AP names 7 new statehouse reporters in Report for America collaboration

I am thrilled to announce the hiring of seven journalists who will make up the next Report for America corps. The reporters will be based in Florida, Alabama, Virginia, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana and Georgia, and this move demonstrates our commitment to robust coverage at the state level of the many topics that are animating the national conversation in an election year. By placing this group in these states with beats like immigration, political polarization, democracy and education, the AP will be even better positioned to authoritatively and expansively cover the United States in a pivotal election year and beyond. It also represents an exciting new chapter in our work with Report for America. We launched this collaboration in 2020, and more than a dozen Report for America corps members have gone to permanent AP roles since then, creating a huge infusion of new, diverse talent into our ranks. Please join me in congratulating the latest Report for America corps, whose first day will be July 8 in their two-year assignments.

Olivia Diaz has been hired as a state government reporter in Richmond, Virginia, with an emphasis on political polarization. Olivia currently covers criminal justice in northern Virginia for The Washington Post. She previously covered crime and breaking news for The Post and Courier in South Carolina. Olivia’s impressive body of work includes a story about a mother grieving after her son was shot and killed by police who suspected him of stealing sunglasses from a mall. Olivia attended the University of Richmond, where she received a degree in journalism and international studies. She also earned a master's degree in journalism and public affairs from American University.

Safiyah Riddle will be joining AP as a state government reporter in Montgomery, Alabama, focusing on rural law enforcement and criminal justice coverage. Currently a fellow at "This American Life" public radio program and podcast in New York City, Safiyah previously worked as an intern at Reuters, StoryCorps and The City. She has reported on an array of stories, such as economic inequality, school safety and criminal justice. Safiyah earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics from Haverford College and a master’s degree in urban and economic reporting from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, focusing on audio and data reporting.

Charlotte Kramon has been hired as a state government reporter in Atlanta, with an emphasis on democracy and voting rights coverage. Charlotte has excelled at both breaking news and enterprise during internships at The Los Angeles Times and the Charlotte Observer, as well as a reporter and student editor at 9th Street Journal in Durham, North Carolina. Her reporting on the fatal overdose of a college student in Durham received attention and acclaim after uncovering details about the case that had never been revealed publicly. Charlotte graduates from Duke University in May with a degree in public policy and journalism.

Kate Payne is joining AP as a state government reporter in Tallahassee, Florida, with a focus on education coverage. She comes to AP from WLRN – the main public radio station in south Florida and the Keys – where she covers education. Kate has led coverage of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ education agenda, in addition to delivering accountability coverage of some of the nation’s largest school systems and colleges. She previously worked at Iowa Public Radio and WFSU in Tallahassee. Kate graduated from Florida State University with a degree in film production.

Gabriel Sandoval is joining AP as a state government reporter in Phoenix, with a focus on immigration. Gabriel is a a Southern California native who has leveraged data and doggedly pursued public records to produce impactful stories, including on illegal conversions of affordable housing into tourist hotels and remittances to Mexico during the coronavirus pandemic. He has also worked at ProPublica and the New York-based independent nonprofit The City. Gabriel earned a master’s degree in business reporting from CUNY after graduating from California State University at Chico.

Nadia Lathan is joining the AP as a state government reporter in Austin, Texas, with a focus on energy in the nation’s largest energy state. Nadia is a graduate student at the University of California at Berkeley who grew up in Southern California. She has reported on culture, policy and health for The Mercury News in San Jose, East Bay Times and Oaklandside. She was editor in chief of The Redlands Bulldog, the student newspaper at the University of Redlands, and will graduate in May with a master’s degree in journalism.

Jack Brook is joining AP as a state government reporter in New Orleans, focusing on infrastructure and how it intersects with climate change and the environment. Jack has worked as a freelance journalist in Cambodia since 2023, focusing on coverage of natural resources, conservation, indigenous communities and human rights. Previously, he served as an associate editor at CamboJA News, reporting and managing a team focused on elections and Cambodia’s humanitarian crisis. He has also worked as a reporter for the Southeast Asia Globe. Jack is a graduate of Brown University, with a bachelor’s degree in history.