Brittany Callan reports for The Beacon, a nonprofit, digital news organization in Kansas City, Missouri, where she focuses on health and the environment and the connections between the two. Before joining Report for America, Callan was a communications associate at the Medical College of Wisconsin and a freelance fact-checker for Discover Magazine. She has reported on a labor union movement in the service industry for Milwaukee Magazine and research in bioprosthetic ovaries for Northwestern Research News. She graduated with an M.S. in Journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University in 2018, where she specialized in health, environment and science. She holds a B.S. in biomedical engineering from the Milwaukee School of Engineering in 2015.
Beat: Environmental effects on health
We are seeking a health/environment Reporter who is passionate about bringing these intertwined topics to life for a Midwest audience. Environmental coverage will focus on how we impact the world and how it impacts us. It will include stories about sustainability trends, water issues, climate change impact and built urban environments like bike paths and walkability. We have large urban and rural divides, expansive highway systems, fledgling public transportation, conservation efforts and agricultural runoff. Stories abound. Health coverage will focus on public health policies and trends, as well as government regulations and program impact on Kansans and Missourians. It will also serve as a watchdog for the most vulnerable populations in our region. Beacon stories are revelatory, data-driven, contextual and solutions-driven. Data experience is a plus, but not required. We will provide training to incorporate data skills into reporting processes, along with training to increase proficiency at gathering records using sunshine/FOI requests. Spanish fluency highly preferred.