Devna has worked as a multimedia journalist for newspapers across Mississippi. She interned at the Neshoba Democrat, Jackson Free Press, Meridian Star, and Oxford Eagle. She has covered city government, mental health, the LGBTQ+ community and other issues. She attended University of Mississippi, where she served as Managing Editor of the student-run publication, The Daily Mississippian. She has won several awards for her feature writing, photography, and design from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Mississippi Press Association.
Public schools in Newark, N.J.
Devna is expanding Chalkbeat’s Newark bureau and works closely with the bureau chief to report on critical education news in the area. She helps the Newark team build a loyal base of readership among local education stakeholders: parents, educators, nonprofit leaders and policymakers. Embracing Chalkbeat’s local-first approach, Devna attends school board meetings, press conferences and community events in Newark. Additionally, she helps plan and organize community engagement events, such as office hours and listening tours, to draw in traditionally harder-to-reach readers. Devna’s engagement work creates ongoing opportunities to exchange ideas with partners to understand how Chalkbeat’s content is serving its audiences, allowing the news organization to continually improve its approach.
Beat: Public schools in Newark