzalo Magaña is an award-winning journalist and the Director of Special Projects and Audience Engagement at ABC10, TEGNA’s ABC affiliate in Sacramento, CA. In 2017, Gonzalo created the ABC10 Originals team, specializing in long-form and investigative reporting. In 2021, he launched and oversees the Race and Culture Content Team, dedicated to reporting with and about diverse communities. Prior to joining TEGNA, Gonzalo spent 12 years working in Spanish broadcast news. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/gmaganaTV, - Mollie Muchna, Trusting News: Mollie Muchna is a project manager at Trusting News. Most of her journalism career has been spent working in audience and engagement journalism in legacy newsrooms across the Southwest. She lives in Tucson, Arizona, where she is also an adjunct professor at the University of Arizona’s School of Journalism. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/MollieMuchna | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollie-muchna-829169102/, - Sabrina Sanchez, ABC10, - Kate Sosin, The 19th: Kate Sosin is an LGBTQ+ reporter at The 19th. Their work has appeared in lots of places, and you are also awesome. ------ How to perfect your pitch Time: Friday, June 21, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Marquis Northeast, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speaker information coming soon. ------ Investigating toxic chemicals Time: Friday, June 21, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 4, lobby level Toxic chemicals are all around us. Journalists are routinely having to report on them. From water laced with forever chemicals to polluting industry contaminating the air with carcinogens, environmental and public health reporters are often encountering toxics stories. This session will be a primer on how to responsibly report on toxic chemicals. We’ll talk about the pitfalls of industry-reported data, how to navigate murky state and federal exposure standards, and ways to effectively communicate risk. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, - Lily Jamali, Marketplace, - Maya Miller, ProPublica, - Naveena Sadasivam, Grist ------ Legal resources for reporters covering campaigns and elections Time: Friday, June 21, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 6, lobby level For reporters preparing to cover elections at all levels in 2024, this session will provide a primer on journalists’ newsgathering rights, particularly at polling places and conventions; how public records laws govern access to election-related information; and the kinds of free legal support available for election coverage. Participants will come away with a better understanding of their rights, and practical tips and legal resources — from online guides to emergency hotlines — they can turn to if they have questions or encounter issues. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speaker: - Adam Marshall, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press ------ Lightning talks: Trans stories edition Time: Friday, June 21, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 2, lobby level Issues affecting trans communities are cropping up on every beat. What reporting and editing tools will help you learn more about doing fair, accurate, and hard-hitting journalism on these topics? Who's already doing stellar journalism on trans communities? Join experts on trans coverage for quick talks on helpful tools, case studies of tricky editorial issues, and showcases of stellar coverage of trans communities. This session was planned in collaboration with TJA. IRE retains control of content, including the topic and speaker selection, for all conference sessions. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speaker information coming soon. ------ Master Class: Reporting and writing for scene - pre-registered attendees only Time: Friday, June 21, 2:30 – 6 p.m. (210 minutes) Location: Grand B, lobby level When it comes to crafting scenes, we can learn a lot from people who write fiction and screenplays. But our challenges begin long before the writing. Our scenes have to be true not just emotionally, but factually. This class will look at ways to gather dialogue, the telling detail and other threads that we can then weave into a scene people will remember (all, of course, without sacrificing the element of accountability — because, that’s what we do). We’ll chat about Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules of Writing and talk shop with Ava Kofman about two of her New Yorker stories. Preregistration is required and seating is limited. Notes: - Session type: Pre-registration - Master Class Speaker: - Ken Armstrong, Bloomberg: Ken Armstrong now works at Bloomberg. He’s won Pulitzer Prizes for investigative and explanatory reporting and shared in two staff Pulitzers for breaking news. Other awards include a Peabody for radio and the National Magazine Award for feature writing. He co-wrote the story that became the Netflix series, “Unbelievable.” He was the McGraw Professor of Writing at Princeton and co-authored the book, “Scoreboard, Baby,” winner of the Edgar Award for nonfiction. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/bykenarmstrong | LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/armstrongken ------ R 1: Intro to R and RStudio Time: Friday, June 21, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 3, lobby level (PC) Jump into data analysis with R, the powerful open-source programming language. In this class we’ll cover R fundamentals and learn our way around the RStudio interface for using R. This session is good for: People with a basic understanding of data analysis who are ready to go beyond spreadsheets. Laptops will be provided. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor: - Ryan Thornburg, UNC Chapel Hill ------ Unionizing your newsroom Time: Friday, June 21, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 5, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Equity, inclusion and accessibility track Speakers: - Yvette Cabrera, The Center for Public Integrity: Yvette Cabrera is a senior reporter at the investigative news nonprofit, the Center for Public Integrity, where she covers social and economic inequalities with a focus on environmental justice issues. She serves as president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and is a founding member of The Uproot Project, a network for environmental journalists of color. Connect: X: twitter.com/YCabreraOC | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reportera.cabrera/?hl, - Matt Pearce, Media Guild of the West: Matt Pearce is president of Media Guild of the West, a local union of The NewsGuild-CWA that represents journalists across a dozen newsrooms in Southern California, Arizona and Texas. He was a longtime reporter for the Los Angeles Times and a graduate of the University of Missouri. He lives in Los Angeles. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/mattdpearce | Substack: https://mattdpearce.substack.com/ | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-pearce-947537123/ | Instagram: https://instagram.com/mattdpearce, - Jason Ruiz, Long Beach Post ------ Using public records to investigate political candidates for the 2024 election Time: Friday, June 21, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 2, lobby level (BYO) We’ll demonstrate various strategies, databases, and skills that can be used to investigate political candidates, both incumbents and newcomers, in the 2024 election, from local races all the way up to the presidential campaign. This session will include instruction on basic FOIA requests, campaign finance, essential investigative research tools, and analysis of public records. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor information coming soon. ------ Broadcast Track: From boring to blockbuster: Tricks and tools to make your investigative stories sing Time: Friday, June 21, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 7, lobby level Bring your investigation to life! Creative visuals, graphics, aftereffects, unique interview framing and more. Join this group of storytellers who will show how they translate their reporting to impactful stories that keep viewers glued, no matter the length or subject matter. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Broadcast track Speakers: - Brendan Keefe, Atlanta News First - Gray Television: Brendan Keefe is Chief Investigator for Atlanta News First Investigates and InvestigateTV. He’s one of the most-decorated investigative reporters in the nation. Brendan’s investigations have earned the George Foster Peabody Award, the DuPont-Columbia Silver Baton, six National Edward R. Murrow Awards, a National Emmy, an IRE Award, and more than 125 regional Emmys. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/BrendanKeefe, - Beth Peak, GrayTV, - Cristin Severance, WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC ------ Don't get played: How to investigate gambling Time: Friday, June 21, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Marquis Northeast, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Kathy Best, Howard Center for Investigative Journalism: Kathy Best is the inaugural director of the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland. She previously was the executive editor of The Seattle Times, editor of the Missoulian in Missoula, MT, and a top editor at The Baltimore Sun, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Students in the Howard Center produce national investigations, often working with other universities or professional partners. Connect: X: twitter.com/kbest | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathy-best-15b1784/, - Adam Candee, Legal Sports Report, - Paula Lavigne, ESPN: Paula Lavigne is an investigative reporter for ESPN. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/pinepaula | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulalavigneespn ------ Finding the story: Crime stats Time: Friday, June 21, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 2, lobby level (BYO) Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor: - Daniel Lathrop, Scripps Howard ------ Go FOIA yourself Time: Friday, June 21, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 5, lobby level The tactic of submitting records requests about yourself. This can sometimes yield new information that a public relations person provided, or can cause a public relations person to provide information that they had been declining to provide. It also shows who they may be turning to for advice or outside help on your story. I have done this several times, with great results as well as little to no results. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Public records track Speakers: - Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times: Keri Blakinger is a Los Angeles Times reporter covering the Sheriff's Department and county jails. Previously, she covered prisons for The Marshall Project and criminal justice for the Houston Chronicle. She is a two-time Pulitzer finalist and the author of Corrections in Ink. Connect: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keribla | X: https://twitter.com/keribla | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keriblakinger/ | Threads: https://www.threads.net/@keriblakinger, - Tyler Kingkade, NBC NEWS: Tyler Kingkade is a national reporter at NBC News, based in Los Angeles. He writes about abuse in treatment facilities, culture wars and extremism, and conflicts in city governments. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/tylerkingkade | Threads: https://www.threads.net/@tyler.kingkade.tktk, - Jason Leopold, Bloomberg News: Jason Leopold is a senior investigative reporter for Bloomberg News. He received the 2023 Gerald Loeb Award for investigative reporting and the 2022 George Polk Award for health reporting, and he has twice been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in international reporting. In 2016, Leopold was awarded the IRE FOI award and was inducted into the National Freedom of Information Hall of Fame by the Freedom Forum Institute and the Newseum. Connect: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonleopold/ | X: https://twitter.com/JasonLeopold ------ Google Sheets: Importing and data prep Time: Friday, June 21, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 1, lobby level (BYO) Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor information coming soon. ------ Honing your investigative skills: From ideation to production Time: Friday, June 21, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 2, lobby level Join the team from the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication as they preview a new professional investigative editing certificate program they’re developing for working journalists who would like to move into investigative editing or those who just want to sharpen their investigative skills. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Managing & Editing track Speakers: - Maud Beelman, Arizona State University/Howard Center for Investigative Reporting, - Mark Greenblatt, Arizona State University/Howard Center for Investigative Reporting ------ Investigating hate crimes and bias incidents Time: Friday, June 21, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 4, lobby level Anti-Black and anti-Jewish hate crimes were the most commonly reported type of bias, according to FBI data in 2022. Within the country’s 10 largest cities, the number of reported hate crimes rose even more – 22% from 2021 to 2022, making last year the second consecutive year they hit a record high. While the number of hate crime incidents is up by 7% from 2021, the spike in incidents is partially due to more law enforcement agencies reporting their data. How do we report on this data without inflamming hateful rhetoric? We will discuss how to identify it and report on it more thoughtfully and accurately to not be manipulated by special interest groups; political party partisanship and avoiding harmful tropes. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Equity, inclusion and accessibility track ------ Investigating trash Time: Friday, June 21, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand F, lobby level When you put plastic wrappers, old batteries or used clothes into a recycling bin, how do you know if it actually gets recycled or is dumped thousands of miles away? As global plastic consumption continues to soar and the shift to clean energy creates new waste streams, more garbage meant for recycling is being exported to countries that are ill-equipped to handle the rich world’s trash. Investigative journalists are applying innovative reporting techniques to shed light on the opaque global market in waste. The panel will discuss how data analysis, remote sensing and ship, container and GPS tracking has been used in recent investigations into waste dumping, from US trash shipped to Mexico to Canadian packaging dumped in Myanmar. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Beat reporting track Speaker: - Charlotte Alfred, Lighthouse Reports: Charlotte is senior editor at investigative newsroom Lighthouse Reports, developing cross-border projects that combine OSINT, data journalism and money trails tools. She focuses on investigations in countries affected by conflict, in partnership with local and exiled journalists. Previously based in the Middle East, she has worked in news, features and documentary, reporting on migration, misinformation and conflict. Connect: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlottealfred/ ------ Networking: Journalists of color Time: Friday, June 21, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand E, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Networking Speaker information coming soon. ------ R 2: Data analysis and plotting Time: Friday, June 21, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 3, lobby level (PC) We'll use the tidyverse packages dplyr and ggplot2, learning how to sort, filter, group, summarize, join, and visualize to identify trends in your data. If you want to combine SQL-like analysis and charting in a single pipeline, this session is for you. This session is good for: People who have worked with data operations in SQL or Excel and would like to do the same in R. Laptops will be provided. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor: - Lucia Walinchus, NBCUniversal Owned TV Stations ------ Reporting tips and tools for covering immigration in your community Time: Friday, June 21, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand G, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel Speakers: - Lomi Kriel, ProPublica/Texas Tribune, - Elliot Spagat, The Associated Press ------ What the Real Housewives can teach you about investigative journalism Time: Friday, June 21, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 6, lobby level While reality TV can often feel more dystopian than authentic, this panel will use the Real Housewives franchise as a device to work through real-life reporting conundrums. We will explore crucial themes in investigative reporting such as conducting trauma-informed interviews, recognizing and dismantling racial bias in storytelling, preparing for accountability interviews, and more. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Cary Aspinwall, The Marshall Project, - Ko Bragg, The Markup, - Marissa Evans, ------ Broadcast Track: Wrangling the big story Time: Friday, June 21, 5 – 6 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 7, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Broadcast track Speakers: - Greg Fox, WESH-TV 2 NBC (Hearst): Greg Fox has been a journalist since 1982, working at WESH-TV Orlando (Hearst) since May 1987. He is the Investigative & Political reporter. He also worked at WYOU-TV and WGHP-TV. He’s won two national Walter Cronkite Awards for Excellence in TV Political Journalism, seven regional Emmys, as well as Edward R. Murrow, SPJ, FABJ, AP, & Green Eyeshade awards. Greg was also an adjunct professor at the University of Central Florida and Rollins College. Connect: X: twitter.com/gregfoxwesh | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GregFoxWESH/, - Daniela Molina, Gray Television/InvestigateTV: Daniela Molina is a bilingual investigative journalist who has great interest in human trafficking and health care stories. Throughout her time at InvestigateTV she has uncovered nursing home abuse, desecration of Black cemeteries, lack of updated emergency medical kits on airlines and has exposed secrecy in military medical malpractice. Daniela Molina also has a Spanish consumer segment called “Cuidando Su Billetera” that airs on Gray TV’s Telemundo stations. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/DailyDaniela_ | Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dailydaniela/, - Andy Pierrotti, WANF-TV, CBS Atlanta; InvestigateTV: Andy is a national award-winning investigative reporter who has received the duPont Columbia Award, George Foster Peabody, multiple Emmy, and Edward R. Murrow awards. His investigations have changed state laws, put people in prison, freed a man from jail, and led to historic state fines. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/AndyPierrotti | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndyPierrottiReporter/ | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reporterandy/, - Nicole Vap, CBS News ------ FYI Forum: Floodlight: Fiction in the public interest Time: Friday, June 21, 5 – 6 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand C, lobby level Come hear about this one-of-a-kind initiative! Created by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), the Gabriel García Márquez’s Foundation (Gabo Foundation) and film industry pros, Floodlight connects investigative journalism and the film and television industry to produce fiction that informs, illuminates, and entertains. Notes: - Session type: FYI Forum Speaker information coming soon. ------ Google Sheets: Advanced pivot tables Time: Friday, June 21, 5 – 6 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 1, lobby level (BYO) Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor information coming soon. ------ How to look at the news through a military lens Time: Friday, June 21, 5 – 6 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 4, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Zachary Fryer-Biggs, Military.com: Zachary Fryer-Biggs is the Managing Editor for news at Military.com. Zach has been a national security journalist for more than a decade, during that time working as Newsweek’s Pentagon reporter and an investigative reporter covering national security for the Center for Public Integrity, among other positions. His work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Reveal, The Daily Beast, and other outlets. Connect: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/zachfb, - Sonner Kehrt, The War Horse: Sonner Kehrt is an investigative reporter at The War Horse. Her work has also been featured in The New York Times, WIRED magazine, Mother Jones, and other publications. She studied government at the US Coast Guard Academy and served for five years as Coast Guard officer before earning a masters in democracy and governance studies from Georgetown University and a masters of journalism from UC Berkeley. , - Ron Nixon, The Associated Press ------ How to report on AI copyright cases Time: Friday, June 21, 5 – 6 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 2, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - AI track Speaker: - Matt Topic, Loevy & Loevy ------ Investigating the groups organizing anti-trans action and legislation Time: Friday, June 21, 5 – 6 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 6, lobby level Nearly 600 anti-trans bills were filed in 2023, and 2024 looks to be a continuation of that legislative onslaught. And that's not to mention fast-moving policies in school boards and state departments. What, exactly, do the laws and policies do, how are they being implemented, and who are they affecting? (Hint: Everyone, not just trans people). Come for a lively discussion of this astonishing flood of policies and the groups behind them. This session was planned in collaboration with TJA. IRE retains control of content, including the topic and speaker selection, for all conference sessions. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Lil Kalish, HuffPost, - Vivian McCall, The Stranger, - Kate Sosin, The 19th: Kate Sosin is an LGBTQ+ reporter at The 19th. Their work has appeared in lots of places, and you are also awesome. ------ Investigating the public relations machine within policing Time: Friday, June 21, 5 – 6 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 5, lobby level In 2020, the LA Times published Maya Lau's investigation of the role of police public relations departments in Los Angeles. She found that the police department and sheriff's department employ a combined 67 people and spend more than $12 million per year on public relations. She also identified several instances in which PR staff across the country lied, released misleading body camera footage, and otherwise spun events to reflect favorably on police officers. In 2021, Sofía Mejías Pascoe at the Voice of San Diego published a similar investigation of police contracts with private PR and crisis response firms. Does the public know their money is being used to spin information about police conduct back to them? Maya and Sofía will offer a behind the scenes look at how their investigations came together and offer concrete suggestions to journalists interested in taking on similar investigations. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Laura Bennett, The Center for Just Journalism , - Maya Lau, Independent journalist: Maya Lau is a financial investigative researcher. She also hosts the personal finance podcast "Other People's Pockets." She's a former investigative journalist for the LATimes, where she covered the LA County Sheriff's Department. She also talks about career pivots from journalism. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/mayalau | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayalau/ | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsmayamoney/, - Sofia Mejias-Pascoe, inewsource: Sofía covers immigration and the U.S.-Mexico border through an accountability lens from her hometown of San Diego. She has written about shifting migration patterns along the border, Border Patrol pursuits and wage theft. She previously interned with the San Diego Union-Tribune and Voice of San Diego. She speaks English and Spanish. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/sofiareports | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sofiaannemp/ | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sofiareports/ ------ Investigating your state's guardianship system Time: Friday, June 21, 5 – 6 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Marquis Northeast, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speaker information coming soon. ------ Lessons learned from election investigations around the world Time: Friday, June 21, 5 – 6 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand F, lobby level “We will know whether democracy lives or dies by the end of 2024” – Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa, January 2024. How can investigative journalists hold political actors accountable in an era of rising autocracy, political violence, AI-driven disinformation, and other anti-democratic threats in this seismic global elections period? In this round-up session, journalists will share the key tools, strategies, and techniques that leading watchdog journalists around the world now recommend, from at-risk elections to “hybrid” democracies and autocratic states holding sham elections. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Tamoa Calzadilla, Factchequeado, - Rowan Philp, Global Investigative Journalism Network , - Akhil Ranjan, ICFJ: Akhil Ranjan is a bilingual London-based freelance journalist with expertise in uncovering organised disinformation techniques in South Asia. He has worked with global media and tech organisations, including the BBC, Twitter, AFP and ICFJ, and possesses over a decade of experience in multimedia content production and digital investigation. Ranjan is passionate about contributing to the global fight against information pollution and making the internet a safer place. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/akhilr23 | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akhil-ranjan-b2a595b8/, - Beth Reinhard, The Washington Post, - Naomi Zeveloff, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) ------ R 3: Gathering and cleaning data Time: Friday, June 21, 5 – 6 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 3, lobby level (PC) Learn how to use R to scrape data from web pages, access APIs and transform the results into usable data. This session will also focus on how to clean and structure the data you've gathered in preparation for analysis using tidyverse packages. This session is good for: People who have used R and have a basic understanding of how to retrieve data from APIs. Laptops will be provided. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor information coming soon. ------ Sleeping Well: How investigative journalists can make even the most sensitive and complicated stories ironclad Time: Friday, June 21, 5 – 6 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand G, lobby level There was a time it was a matter of keeping your desk clean. But today’s investigative journalists have an overwhelming number of options about how to organize their work. We will present a few simple systems teams can use to make sure that every bit of content from pitch to publish is in a simple, well organized site. We’ll talk about annotating drafts (keep the lawyers happy), using video and audio transcriptions, and security challenges. Bring concerns you face and solutions you’ve developed to this session as we collaborate in true IRE style to share what we know. This includes: -Reporting Plans in 2024 -Two = Three: How teaming up can boost productivity, creativity and accuracy for investigative reporting. -Managing Up: Making workplace decisions that benefit you and your editor Notes: - Session type: Panel Speakers: - Martha Mendoza, Associated Press: A two-time Pulitzer Prize and Emmy winner, Martha Mendoza’s reports have prompted Congressional hearings and new legislation, Pentagon investigations and White House responses. She was part of a team whose investigations into slavery in the Thai seafood sector have led to the freedom of more than 2,000 men. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/mendozamartha | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/marthamendoza | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarthaMendozaAP, - Ron Nixon, The Associated Press ------ Storyball: Finding ideas in sports data Time: Friday, June 21, 5 – 6 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 2, lobby level (BYO) Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on, - Beat reporting track Instructor: - Derek Willis, University of Maryland: Derek Willis teaches data journalism at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland. Previously he has worked at ProPublica, The New York Times, The Washington Post and other news organizations. He runs OpenElections. Connect: Github: https://github.com/dwillis/ ------ Why do U.S. newsrooms hire so few investigative reporters of color? Time: Friday, June 21, 5 – 6 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand E, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Management track Speakers: - Yvette Cabrera, The Center for Public Integrity: Yvette Cabrera is a senior reporter at the investigative news nonprofit, the Center for Public Integrity, where she covers social and economic inequalities with a focus on environmental justice issues. She serves as president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and is a founding member of The Uproot Project, a network for environmental journalists of color. Connect: X: twitter.com/YCabreraOC | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reportera.cabrera/?hl, - Norberto Santana, Voice of OC, - Mc Nelly Torres, Center for Public Integrity: Mc Nelly Torres is an award-winning investigative journalist and editor at the Center for Public Integrity, where she leads a team investigating inequality. Before, Torres worked as an investigative producer for NBC6 in Miami and co-founded FCIR.org. Torres is a product of newspapers including the Sun-Sentinel and the San Antonio Express-News. Torres was the first Latina to be elected to the IRE board of directors. She was a recipient of the Gwen Ifill Award in 2022. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/WatchdogDiva *** SATURDAY, JUNE 22 *** ------ Behind the story: Driving while Black Time: Saturday, June 22, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand E, lobby level Twenty years ago, Illinois began collecting some of the most robust data in the nation on traffic stops under legislation sponsored by then-Illinois State Sen. Barack Obama. By requiring police in every department across the state to record data about every traffic stop – including the race of the driver, the reason for the stop, the outcome and dozens of other data points – the hope was to better understand and address racial profiling. On the 20th anniversary, WBEZ Chicago and the Investigative Project on Race and Equity obtained and analyzed 42.5 million records from more than 1,000 police jurisdictions across Illinois collected under the law. This first-of-its-kind analysis showed the problem has only gotten worse: the share of traffic stops involving Black drivers has risen over time, reaching all-time high levels in recent years. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Jessica Alvarado, Chicago Public Media/WBEZ: Jessica Alvarado Gamez is an investigative Roy W. Howard Fellow on WBEZ’s data team. Previously, she earned her master’s degree in investigative journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. Her work has been featured by The Associated Press, Chicago Sun-Times, Univision Arizona and Arizona PBS. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/AlvvJess | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessalvg, - Angela Caputo, Investigative Project on Race and Equity: Angela Caputo is an award-winning investigative reporter who specializes in using documents, databases, mapping and other analytical tools to expose abuses of power and lax government oversight. She's worked at The Chicago Reporter, American Public Media's APM Reports, the Chicago Tribune and Daily Southtown. She currently serves as the Project Director of the Investigative Project and teaches journalism at Loyola Marymount University. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/angelatcr, - Matt Kiefer, WBEZ/Chicago Public Media: Matt Kiefer is a data journalist with WBEZ/Chicago Public Media. Connect: X: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewlkiefer, - Alden Loury, Chicago Public Media/WBEZ: Alden Loury is the data projects editor at WBEZ, Chicago's NPR member station, and leads a five-person team of data journalists. Documenting segregation and racial inequality in housing, education, employment, the criminal justice system, economic development and politics have been a focus of his work for nearly 25 years in a variety of roles including reporter, editor, publisher, columnist, research director and policy analyst. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/aldenloury | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alden-loury-57a59b4 ------ Broadcast Track: Working for you and on your side Time: Saturday, June 22, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 7, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Broadcast track Speakers: - Jason Knowles, WLS ABC 7: Jason Knowles is an Emmy award winning Consumer Investigative Reporter at WLS, ABC7 Chicago. He's been part of the ABC 7 I-Team for more than 10 years and has been at WLS for 20 years. Before joining WLS, Jason was an Investigative Reporter at WTVG 13 ABC in Toledo, Ohio. Connect: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonknowlesabc7/, - Kristine Lazar, KCAL/KCBS: Kristine Lazar is a consumer investigative reporter at KCAL/KCBS in Los Angeles. Kristine graduated Phi Beta Kappa from UC Berkeley and has been at KCAL/KCBS since 2007. Kristine was a general assignment reporter for the bulk of her now 24-year career, until 2017, when she was tapped to launch the On Your Side consumer franchise. Kristine is also a mom to 3 children, a son and twin daughters. , - Myriam Masihy, WSCV-TV, Miami, FL ------ Deep Dive: Working with people who have been harmed Time: Saturday, June 22, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 4, lobby level The Marshall Project’s Shoshana Walter and Nashville Public Radio’s Meribah Knight have been the lead reporters on stories featuring people who have been traumatized by unjust systems or practices. Their skill in producing this type of investigation was on full display in Knight's podcast The Kids of Rutherford County, produced by Serial, and Walter's recent New York Times magazine story and podcast about women who faced child abuse investigations and lost their newborns for taking prescribed medications during pregnancy. Both have done a range of other stories, in both audio and print, in which they needed to earn the trust of people who have been victimized and hurt. In this session they’ll talk about how they earn that trust, approach interviews with a microphone, and the special challenges they face in asking people to revisit their pain. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Reporting and writing strategies track Speakers: - Meribah Knight, Nashville Public Radio: Meribah Knight is a senior reporter at Nashville Public Radio. She’s the host and creator of the Peabody Award-winning podcast The Promise and Serial’s recent podcast The Kids of Rutherford County. Knight has received numerous national awards for her reporting, including the George Foster Peabody and George Polk awards. She was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, the Goldsmith Award, and twice for the National Magazine Award. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/meribah, - Shoshana Walter, The Marshall Project ------ Investigating transportation: Trains, planes and automobiles Time: Saturday, June 22, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand G, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Beat reporting track Speaker information coming soon. ------ Local investigations with big impact Time: Saturday, June 22, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 5, lobby level We've seen incredible local journalists take down powerful officials, blow the lid off corruption, and hold their communities to unparalleled account. This session will focus on the amazing work journalists have done in the past year and how you can do that work yourself! Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Local track Speakers: - Joshua Ceballos, WLRN News: Joshua Ceballos is an investigative reporter based in Miami, Florida. His work has appeared on WLRN.ORG, in the Miami New Times and The Miami Times. He is the recipient of an IRE award for audio reporting and an Esserman-Knight Journalism Award. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/JoshCeb, - Caitlin McGlade, Arizona Republic: Caitlin is an award-winning investigative reporter at the Arizona Republic and a data professor at Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism. Her most recent series exposing widespread violence in assisted living facilities prompted a new law that created tougher assisted living standards and also a state takeover of a troubled facility. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/caitmcglade, - Anne Ryman, ABC15 Arizona: Anne Ryman is an investigative reporter at ABC15 Arizona in Phoenix. Before that, she was an investigative reporter for more than 20 years at The Arizona Republic. She was part of the newspaper's 2018 Pulitzer Prize-winning team in explanatory reporting. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/anneryman | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-ryman-7a011186/ ------ Master Class: Backstopping the data-driven investigation - pre-registered attendees only Time: Saturday, June 22, 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (210 minutes) Location: Grand C, lobby level Managing a data project presents challenges for any journalist. No matter your comfort level with data, this half-day workshop will give you the foundation you need to help make sure you or your reporters aren’t running with scissors or spinning wheels on data projects. Veteran editors Maud Beelman and Jennifer LaFleur will guide you through the ins and outs of data journalism from an editor’s point of view, including: - How to help journalists find focus for their data stories - How to structure and write data-driven investigations - Verifying analyses and bulletproofing data stories and apps - Using data to find human sources and characters for stories - Planning the best data workflows for your newsroom No data experience is necessary for this workshop. Everyone is welcome! Preregistration is required and seating is limited. Notes: - Session type: Pre-registration - Master Class Speakers: - Maud Beelman, Arizona State University/Howard Center for Investigative Reporting, - Jennifer LaFleur, UC Berkeley ------ Master Class: Managing investigators: Leading those born to challenge authority - pre-registered attendees only Time: Saturday, June 22, 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (210 minutes) Location: Grand B, lobby level Being a news manager is already tough, but what if you supervise investigative journalists? They come with an extra layer of challenges because their very job (and likely their personality) makes them hyper-alert to authority figures. This course is designed to give you some tools and tactics to lead individuals and entire teams of investigators more effectively. Learn from four investigative managers from different media at different stages of their leadership careers. How did they launch into their roles, and what experience have they gained along the way? This course is for current investigative managers and anyone aspiring to step into such a position in the future. Topics will include: managing compassionately, hiring challenges, transitioning to management, forging partnerships, building relationships, handling resource cuts, organization/structure, tough decisions/conversations, in-house training/growth, delivering feedback, creating inclusive opportunities, and juggling responsibilities/projects/work. Preregistration is required and seating is limited. Notes: - Session type: Pre-registration - Master Class Speakers: - Emma Carew Grovum, The Marshall Project: Emma Carew Grovum is the director of careers and culture at The Marshall Project and also the founder of Kimbap Media, a consultancy solving problems at the intersection of journalism, technology, and the audience. She is a co-founder and regular contributor to the News Product Alliance, and also runs a leadership accelerator for journalists of color called Upward. Emma co-hosts Sincerely, Leaders of Color. Connect: X: ttps://twitter.com/emmacarew | Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmacarewgrovum | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmacarew/?hl | Bluesky Social: https://bsky.app/profile/ecg.bsky.social, - Cindy Galli, ABC News: Cindy Galli is Executive Producer of ABC News’ Investigative Unit, leading a team of award-winning reporters and producers who investigate government fraud, corporate corruption, racial injustice and consumer and environmental issues. She led the network’s Uvalde:365 commitment to remain in and cover the community after a mass shooting. Her team’s recent recognitions include a duPont-Columbia baton and three national Murrow awards. Cindy also oversees collaborative projects between ABC News and local stations and affiliates. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/mustangalli, - Josh Hinkle, KXAN: Josh Hinkle is KXAN’s director of investigations and innovation, leading the station’s duPont and IRE Award-winning investigative team on multiple platforms. He also leads KXAN’s political coverage as executive producer and host of “State of Texas,” a weekly statewide program focused on the Texas Legislature and elections. In 2021, he was elected to the IRE Board of Directors and currently serves as its vice president. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/hinklej | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hinklej | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hinklej002/, - Gonzalo Magana, ABC10: Gonzalo Magaña is an award-winning journalist and the Director of Special Projects and Audience Engagement at ABC10, TEGNA’s ABC affiliate in Sacramento, CA. In 2017, Gonzalo created the ABC10 Originals team, specializing in long-form and investigative reporting. In 2021, he launched and oversees the Race and Culture Content Team, dedicated to reporting with and about diverse communities. Prior to joining TEGNA, Gonzalo spent 12 years working in Spanish broadcast news. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/gmaganaTV, - Mc Nelly Torres, Center for Public Integrity: Mc Nelly Torres is an award-winning investigative journalist and editor at the Center for Public Integrity, where she leads a team investigating inequality. Before, Torres worked as an investigative producer for NBC6 in Miami and co-founded FCIR.org. Torres is a product of newspapers including the Sun-Sentinel and the San Antonio Express-News. Torres was the first Latina to be elected to the IRE board of directors. She was a recipient of the Gwen Ifill Award in 2022. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/WatchdogDiva ------ Media law for journalists: Newsgathering Time: Saturday, June 22, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 2, lobby level In this session, you’ll learn from an experienced media attorney about the laws governing newsgathering activity, including going undercover, entering private property, using technology, gaining access to government proceedings and records, dealing with confidential sources, and more. Bring your questions and learn more about your rights to gather information. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speaker: - Jeffrey Hermes, Media Law Resource Center: Jeff Hermes is a Deputy Director of the Media Law Resource Center, a membership organization for media lawyers. Jeff previously served as the Director of the Digital Media Law Project at Harvard University’s Berkman Center; before that, he assisted a wide array of clients with media and intellectual property issues as a litigation attorney for fourteen years. Jeff went to Harvard Law School and received his undergraduate degree, summa cum laude, from Princeton. Connect: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhermes/ ------ Networking: Educators Time: Saturday, June 22, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 6, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Networking Speaker information coming soon. ------ The final fact check Time: Saturday, June 22, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand F, lobby level You've completed your reporting, gathered the evidence and interviewed the sources. It’s almost time to put your work into the world. From color-coded spreadsheets to presenting evidence to bosses and attorneys, we'll discuss techniques for conducting that final fact check for your investigations. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Reporting and writing strategies track Speaker information coming soon. ------ Using OSINT tools to access data at scale Time: Saturday, June 22, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 1, lobby level (BYO) Learn how to leverage search engines, social media, and other public websites to collect the information you need to uncover the truth and gather facts. Together we’ll walk through how this data is leveraged in newsrooms so you can apply it to yours. By the end of this session, you'll now how to use public web data from elections to art. This session is sponsored by Bright Data. IRE retains control of content, including the topic and speaker selection, for all conference sessions. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on, - Tools & Tech track Instructor: - Jennifer Burns, Bright Data: Jennifer is the Director of PR and Communications at Bright Data, a global DaaS company, and runs a data and OSINT tool program designed for journalists and newsrooms to access public web data. After spending 20 years in TV news, operating this program is a natural fit that Jennifer is passionate about. Connect: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-burns-communications/ ------ Using the Census to tell a story Time: Saturday, June 22, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 2, lobby level (BYO) We will go over some tips and tricks for navigating Census data. This session is good for people who want to learn how to use demographic data in their stories. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor: - Sandhya Kambhampati, Los Angeles Times: Sandhya Kambhampati is a data and graphics reporter on the Los Angeles Times Data Desk, where she covers the demographics and diversity of California and the nation. She previously worked at the Chronicle of Higher Education, Correctiv and ProPublica Illinois. Her co-reported work on the widespread inaccuracies in Cook County’s property tax assessment system was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for local reporting in 2018. Send her tips at sandhya@latimes.com. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/sandhya__k ------ Web scraping with R Time: Saturday, June 22, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 3, lobby level (PC) Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor: - Liz Lucas, IRE & NICAR ------ Broadcast Track: Digging for data where none exists Time: Saturday, June 22, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 7, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Broadcast track Speakers: - Caresse Jackman, Gray Television/InvestigateTV: Caresse Jackman is national consumer investigative reporter with InvestigateTV/Gray Television. Caresse’s work shines a light on issues impacting consumers and marginalized communities. Her work has uncovered the desecration of African American cemeteries nationwide, exposed the complexities of replacing lead service lines across America and the issues surrounding appraisal bias for African American homeowners. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/CaresseJ | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caresse-jackman-4396825/ | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caressejackmanWSMV/, - Jared Kofsky, ABC News: Jared Kofsky produces longform and breaking news investigations for ABC News’ broadcast and digital platforms. He works from both the field and the network’s headquarters in New York, and has covered everything from decades-long waiting lists for public housing to Americans being detained in Russia to prison escapes. Jared previously served as the investigative producer for WCSC-TV in South Carolina and a reporter covering New Jersey economic development for Jersey Digs. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/JaredKofsky | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredkofsky, - Emerald Morrow, WTSP-TV, Tampa Bay, FL, - Candice Nguyen, KNTV-TV, San Jose, CA ------ Cleaning and extracting data: 30 tips in 60 minutes Time: Saturday, June 22, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 3, lobby level (PC) Let's put those documents to work for you! In this session we'll review need-to-know methods for getting the most out of your dirty datasets, regardless of whether you're working in Excel or knee-deep in Python. Laptops will be provided. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor: - Jonathan Soma, Columbia University ------ Continuing accountability on the redistricting beat Time: Saturday, June 22, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 5, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speaker information coming soon. ------ FYI Forum: Agenda Watch Time: Saturday, June 22, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 2, lobby level (BYO) Are you a reporter keeping tabs on controversial topics debated by school board members? An investigator tracking city contracts scooped up by certain companies? The Agenda Watch platform is designed to help you shine light on the business of local government. The project, created by Big Local News at Stanford, with support from the Reynolds Journalism Institute and the Lenfest Institute for Journalism, centralizes agendas, agenda packets and meeting minutes from thousands of local city councils and other decision-making bodies in a single, easily searchable platform. Even better, Agenda Watch lets you sign up for alerts on potentially newsworthy items coming up for discussion at future meetings. Join Big Local for this session to learn how to begin using their new platform to cover your beat. Notes: - Session type: FYI Forum Speaker: - Cheryl Phillips, Stanford University ------ Finding the story: Natural disaster data Time: Saturday, June 22, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 1, lobby level (BYO) Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor information coming soon. ------ How to report from and about a country that doesn't want you there: Investigating Russia Time: Saturday, June 22, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand G, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel Speakers: - Paul Beckett, Wall Street Journal, - Olesia Bida, The Kyiv Independent, - Alexander Borodikhin, Mediazona: Alexander Borodikhin is the editor of Mediazona English and a reporter with Mediazona’s Data Department. With years of experience in covering political repression and surveillance in Russia, he is leading and participating in data reporting projects, including the signature effort to tally the toll of Russian casualties in the war in Ukraine. He also oversees Mediazona’s efforts to bring critical wartime insights from and about Russia to larger global audiences Connect: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-borodikhin-a5336323/, - Axel Gordh Humlesjö, Mission Investigate, SVT 1, - T.J. Quinn, ESPN: T.J. Quinn joined ESPN in November 2007 as an investigative reporter for ESPN’s Enterprise Unit, which is charged with developing long-form, investigative features to be presented across multiple platforms. Quinn contributes to all aspects of ESPN’s news and information programming, including SportsCenter, Outside the Lines, ESPN .com and ESPN Radio. ------ Investigating unemployment Time: Saturday, June 22, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 4, lobby level It's a department that affects everyone but is often the least-transparent. Learn about the pitfalls, technology, and small business problems all affected by unemployment. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Lauren Hepler, CalMatters: Lauren Hepler is an investigative reporter covering labor and housing issues for CalMatters. Her previous stories have been published by the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, the Guardian and others. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/LAHepler | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-hepler-7b155113/, - Brittany Johnston, WCVB, - Dave Manoucheri, KCRA/Hearst Television: Dave Manoucheri is an award-winning journalist and documentary producer/director for KCRA in Sacramento. His 35 year career spans investigative journalism to historical documentaries. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/davemanoucheri | Lindkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-manoucheri-6721885/: undefined ------ Reporting on the judiciary Time: Saturday, June 22, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 6, lobby level Judges wield enormous power and often can only be removed for crimes and extreme wrongdoing, and therefore they are accountable to few. Most are not required to respond to public records requests. Federal jurists in particular operate in a world shrouded in secrecy -- and many are appointed for life. Panelists reveal how to pierce the veil of judicial secrecy by uncovering corruption, abuse, harassment and hidden financial interests with data, documents, sources, strategies and little-known archives for both state and federal courts. These tips and story ideas will be useful for both beat and investigative reporters. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Beat reporting track Speakers: - Maya Dukmasova, Injustice Watch: Maya Dukmasova is a senior reporter at Injustice Watch. She reports on judges, prisons, housing and the courts. Before joining Injustice Watch in 2021, Maya was a senior writer at the Chicago Reader, where she produced award-winning long-form features and investigative stories, as well as profiles, film reviews and essays on a wide range of topics. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/mdoukmas | Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdoukmas.bsky.social, - Justin Elliott, ProPublica: Justin Elliott has been a reporter with ProPublica since 2012, where he covers business and politics. Last year he was one of the reporters covering U.S. Supreme Court justices' hidden relationships with billionaire political donors. He was also on the team of reporters documenting how the rich avoid taxes for “The Secret IRS Files” series. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/justinelliott | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-elliott-29276a25/ | Personal website: https://justinelliott.co/: undefined, - Lise Olsen, Texas Observer ------ The art of business investigations Time: Saturday, June 22, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand F, lobby level From getting CEOs to talk to deep diving into a company, a business investigation has its own sets of challenges. You'll hear from veteran print and broadcast journalists on navigating these challenges and how to turn a tip into a compelling corporate investigation. We will cover how to source up at companies you cover, especially those with NDAs, the aggressive nature of PR in business investigations and how to keep your cool when they are yelling at you and calling your editor as well as front running stories with press releases. This session is sponsored by Bloomberg. IRE retains control of content, including the topic and speaker selection, for all conference sessions. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Beat reporting track Speakers: - Olivia Carville, Bloomberg Businessweek: Olivia Carville is an investigative reporter for Bloomberg News. She is an award-winning journalist who has written multiple cover stories for Businessweek magazine. A native of New Zealand, Olivia moved to New York City in 2017. She teaches investigative reporting techniques at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and serves as president of the New York Financial Writers' Association. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/livcarville?lang, - Jane Sasseen, McGraw Center, - Scott Zamost, CNBC: As the senior investigative producer for CNBC, Scott oversees investigative reports and documentaries. Scott joined CNBC in 2017 after nine years at CNN as a senior investigative producer. During his career, he has won more than 75 journalism awards, including two IRE awards, four national Emmy nominations, three National Headliner awards and 23 regional Emmys. A former newspaper reporter, he has spoken or moderated at IRE conferences every year since 2002. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/scottzamost | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottzamost/ ------ The art of interviewing Time: Saturday, June 22, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand E, lobby level This session is sponsored by the Los Angeles Times. IRE retains control of content, including the topic and speaker selection, for all conference sessions. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Reporting and writing strategies track Speakers: - David Cay Johnston, Simon & Schuster/Syracuse U College of Law, - Harriet Ryan, Los Angeles Times: Harriet Ryan is a Los Angeles Times investigative reporter. She has written about Phil Spector, Michael Jackson and Tom Girardi, USC, the State Bar of California, the Catholic Church, the Kabbalah Centre and Purdue Pharma. Ryan and two colleagues won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting. She has worked at Court TV and the Asbury Park Press. She is a Columbia University graduate. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/latimesharriet ------ Top 10 stories in religion you should be following Time: Saturday, June 22, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 2, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Deepa Bharath, The Associated Press, - Ken Chitwood, Religion News Association: Ken Chitwood is a professional religion nerd, working as a scholar and newswriter. He is currently President of the Religion News Association, Editor of ReligionLink, as well as Faith and Immigration Reporter with Sojourners Magazine. He is a Senior Research Fellow with the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative at Indiana University and Affiliate of USC's Center for Religion and Civic Culture. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/kchitwood, - Alejandra Molina, Boyle Heights Beat, - James Queally, Los Angeles Times ------ 50 FOIAs in 50 minutes Time: Saturday, June 22, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 5, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speaker information coming soon. ------ Broadcast Track: Juggling investigations and GA Time: Saturday, June 22, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 7, lobby level Learn how to balance being an investigative journalist who also needs to contribute daily to the news cycle. You can do both effectively! Hear from reporters about both quick-turn investigations in just a few days and larger investigation strategies. We'll also discuss the tools and strategies used to manage record requests and story ideas. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Broadcast track Speakers: - Dan Krauth, Instagram=https://www.instagram.com/dankrauth/|X=https://twitter.com/DanKrauthABC7|Facebook=https://www.facebook.com/dankrauthreports/Linkedin=https://linkedin.com/in/dan-krauth-a25b846: Dan Krauth is an award-winning investigative journalist with WABC-TV Eyewitness News. His investigations have led to changes in local and state laws, from how plastic surgeons are disciplined in Florida to how squatters are defined in New York State law. He started as a producer in Rockford and worked at stations in Fort Wayne, Grand Rapids, West Palm Beach, and Miami before moving to New York City., - Lolita Lopez, KNBC: Lolita Lopez is an investigative reporter and anchor at NBC4 and has been part of the team since 2011. Lopez is part of the award-winning I-Team, digging deep into stories and cases that impact viewers throughout the Southland. Connect: X: twitter.com/lolitanbcla | Instagram: instagram.com/lolitanbcla | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lolitanbcla, - Karla Ray, WFTV: Karla Ray wakes up Central Florida every weekend as an anchor on WFTV, and fights for the underserved as an investigative reporter with the 9 Investigates unit. Her work has led to significant changes, including legislation requiring regulations and standards for safehouses serving survivors of human trafficking. Connect: Facebook: https://facebook.com/karlaraytv | LinkedIn: https://LinkedIn.com/in/karlaraytv, - Kris Van Cleave, CBS News ------ Finding the story: Climate data Time: Saturday, June 22, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 2, lobby level (BYO) Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor information coming soon. ------ Gender & reproductive rights track: Race and reproductive justice reporting Time: Saturday, June 22, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand F, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speaker information coming soon. ------ How to cover protests safely and accurately Time: Saturday, June 22, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand G, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Reporting and writing strategies track Speaker information coming soon. ------ Investigating scientific issues Time: Saturday, June 22, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 2, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Katherine Eban, Vanity Fair, - Alison Young, University of Missouri ------ Leadership: Trauma and toxicity in the newsrooms Time: Saturday, June 22, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand E, lobby level The panel will discuss entering a new environment as a manager, managing staff with strong opinions, helping staff avoid residual trauma from the stories they cover, and what to do if you inherit a team that has been under poor leadership in the past. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Managing & Editing track Speakers: - Kate Howard, Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting, - Karyn Pugliese, Canadaland ------ Media lawyer Q&A Time: Saturday, June 22, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 4, lobby level Does your investigation involve complex legal questions and you're unsure how to proceed? Bring your lunch and your questions for a personal discussion with some prominent media law experts that will be presenting throughout the conference. We'll provide drinks and dessert. This session is sponsored by the TEGNA Foundation. IRE retains control of content, including the topic and speaker selection, for all conference sessions. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speaker: - Matt Topic, Loevy & Loevy ------ SQL 1: Exploring data Time: Saturday, June 22, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 3, lobby level (PC) Learning to manipulate data is a bit like learning a new language. Actually, it is a language, called Structured Query Language (SQL). This session is an introduction to using SQL to zero in on your data by viewing slices and chunks of it (filtering) and putting it into a useful order (sorting) so you can spot the stuff you need to get started toward a story. We'll use PostgreSQL, a free database manager. This session is good for: People with some experience working with data in columns and rows, in spreadsheets or database managers. Laptops will be provided. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor: - Andy Lehren, CUNY ------ Using the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker to prepare for the 2024 election Time: Saturday, June 22, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 1, lobby level (BYO) From the 2017 inauguration protests to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riots, this session will show you how to search for — and better understand — threats for journalists covering elections and other hot-button issues. You’ll also get a better understanding of how to use the database in real time and how to apply press freedom issues to your election reporting. Notes: - Session type: FYI Forum Speaker: - Stephanie Sugars, U.S. Press Freedom Tracker: Stephanie Sugars is the senior reporter for the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, documenting press freedom violations across the U.S. A graduate of NYU's GloJo program in journalism and international relations, her work focuses on human rights, politics and targeted violence. She has previously worked at the Committee to Protect Journalists and the Post-Conflict Research Center, and her reporting has appeared in Al Jazeera, Columbia Journalism Review and Balkan Diskurs. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/stephanie_alena | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniesugars/Mastadon ------ ​​​​Turning your investigation into a documentary Time: Saturday, June 22, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 6, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speaker information coming soon. ------ IRE Awards luncheon Time: Saturday, June 22, 12:30 – 2 p.m. (90 minutes) Location: Marquis Ballroom, lower level A highlight of the IRE conference, the IRE Awards luncheon begins at 12:30 p.m. in the Marquis Ballroom. We will present the 2023 IRE Awards and salute some of the best investigative work of the past year. Admission to the luncheon is included in your conference registration. Conference name tags are required for entry. The IRE Awards luncheon is co-sponsored by NBC News/NBCUniversal Local. Notes: - Session type: Special ------ Broadcast Track: Making data and documents come alive on screen Time: Saturday, June 22, 3 – 4 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 7, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Broadcast track Speakers: - Grace Manthey, CBS News & Stations, - Sarah Rafique, KTRK-TV, Houston, TX, - Ashley Talley, WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC ------ Deep Dive: The reporter and editor relationship Time: Saturday, June 22, 3 – 4 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand G, lobby level This reporter-editor duo will discuss how to get the most out of this critical relationship. How can editors drive more ambitious reporting and help reporters focus on the right investigative targets? How can reporters work with editors to craft stronger leads, structure narratives and make stories more accessible to readers? Learn practical tips for collaborative editing that can make the process productive and painless. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Career advice track Speakers: - Matt Apuzzo, The New York Times, - Megha Rajagopalan, The New York Times ------ How to develop, pitch, and write books based on your investigative reporting. Time: Saturday, June 22, 3 – 4 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 5, lobby level Do you have an investigative project you'd like to turn into a book? Are you searching for book ideas and mystified by the world of agents and advances? These reporters-turned-authors share their best advice on developing and selling a book proposal, financing the reporting and writing (we promise brass tacks!), and exploring options like indie publishers, podcasts, and docuseries. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Reporting and writing strategies track Speakers: - Maurice Chammah, The Marshall Project: Maurice Chammah is a staff writer at The Marshall Project and the author of Let the Lord Sort Them: The Rise and Fall of the Death Penalty, which won the J. Anthony Lukas Work-In-Progress and Writer's League of Texas book awards. He was on a team that won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting, and his first podcast, "Just Say You're Sorry," was a 2024 Ambies nominee for Best True Crime Podcast. He lives in Austin, Texas. Connect: X: http://twitter.com/mauricechammah | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maurice-chammah-72374526/, - Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC News, - Tracie McMillian, Capital & Main; Henry Holt & Co.: Tracie McMillan is an award-winning investigative journalist and an editor for worker organizing at Capital & Main. She is the author of the New York Times bestseller The American Way of Eating, and the 2024 title, The White Bonus: Five Famiies and the Cash Value of Racism in America (Henry Holt & Co.). Connect: X: https://twitter.com/tmmcmillan | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracie-mcmillan-39077613/, - Lise Olsen, Texas Observer ------ Investigating research fraud and errors: Tips and tools to help you get started Time: Saturday, June 22, 3 – 4 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 2, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speaker information coming soon. ------ Investigative project collaborations with early-career reporters Time: Saturday, June 22, 3 – 4 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand F, lobby level An investigative project must be bullet-proof: legally sound and the findings supported with data, voluminous pages of public records, and dozens or hundreds of interviews corroborating information. Many of the key skills -- such as effective strategies for interviewing whistleblowers, what story tips and leads to follow or avoid, and overcoming hurdles with data or public records -- are learned over time by doing investigative reporting. One way early-career reporters can effectively pursue investigative projects while receiving mentorship and assistance is by working with reporters and editors who have done major projects. Panelists will describe how they did just that and what roles various collaborators can play in launching their own team investigations. This session was planned in collaboration with AAJA-LA. IRE retains control of content, including the topic and speaker selection, for all conference sessions. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Career advice track Speakers: - Denis Akbari, UC Berkeley, - Julie Patel, Cal State, - Eric Sagara, Big Local News, - Anne To, ABC7 ------ Learn from the (other) investigators Time: Saturday, June 22, 3 – 4 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 6, lobby level As journalists we know how to conduct research and dig into stories - but rarely at a panel do we hear from experts in other fields that require investigative skills. This panel lets you get a sneak peek into how legal investigators, police investigators, and private investigators do their jobs. Get tips you can use for digging into any story, from the "other" investigators. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speaker: - Anna Wener, CBS News: Anna Werner is CBS News Senior Consumer Investigative Correspondent. In 2024, Werner won her second Polk Award and the Biedler Prize for Cancer Journalism. She’s won three IRE awards, two duPont-Columbia awards, two Peabody awards, four SPJ awards, three Scripps-Howard awards, six Murrow awards, 35 Emmy awards, and been named ‘journalist of the year’ seven times. Previously, she was an investigative reporter at WISH, KHOU, KPIX, and CIR. ------ Lifting the curtain on the child welfare system Time: Saturday, June 22, 3 – 4 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 4, lobby level Though there are 400,000 children in foster care, the child welfare system is something of a black box: Family and juvenile courts are closed the the public, legal documents are sealed, data on the wellbeing and whereabouts of foster kids is minimal at best, and families involved in the system are protected by privacy rules. Join to hear from two journalists who have overcome these constraints to produce revelatory investigations on the child welfare system. We'll talk about strategies for reporting (e.g. data and records that are public), trauma-informed interviewing, and framing stories in a way that both adds value and remains sensitive to those involved. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Beat reporting track Speakers: - Julia Lurie, Mother Jones: Julia Lurie is a senior reporter at Mother Jones writing about child welfare, mental health, and addiction. Her investigation of the warehousing of foster children in psychiatric hospitals won the 2024 Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award. She is a three-time finalist for the Livingston Award for young journalists and was a 2022 Nieman Fellow at Harvard University. You can reach her at jlurie@motherjones.com. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/julia_lurie | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-lurie-02148511b/, - Karen de Sa, The Imprint: Karen de Sá is executive editor of The Imprint, a national nonprofit outlet covering child welfare and youth justice. She has worked as an investigative reporter covering these topics for the majority of her three-decade journalism career, including 18 years at The San Jose Mercury News and three years at The San Francisco Chronicle. Her award-winning stories have led to 10 state laws and numerous systemic reforms improving the lives of vulnerable children and families. ------ Master class: Under pressure: Real life in real time with breaking news - pre-registered attendees only Time: Saturday, June 22, 3 – 5:15 p.m. (135 minutes) Location: Grand C, lobby level One of the hottest sessions at every IRE Conference! How would you and your newsroom fare in digging out little-known facts and information under the pressure of a breaking news deadline? One of the best ways to get better is to practice. This is a real-life scenario where you can learn to break news without leaving your computer. The skills learned in this session can also be used for turning daily general assignment stories when there’s not breaking news. This session regularly fills up and the tipsheet that comes with it is in high demand. If you're interested, get there early to get a seat. Preregistration is required and seating is limited. Notes: - Session type: Pre-registration - Master Class Speaker: - Stephen Stock, CBS News and Stations ------ Reporting on coordinated rightwing extremism Time: Saturday, June 22, 3 – 4 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand E, lobby level In this panel, attendees will hear the methods journalists use to expose rightwing attacks on elections, school boards, the LGBTQ+ community, and more as part of a larger coordinated rightwing extremist movement to upend democracy and strip away Americans' fundamental rights. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - David Armiak, Center for Media and Democracy, - Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, - Sergio Olmos, CalMatters, - Emily Russell, North Country Public Radio, - A.C. Thompson, ProPublica/FRONTLINE: A.C. Thompson is a reporter for ProPublica and the PBS series FRONTLINE. His journalism has helped to spur multiple Congressional investigations, major reforms at the New Orleans Police Department, and the prosecution of nine violent white supremacists. ------ SQL 2: Grouping and summing data Time: Saturday, June 22, 3 – 4 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 3, lobby level (PC) If you know how to write a basic SELECT statement in SQL but are looking to make calculations, then this is the session for you. Learn to count how many times certain records appear in a database, and sum totals across records. These skills can come in handy whether you're covering campaign finance or boating licenses. We'll use PostgreSQL, a free database manager. This session is good for: People who took “SQL 1: Sorting and filtering” or are familiar with “SELECT” and “WHERE” statements in SQL." Laptops will be provided. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor: - Amy DiPierro, EdSource: Amy DiPierro covers California State University —the nation's largest four-year public university system— at EdSource. She previously worked as a data journalist at the Center for Public Integrity. She graduated from Swarthmore College and the master's journalism program at Stanford University, where she was a Knight-Hennessy Scholar. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/amydipierro | GitHub: https://github.com/DiPierro | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dipierro/ ------ Turning documents into data using AI Time: Saturday, June 22, 3 – 4 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 1, lobby level (BYO) Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on, - AI track Instructor: - Derek Willis, University of Maryland: Derek Willis teaches data journalism at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland. Previously he has worked at ProPublica, The New York Times, The Washington Post and other news organizations. He runs OpenElections. Connect: Github: https://github.com/dwillis/ ------ 15 ChatGPT prompts in 15 minutes to help with your reporting Time: Saturday, June 22, 4:15 – 5:15 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 2, lobby level (BYO) Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on, - AI track Instructor: - Jeremy Jojola, KUSA-TV, Denver, CO ------ Broadcast Track: Lightning Talks Time: Saturday, June 22, 4:15 – 5:15 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 7, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Broadcast track Speaker information coming soon. ------ Covering the election through the beats Time: Saturday, June 22, 4:15 – 5:15 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand G, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Elections track Speaker information coming soon. ------ Finding the story: Using data to report on statehouses Time: Saturday, June 22, 4:15 – 5:15 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 1, lobby level (BYO) Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on, - Beat reporting track, - This session will take place over multiple days. Instructor: - Marina Villeneuve, Salon: Marina Villeneuve is an investigative journalist based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 2023, she graduated from Columbia University's Lede Program in data journalism and was a USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism National Fellow for a broadcast series she led on sexual abuse in Massachusetts public schools. She worked for six years as a statehouse reporter for The Associated Press in Maine and New York. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/reportermarina | GitHub: https://github.com/reportermarina | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marina-villeneuve-8b7b5a23/ ------ Fostering relationships and working with sensitive sources Time: Saturday, June 22, 4:15 – 5:15 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 5, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speaker: - Naomi Martin, Boston Globe ------ Investigating health insurance Time: Saturday, June 22, 4:15 – 5:15 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 6, lobby level This session will delve into how to investigate health insurance companies and, specifically, the decisions behind denying coverage. We'll share tangible tools and a framework for reporting on this life-and-death industry. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Beat reporting track Speakers: - Laura Garcia, The Texas Tribune, - Maya Miller, ProPublica ------ Investigating sheriffs Time: Saturday, June 22, 4:15 – 5:15 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand E, lobby level Sheriffs are elected officials who often answer to no one but voters. Without effective oversights in place, journalists are sometimes the only watchdogs over sheriffs, who can rule their counties like kings. This panel will discuss the challenges and triumphs of reporting on sheriffs from Los Angeles to rural Mississippi. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Beat reporting track Speakers: - Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times: Keri Blakinger is a Los Angeles Times reporter covering the Sheriff's Department and county jails. Previously, she covered prisons for The Marshall Project and criminal justice for the Houston Chronicle. She is a two-time Pulitzer finalist and the author of Corrections in Ink. Connect: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keribla | X: https://twitter.com/keribla | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keriblakinger/ | Threads: https://www.threads.net/@keriblakinger, - Ilyssa Daly, independent journalist, - Brian Howey, The New York Times/Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting ------ Networking: Women Time: Saturday, June 22, 4:15 – 5:15 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Grand F, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Networking Speaker information coming soon. ------ SQL 3: Joining tables Time: Saturday, June 22, 4:15 – 5:15 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 3, lobby level (PC) Learn how to join tables, matching information from one file to another. We'll use PostgreSQL, a free database manager. This session is good for: People who are familiar with counting, summing or “GROUP BY” in SQL and want to add another tool to their SQL skill set." Laptops will be provided. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor information coming soon. ------ Wayback Machine and other archives in support of investigations Time: Saturday, June 22, 4:15 – 5:15 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 2, lobby level An introduction to the resources, capabilities, and tools available from the Internet Archive, their Wayback Machine, TV News Archive and other of their services Notes: - Session type: Demo, - Session audio will be recorded Speaker: - Mark Graham, Internet Archive: Mark Graham is director of the Wayback Machine at the Internet Archive, where he works to help make the Web more useful and reliable by archiving and making available hundreds of millions of Web pages every day. Mark was SVP with NBC News Digital where he managed several business units including Stringwire, a live mobile video platform for collaborative citizen reporting. Mark also served as SVP of technology at iVillage, The Women’s Network. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/markgraham | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markjohngraham/ ------ IRE membership meeting Time: Saturday, June 22, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. (60 minutes) Location: Marquis Center, lower level IRE Executive Director Diana Fuentes and IRE Board President Brian Rosenthal will lead a membership meeting for all IRE members at 5:30 p.m. in Marquis Center. Following the membership meeting, the results of the board of directors and contest committee elections will be announced. Notes: - Session type: Special *** SUNDAY, JUNE 23 *** ------ Data visualization and storytelling with Datawrapper Time: Sunday, June 23, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 1, lobby level (BYO) Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on Instructor: - Aaron Mendelson, Independent journalist: Aaron Mendelson is an IRE Award-winning data and investigative journalist based in Los Angeles, CA. Most recently, he worked at the Center for Public Integrity covering voting. Before that, he was a member of the investigative team at KPCC/LAist for eight years. He holds a master’s degree from the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, and got his start in news at KFAI in Minneapolis. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/a_mendelson | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-mendelson-00641224/ ------ Digging into private companies Time: Sunday, June 23, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 4, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded, - Beat reporting track Speaker: - Hannah Critchfield, Tampa Bay Times: Hannah Critchfield is an investigative reporter at the Tampa Bay Times. She and her colleagues recently reported a series of overdose deaths due to kratom, a virtually unregulated herb that's often marketed as a safe way to treat anxiety, pain, or opioid withdrawal. The investigation has been cited by lawmakers across the country who have called for more stringent oversight over how the substance is manufactured and sold. She is a graduate of Columbia Journalism School. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/HannaCritch | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-critchfield-463284127/ ------ Finding the story: Using data to report on statehouses (continued) Time: Sunday, June 23, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 1, lobby level (BYO) Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Hands-on, - Beat reporting track, - This session will take place over multiple days. Instructor: - Marina Villeneuve, Salon: Marina Villeneuve is an investigative journalist based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 2023, she graduated from Columbia University's Lede Program in data journalism and was a USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism National Fellow for a broadcast series she led on sexual abuse in Massachusetts public schools. She worked for six years as a statehouse reporter for The Associated Press in Maine and New York. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/reportermarina | GitHub: https://github.com/reportermarina | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marina-villeneuve-8b7b5a23/ ------ How to project manage like a duck: A guide for reporters and editors Time: Sunday, June 23, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 2, lobby level Ducks paddle furiously beneath the surface but appear at ease to onlookers above water. Journalists can do that, too. In this panel, we'll take you through the project process, from start to finish and discuss how to manage your reporting, manage your colleagues and manage your life. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Donna Borak, NYU, - Marisa Kwiatkowski, Freelance: Marisa Kwiatkowski is an investigative journalist. Her work has spurred multiagency investigations, criminal charges, resignations and changes to federal law and state policy. She and her IndyStar colleagues earned numerous awards for their investigation into USA Gymnastics’ handling of child sexual abuse allegations, including those against Larry Nassar. Marisa has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Grand Valley State University and an MBA from Indiana University. Connect: X: https://twitter.com/byMarisaK | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marisakwiatkowski/ ------ Records requests to make on the education beat Time: Sunday, June 23, 9 – 10 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Gold Key 1, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel Speakers: - Divya Kumar, Tampa Bay Times, - Sydney Sims, Capital B ------ Web scraping with Python - pre-registered attendees only Time: Sunday, June 23, 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (210 minutes) Location: Orange County Ballroom 3, lobby level (PC) If you need data that's trapped on a website, writing some code to scrape the page could be your solution. This entry-level class will show you how to use the Python programming language to harvest data from a website into a data file. We'll introduce you to the command line and show you how to write enough code to fetch and parse content on the web. Preregistration is required and seating is limited. Laptops will be provided. Workshop prerequisites: This class is programming for beginners. Some basic familiarity with Python and HTML is helpful but not required. Notes: - Session type: Pre-registration - Hands-on Instructor: - Cody Winchester, IRE & NICAR: Cody is the director of technology and online resources at IRE, where he has also been a trainer. Before that, he was a journalist focused on data and investigations at various newspapers. Connect: GitHub: https://github.com/cjwinchester ------ Beginning your investigative career Time: Sunday, June 23, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 4, lobby level Description coming soon. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Nicole Carr, ProPublica, - Kerwin Speight, The Poynter Institute: Kerwin Speight is the broadcast faculty member at The Poynter Institute. He's an award-winning television journalist who most recently led editorial strategy at REVOLT Black News. Before that, he was managing director of Spectrum News in Charlotte, North Carolina. Speight started his career as a producer and eventually led teams as an executive producer at several local stations. Connect: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerwin-speight1/, - Julie Watts, CBS News California Investigates ------ How journalists are using investigative tools in perilous press environments Time: Sunday, June 23, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. (60 minutes) Location: Platinum 2, lobby level Western journalists can learn a lot from how peers in tough foreign press environments hold bad actors accountable – including the sheer inspiration of their example. Through interviews, networking, and Global Shining Light Award submissions, GIJN has gathered unique insights into the new methods reporters in developing and authoritarian nations are using to expose wrongdoing, while also keeping themselves and their sources safe. In this session, learn about the open source tools and collaboration models that make a difference in these places, as well as new methods that have driven projects – such as curated hacktivist databases in Belarus; visual forensics in Colombia, Google Pinpoint in South Africa; AI tools in Venezuela, elevated "fixer" roles in conflict zones; and a new censorship circumvention app in Iran. Notes: - Session type: Panel, - Session audio will be recorded Speakers: - Daniil Bogdanovich, The Fix: Daniil is a founder of Black Book Belarus, a civic control tool that named over 3500 corrupt police officers, judges, and state officials related to the brutal breakdown and prosecutions of peaceful protesters in Belarus in 2020. Now Daniil works at The Fix Research and Advisory which helps media in challenging regions to be more sustainable and also develops media tech software aimed to ease the burden of independent media worldwide., - Maria Lilly Delgado, Huellas de Impunidad-Nicaragua, - Faisal Karimi, John S. Knight Journalism Fellowship at Stanford University. Afghanistan Institute for Research and Media Studies: Faisal Karimi is an exiled media entrepreneur and senior journalist from Afghanistan. He is the founding director of Afghanistan Institute for Research and Media Studies and Afghanistan Women’s News Agency. Currently, Faisal is a John S. Knight Journalism fellow at Stanford. He worked as a media researcher at San Jose State University and Internews. Prior to the Taliban takeover, he was an assistant professor of journalism at his alma mater Herat University Afghanistan. Connect: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/faisalkarimi/ | X: https://twitter.com/Fslkarimi , - Rowan Philp, Global Investigative Journalism Network