Clips
Please visit my GitHub profile for a more detailed look at my data analysis process. There, you'll find R markdown files, data diaries and other documentation for various projects I have worked on since focusing in data journalism.
Las Vegas Review Journal | Las Vegas, NV
As an investigations intern at the Review-Journal, I focused on long-term investigative stories and data projects.
Dozens of worried families could be displaced as city ends housing program
Dozens of families feared housing insecurity and possible displacement as Las Vegas prepared to shutter a federally funded housing program.
NOTE: See this follow-up displaying the impact of the above story: Las Vegas suspends displacement plans for families after HUD intervention
'Alarming' trend continues as Vegas heat deaths hit decade peak in 2021
In Clark County, Nevada, heat-related deaths nearly doubled in 2021, totaling 245 people. Annual deaths among residents and visitors also surged in the last decade, increasing more than fivefold, a Review-Journal analysis found.
Dozens of worried families could be displaced as city ends housing program
Dozens of families feared housing insecurity and possible displacement as Las Vegas prepared to shutter a federally funded housing program.
NOTE: See this follow-up displaying the impact of the above story: Las Vegas suspends displacement plans for families after HUD intervention
'Alarming' trend continues as Vegas heat deaths hit decade peak in 2021
In Clark County, Nevada, heat-related deaths nearly doubled in 2021, totaling 245 people. Annual deaths among residents and visitors also surged in the last decade, increasing more than fivefold, a Review-Journal analysis found.
Columbia Missourian | Columbia, MO
For the Missourian, I have tackled enterprise and investigative projects, and worked on the state government beat covering the Missouri Legislature.
Experts expect wide impact if Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade
Following the leaked draft opinion from the Supreme Court, experts in constitutional law said the overturning of Roe v. Wade would have immediate and dramatic effects on the Missouri, despite only one remaining clinic providing abortion services.
Staff shortages at state hospitals causing 'a workforce crisis'
Hundreds of inmates in county jails throughout Missouri were awaiting inpatient psychiatric care but couldn't receive it due to severe staff shortages at state hospitals.
Experts expect wide impact if Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade
Following the leaked draft opinion from the Supreme Court, experts in constitutional law said the overturning of Roe v. Wade would have immediate and dramatic effects on the Missouri, despite only one remaining clinic providing abortion services.
Staff shortages at state hospitals causing 'a workforce crisis'
Hundreds of inmates in county jails throughout Missouri were awaiting inpatient psychiatric care but couldn't receive it due to severe staff shortages at state hospitals.
Tribune-Review | Pittsburgh, PA
The Tribune-Review is western Pennsylvania's most visited news site. I covered daily and breaking news about education, local government, human interest and more, as well as enterprise and data-driven projects.
Frustration grows with Pennsylvania’s ‘confusing’ vaccine rollout
Pennsylvania is now one of only 17 states still in Phase 1A of the federal vaccine rollout, in a process that has been defined by confusion and lack of communication.
Western Pa. teachers grapple with current events lessons after Capitol riot
Teachers and professors of history, social studies and political science are reckoning with the added obligation of explaining historical events as they are happening — navigating discussions that inevitably lead to disagreement and partisanship, and trying to reassure students at the same time.
Errors in covid data reveal unreliable tracking system for nursing homes
Since data started being posted by the Department of Health in May, nursing home operators, advocates and members of the public often have been confused by a litany of inaccuracies and missing information. Deadly outbreaks are going unnoticed, while providers insist they’re tracking everything by the book.
Remote learning at The Neighborhood Academy in Pittsburgh a seamless transition
Most schools in the region are struggling to provide consistency in remote learning. The Neighborhood Academy has a disproportionately high population of low-income and economically disadvantaged students, yet remote learning has proceeded without issue.
Western Pa. high school students struggle to make college plans during pandemic
Picking a college is the biggest decision most 18-year-olds will make, and the first major step toward independence. But as universities navigate the pandemic, uncertain if they can return to face-to-face instruction in the fall, that decision is now much more complicated.
College students cope with shortcomings of online learning during coronavirus
As online classes at the region’s colleges are now in full swing, students are finding ways to cope, settling into a routine of online lectures, Zoom calls and memes. Many say nothing can replicate the experience of being on campus.
Alle-Kiski Valley ambulance companies struggle to keep up with call volume, community need
Understaffed companies are covering several municipalities at once and often venturing outside their coverage areas to respond to incidents, leading to longer response times.
5 Pittsburgh schools among state's highest in arrests, citations as security debate continues
For advocates and educators in and around Pittsburgh, the reports of high arrests and citations don’t indicate unsafe schools. They are concerned about over-policing.
Frustration grows with Pennsylvania’s ‘confusing’ vaccine rollout
Pennsylvania is now one of only 17 states still in Phase 1A of the federal vaccine rollout, in a process that has been defined by confusion and lack of communication.
Western Pa. teachers grapple with current events lessons after Capitol riot
Teachers and professors of history, social studies and political science are reckoning with the added obligation of explaining historical events as they are happening — navigating discussions that inevitably lead to disagreement and partisanship, and trying to reassure students at the same time.
Errors in covid data reveal unreliable tracking system for nursing homes
Since data started being posted by the Department of Health in May, nursing home operators, advocates and members of the public often have been confused by a litany of inaccuracies and missing information. Deadly outbreaks are going unnoticed, while providers insist they’re tracking everything by the book.
Remote learning at The Neighborhood Academy in Pittsburgh a seamless transition
Most schools in the region are struggling to provide consistency in remote learning. The Neighborhood Academy has a disproportionately high population of low-income and economically disadvantaged students, yet remote learning has proceeded without issue.
Western Pa. high school students struggle to make college plans during pandemic
Picking a college is the biggest decision most 18-year-olds will make, and the first major step toward independence. But as universities navigate the pandemic, uncertain if they can return to face-to-face instruction in the fall, that decision is now much more complicated.
College students cope with shortcomings of online learning during coronavirus
As online classes at the region’s colleges are now in full swing, students are finding ways to cope, settling into a routine of online lectures, Zoom calls and memes. Many say nothing can replicate the experience of being on campus.
Alle-Kiski Valley ambulance companies struggle to keep up with call volume, community need
Understaffed companies are covering several municipalities at once and often venturing outside their coverage areas to respond to incidents, leading to longer response times.
5 Pittsburgh schools among state's highest in arrests, citations as security debate continues
For advocates and educators in and around Pittsburgh, the reports of high arrests and citations don’t indicate unsafe schools. They are concerned about over-policing.
Freelance work
‘My Biggest Challenge and My Biggest Fear:’ Teaching Kids How to Read Remotely During the Pandemic
The 74
Learning to read was arduous before the pandemic wreaked havoc on the education system. Experts and teachers say remote instruction creates obstacles for teaching reading, which is already a complex and rigorously dissected task.
Coronavirus Reopening: Map of when U.S. states are ending lockdown
USA TODAY NETWORK
Across the United States, governors are rolling out a patchwork of constantly evolving plans to relax social distancing restrictions.
The 74
Learning to read was arduous before the pandemic wreaked havoc on the education system. Experts and teachers say remote instruction creates obstacles for teaching reading, which is already a complex and rigorously dissected task.
Coronavirus Reopening: Map of when U.S. states are ending lockdown
USA TODAY NETWORK
Across the United States, governors are rolling out a patchwork of constantly evolving plans to relax social distancing restrictions.
USA TODAY | McLean, VA
I interned on USA TODAY's national investigative team during summer 2019, working as a data reporter. During the coronavirus pandemic, I've been freelancing with the network to maintain an interactive map that showcases COVID-19's impact in each state.
College recruiters aggressively go after out-of-state students
More than 240 public universities across the country admitted fewer in-state students in 2017 than they did five years earlier, and for 46 of those, the share of in-state students is down by at least 10%, according to a USA TODAY analysis of data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System.
31 People died in El Paso, Dayton shootings. Twitter data shows talk faded in just 10 days.
Using data from the social media monitoring source Crowd Tangle, USA TODAY analyzed online discussions after America's most deadly shootings of the past decade. On the day of an incident and in the few days immediately following, conversations are frequent on social media. Within a week to 10 days, the message volume rapidly declines, plummeting to a tiny fraction of what it was.
The Handmaid's Tale rides the political wave around women's rights - and contributes.
Since its release in 2017, the Hulu Original series has often shared space online with a robust discourse about women’s rights, according to a USA TODAY analysis of data from the social media monitoring service, Crowd Tangle.
College recruiters aggressively go after out-of-state students
More than 240 public universities across the country admitted fewer in-state students in 2017 than they did five years earlier, and for 46 of those, the share of in-state students is down by at least 10%, according to a USA TODAY analysis of data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System.
31 People died in El Paso, Dayton shootings. Twitter data shows talk faded in just 10 days.
Using data from the social media monitoring source Crowd Tangle, USA TODAY analyzed online discussions after America's most deadly shootings of the past decade. On the day of an incident and in the few days immediately following, conversations are frequent on social media. Within a week to 10 days, the message volume rapidly declines, plummeting to a tiny fraction of what it was.
The Handmaid's Tale rides the political wave around women's rights - and contributes.
Since its release in 2017, the Hulu Original series has often shared space online with a robust discourse about women’s rights, according to a USA TODAY analysis of data from the social media monitoring service, Crowd Tangle.
The Chronicle of Higher Education | Washington, D.C.
I worked for The Chronicle of Higher Education during summer 2018, reporting on breaking news and rising issues at colleges and universities nationwide.
They Say Their Buildings Are Making Them Sick. Administrators Say They've Done All They Can.
Academic workplaces are not generally known for their environmental dangers. But at least a dozen faculty members say such dangers have become a central part of working at this mid-size public university in east-central Pennsylvania.
Rap Is Art. So Why Do Some Academics Still Feel as if They Have to Defend It?
Does rap music, and hip-hop culture in general, have a place in American scholarship? For many academics, the answer is obvious: Hip-hop is an important field of study, but proving its value can be tricky.
For Georgetown Alumni, a Fellow Graduate’s Defense of Child Separation Touches a Nerve
Christian Arana said his Georgetown education — and his fundamental belief in the importance of compassion in leadership — is what made him so vehemently oppose the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance immigration policy. Then, when he learned from her Twitter bio that Kirstjen Nielsen, secretary of homeland security, also attended Georgetown, he was floored.
Must Visiting Assistant Professorships Be Career Purgatory?
No, a tale of two scholars suggests. A constructive approach can benefit the scholar, the college, and students alike.
What Happens When a College Flip-Flops on Using Race in Admissions?
After a newspaper reports that the College of Charleston “quietly” did away with race-conscious admissions two years ago, the institution resumes the practice — but insists nothing has changed.
They Say Their Buildings Are Making Them Sick. Administrators Say They've Done All They Can.
Academic workplaces are not generally known for their environmental dangers. But at least a dozen faculty members say such dangers have become a central part of working at this mid-size public university in east-central Pennsylvania.
Rap Is Art. So Why Do Some Academics Still Feel as if They Have to Defend It?
Does rap music, and hip-hop culture in general, have a place in American scholarship? For many academics, the answer is obvious: Hip-hop is an important field of study, but proving its value can be tricky.
For Georgetown Alumni, a Fellow Graduate’s Defense of Child Separation Touches a Nerve
Christian Arana said his Georgetown education — and his fundamental belief in the importance of compassion in leadership — is what made him so vehemently oppose the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance immigration policy. Then, when he learned from her Twitter bio that Kirstjen Nielsen, secretary of homeland security, also attended Georgetown, he was floored.
Must Visiting Assistant Professorships Be Career Purgatory?
No, a tale of two scholars suggests. A constructive approach can benefit the scholar, the college, and students alike.
What Happens When a College Flip-Flops on Using Race in Admissions?
After a newspaper reports that the College of Charleston “quietly” did away with race-conscious admissions two years ago, the institution resumes the practice — but insists nothing has changed.
The Yellow Jacket | Waynesburg, PA
In college, I was the Managing Editor of Waynesburg University's award-winning newspaper, The Yellow Jacket. I took charge of the Region section, in addition to overseeing Sports and Arts & Life.
Bird Sisters 'stick together' in recovery
At the Bird Sisters transitional home, applicants are interviewed by the current residents, and are voted in by an 80 percent majority. But these days, with heroin and other opioid substances ravaging the community, the women often have no choice, paradoxically, but to turn applicants away.
Athletes require more than physical toughness
For Jason Falvo, a coach of 19 years, recognizing when something is “off” with one of his athletes is just “part of the job.”
Bird Sisters 'stick together' in recovery
At the Bird Sisters transitional home, applicants are interviewed by the current residents, and are voted in by an 80 percent majority. But these days, with heroin and other opioid substances ravaging the community, the women often have no choice, paradoxically, but to turn applicants away.
Athletes require more than physical toughness
For Jason Falvo, a coach of 19 years, recognizing when something is “off” with one of his athletes is just “part of the job.”