Liz Willen
Editor in Chief
Liz Willen, a longtime education journalist, has led the award-winning Hechinger Report staff as editor in chief since 2011. A sought-after moderator of education conferences and events, Willen also writes the “From the Editor’s Desk” column and manages funder relations. Read more about Liz Willen
Jill Barshay
Senior Reporter
Jill Barshay writes the weekly “Proof Points” column about education research and data, covering a range of topics from early childhood to higher education. She taught algebra to ninth-graders for the 2013-14 school year. Previously, Barshay was the New York bureau chief for Marketplace, a national business show on public radio stations. She has also written for Congressional Quarterly, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and the Financial Times, and appeared on CNN and ABC News. Read more about Jill Barshay
Matt Bruderle
Senior Program Manager
Matt Bruderle manages travel, human resources and corporate sponsorships. Before coming to Hechinger in 2007, he worked in student affairs at Purchase College, SUNY. He has a bachelor’s degree in communication from Virginia Tech and a master’s degree in higher education administration from Colorado State University.
Sarah Butrymowicz
Senior Editor for Investigations
Sarah Butrymowicz oversees and contributes to The Hechinger Report’s investigative and data work covering all levels of education, from early childhood to K-12 to higher education. She has worked at Hechinger since 2010 and, in that time, her work has appeared in dozens of news outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post and USA TODAY. Read more about Sarah Butrymowicz
Sarah Carr
Contributing Editor
Sarah Carr has reported and edited for Hechinger since 2011, currently with a focus on early childhood education. She also directs the Spencer Education Journalism Fellowship at Columbia Journalism School and is a fellow at New America. Read more about Sarah Carr
Amanda Dilone
Program Assistant
Amanda Dilone manages The Hechinger Report’s relationships with freelancers, technology supplies and office in Morningside Heights. She has a degree in media communications from Lehman College and certificates in project management and digital sales. Read more about Amanda Dilone
Nichole Dobo
Director of Audience Development
Nichole Dobo manages audience engagement and innovation strategy for The Hechinger Report. In 2021, she was awarded a Knight-Wallace Reporting Fellowship from the University of Michigan. Her work has been published in publications including the Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, The Atlantic, High Country News and Slate. Read more about Nichole Dobo
Ruby Franzen
Development Manager
Ruby Franzen helps maintain, operate and expand our membership and sponsorship programs. Previously, she managed fundraising events for SuitUp, a career development nonprofit.
Ariel Gilreath
K-12 Reporter
Ariel Gilreath covers education nationally with a focus on schools in the American South. Read more about Ariel Gilreath
Fazil Khan
Data Reporter
Fazil Khan, who died in 2024, was a Hechinger Report data reporter responsible for gathering and analyzing education data and collaborating with other reporters to expose inequality and examine innovation in education. Read our tribute to our friend and colleague. Read more about Fazil Khan
Rebecca Koenig
Senior Editor for Higher Education
Rebecca Koenig assigns and edits stories about why and how higher education and workforce training programs are changing. Read more about Rebecca Koenig
Meredith Kolodner
Senior Investigations Reporter
Meredith Kolodner writes investigative articles and produces data analyses for higher education and K-12 stories. Read more about Meredith Kolodner
William Lager
Audience Consultant
William Lager, audience consultant, works with reporters and editors at The Hechinger Report to help them engage with the communities we serve.
Jackie Mader
Senior Reporter
Jackie Mader covers early childhood education and writes the early ed newsletter. In her ten years at Hechinger, she has covered a range of topics including teacher preparation, special education and rural schools. Read more about Jackie Mader
Jon Marcus
Senior Higher Education Reporter
Jon Marcus writes and edits stories about, and helps plan coverage of, higher education. Read more about Jon Marcus
Davin McHenry
Web Editor
Davin McHenry is the web editor, responsible for overseeing The Hechinger Report website and supporting technical innovations that enhance the site.
Lawrie Mifflin
Senior Editor
Lawrie Mifflin edits Jill Barshay’s Proof Points column and other stories by staff writers and freelance contributors. Read more about Lawrie Mifflin
Chelsea Slosky Miller
Development Director
Chelsea Slosky Miller helps maintain Hechinger’s revenue streams and advance an overarching strategy for its long-term sustainability, including finding new sources of funding.
Neal Morton
Senior K-12 Reporter
Neal Morton covers K-12 schools in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Read more about Neal Morton
Caroline Preston
Managing Editor
Caroline Preston is managing editor who helps oversee Hechinger’s K-12 and higher ed coverage. Read more about Caroline Preston
Christina A. Samuels
Deputy Managing Editor
Christina Samuels oversees coverage of early childhood education, as well as K-12 education in the South. Read more about Christina A. Samuels
Salina Sanchez-Morroni
Associate Director for Finance and Administration
Salina Sanchez-Morroni is the senior manager for all of The Hechinger Report’s business and administration operations. She oversees managerial and financial accounting, and manages grant administration and organizational policy.
Marina Villeneuve
Investigative Reporter
Marina Villeneuve is an investigative reporter with a passion for uncovering inequality. Read more about Marina Villeneuve
Vaughn Wallace
Photo Editor
Vaughn Wallace leads visual storytelling at The Hechinger Report, collaborating with photographers and illustrators to underscore and amplify the impact of our journalism. Read more about Vaughn Wallace