Home Reporting About

Featured Reporting

Recent work from my internship at POLITICO

POLITICO •

Does the Trump-RFK Jr. alliance have an expiration date?

COUPLES THERAPY — It’s the eve of a hearing where HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will once again be put through the political wringer: Susan Monarez, the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who Kennedy pushed out last month, will testify Wednesday before the Senate health committee.And yet, amid the consistent tumult that surrounds Kennedy, President Donald Trump is sticking by his man. “If you look at what’s going on in the world with health and look at this c...
POLITICO •

Jerome Powell's high wire act

WATCHING AND WAITING — The Fed’s highly anticipated annual meeting of international central bankers, policymakers and academics kicked off today in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.Tucked in a resort in picturesque Grand Teton National Park, attendees will discuss the future of U.S. monetary policy over the next few days against the backdrop of an unprecedented pressure campaign from President Donald Trump that is raising questions about the Fed’s independence from partisan control.With inflation, fresh ta...
POLITICO •

The challenge in expanding aid to Gaza

‘FAMINES HAVE MOMENTUM’ — President Donald Trump signaled a subtle shift within the White House last week, publicly recognizing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.Trump acknowledged “real starvation” in Gaza, while Vice President J.D. Vance urged Israel to increase humanitarian aid access. Other top U.S. officials visited Gaza to witness the humanitarian crisis for themselves before devising an aid plan for the area.The recalibration reflects mounting pressure from both Democrats and Trump allies t...
POLITICO •

The megabill provisions you might have missed

AMBITIOUS AGENDA — In the days since President Donald Trump signed his “One Big, Beautiful Bill” into law, the big ticket items in the multi-trillion dollar legislation have dominated the conversation about the bill’s far-reaching impact. Tax relief, spending increases for defense and border security, cuts to Medicaid and SNAP benefits, raising the debt ceiling by $5 trillion — these are among the key planks of the ambitious agenda that the Trump administration squeaked through Congress.But the...

I have freelanced several investigations for national publications as well as for The Stanford Daily. 

The Stanford Daily •

Inside UG2 at Stanford: Surveillance, favoritism, intimidation

Leer en español (Itzel Luna, Jacqueline Munis y Sofia Gonzalez-Rodriguez).


Nine sources included in this story have asked to remain anonymous for fear of professional repercussions. Pseudonyms have been used to improve readability. As most of these sources are currently subcontracted under UG2, The Daily is also withholding specific dates, instead using general timeframes, to protect their identities. 


Adriana, who has worked the night shift as a custodial worker on campus for nearly 20 ye...
Associated Press •

Schools are using surveillance tech to catch students vaping, snaring some with harsh punishments

When Aaliyah Iglesias was caught vaping at a Texas high school, she didn’t realize how much could be taken from her. Suddenly, the rest of her high school experience was threatened: being student council president, her role as debate team captain and walking at graduation. Even her college scholarships were at risk. She was sent to the district’s alternative school for 30 days and told she could have faced criminal charges. Like thousands of other students around the country, she was caught by s...
The Nation •

Stanford’s Title IX Policies Fail to Protect Student Survivors

In October 2021, a freshman at Stanford University, whom we will call Sarah, went to an on-campus party. She met another freshman, whom we will call Alex, and they danced and talked. The next day, they met up again, walked around campus, and then went back to his dorm room. They both consented to having sex, and Sarah asked him to wear a condom. They argued about it. She told him she’d leave if he didn’t wear a condom, so he eventually put one on. As things progressed, she says, she asked him to...

I reported on education policy as a fellow at CalMatters. 

CalMatters •

Raising kids in California? They may have college savings accounts you don't know about.

Lea esta historia en Español

Nearly 3.7 million students and 667,000 newborns in California have money invested in a savings account to help pay for college. But most families don’t know the money is there. 

Citlali Lopez, a second-year psychology student at Sacramento State, found out a few months ago she had $500 sitting in a California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program (CalKIDS) account. Although she’s been eligible to use the funds since she graduated high school in 2022, she...
CalMatters •

Cal State student workers voted to form a union. Here’s what students want.

Lea este artículo en español.

Delila Grubaugh wasn’t sure if joining a union would benefit her. That is, until she contracted pneumonia and found herself unable to get paid sick leave, forcing her to work her library assistant job at Cal State Fullerton while ill. Access to paid sick leave is why Grubaugh, a third year communications major, joined student workers across the Cal State system who voted yes to a union. 

Among the 20,000 student assistants working in the system, 7,252 cast a ballo...
CalMatters •

Tired of the waiting lists for California’s public universities, nursing students increasingly turn to expensive private programs

For Julio Rivera, transferring from a local community college to a bachelor’s program in nursing was always a top priority. As someone who enjoyed helping others, nursing seemed like a natural career. While caring for an aunt with renal failure and Type 2 diabetes, a conversation with her solidified the belief that nursing was his calling. 

“She said, ‘You have it. You can really tell that you care about people,’” Rivera said. 

The pandemic put a pause on Rivera’s education as hospitals had di...
CalMatters •

Grief, fear, and hopes for peace: California college students describe campus climates during Israel-Palestine conflict

Over the past five weeks, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has sparked vigils, sit-ins, walkouts, protests and counter-protests at college campuses throughout California. At some campuses, emotions are high and students are divided — some even experiencing violence, hate speech and fear. Meanwhile, at other campuses, students are gathering to grieve and learn in more peaceful ways.

At CalMatters, student reporters in the College Journalism Network fellowship program have filed the following dis...

I have also covered local news in Massachusetts for The Boston Globe. 

BostonGlobe.com •

His dream home sits on an eroding bluff on Cape Cod. He bought it anyway. - The Boston Globe

Nearly 20 years later, his dream came true when he purchased a house on the coast of Eastham for a bargain price of $395,000.David Moot has dreamed of owning a home on Cape Cod since he first visited in 2004. But it was hard to find one in his price range, especially one close to the water.The gray-shingled home on Brownell Road is just 25 feet from the edge of the sandy slope, which will likely collapse from coastal erosion in about a decade, Moot said. But he’s OK with enjoying it while it las...
BostonGlobe.com •

‘Danya, she’s coming.’ Brewster woman gives birth on side of the highway. Dad cuts the cord in Dunkin’ parking lot. - The Boston Globe

But halfway through the hour-long drive on Aug. 8, Rebecca Mahota realized they weren’t going to make it. Their baby girl had other plans.Well before Rebecca Mahota began to have close contractions, she and her husband started the drive from their Brewster home to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Plymouth.“Honey, we have 32 minutes. We can’t do this right now,” he told her as he tried to pull their Land Rover off the road. “I put my hand down between her legs, and sure enough, I could feel the...
BostonGlobe.com •

In vote-by-mail era, no rest for weary election workers - The Boston Globe

“Election Day is now not just Election Day, it’s sort of every day,” said MaryEllen Marshall, town clerk in Winchester.Just a few years ago, sending thousands of ballots to voters would have been unimaginable for election workers, but now election season means all hands on deck, especially during a presidential year.In town and city halls across Massachusetts this summer, workers are racing to send out vote-by-mail ballots for the Sept. 3 primary.Since the state began no-excuse mail-in voting in...
BostonGlobe.com •

‘The soundtrack of our lives’: Voices of Black Boston reunite to celebrate the legacy of WILD 1090 AM - The Boston Globe

At the station’s first-floor studio on 90 Warren St., just off Nubian Square in Roxbury, listeners and fans would walk in to request songs or try to meet a celebrity or politician who was on the air. WILD moved with the times, bringing listeners unique selections of pop, R&B, and hip-hop from sunrise to sunset, often well before they were played on Top 40 radio.“It was the soundtrack of our lives,” Kelley Chunn, president of the Roxbury Cultural District, recalled fondly.It’s hard to overstate h...

Editing and fact-checking

Selected stories I edited as managing editor for investigations, equity editor and solutions editor at The Stanford Daily. 

The Stanford Daily •

A guide to navigating mental health resources at Stanford

Throughout the last few years, the University has expanded existing programs and added new resources to meet the needs of students, staff and faculty. The Daily has compiled a list of all of these resources, including information on their functions, cost and whether they are confidential or require a referral.

Throughout the last few years, the University has expanded existing programs and added new resources to meet the needs of students, staff and faculty. The Daily has compiled a list of all...
The Stanford Daily •

'Not a place of belonging': Discrimination allegations plague Stanford admissions office

Five sources included in this article requested anonymity due to fear of professional retaliation. Many former employees expressed concern about speaking on experiences in the admissions and financial aid office because of ties between Stanford’s office and the broader admissions community.


The Daily also used gender-neutral descriptors and withheld specific dates and other information, instead using general timeframes and descriptions, to protect sources’ identities. Pseudonyms were used to...
The Stanford Daily •

94% of elevators on campus have expired permits

Vince Pane Ph.D. ’23 was returning to his apartment at Blackwelder in November 2021 when he found himself stuck in an elevator between floors. Pane initially tried to call for rescue using the alarm and emergency call buttons, but found that they did not work, and his phone had no signal.


Pane, an American Ninja Warrior semifinalist, first tried to pry open the door with a knife from the dining hall, to no avail. Then, he climbed onto the elevator railings and proceeded to dislodge a ceiling...
The Stanford Daily •

IDA fellows reflect on social justice-oriented arts program

For students in the Institute for Diversity in the Arts (IDA) Undergraduate Fellowship program, art is more than a means of expression: it is an instrument of change, a tool to uplift the voices of underrepresented communities and fight for social justice.


A mainstay of IDA’s offerings, the year-long program provides a $4,500 stipend and mentorship to undergraduates who are pursuing art projects relating to social justice. Each fall, IDA accepts 10 to 15 students from diverse backgrounds base...

I worked as a fact-checker at STANFORD Magazine for three years.

Art and Soul

Alexander Nemerov curls up into himself, legs crossed, shoulders bowed, cocooned on his couch. Here in his Palo Alto home, the art historian known for his larger-than-life performances at the lectern is small. His voice doesn’t fill the room.  He’s thin, silver haired. Elfin, some might say, as in, having a mysterious or magical power to attract. “This film is really about a lonely child and the curse of an imagination,” he says. In the glow of his TV, he’s watching a scene from the 1940s thrill...

Course of Treatment

By now, it’s routine. Every third Wednesday, Bryant Lin, a Stanford clinical professor of medicine and primary care physician, leaves his white coat on the back of his office door and takes the elevator down two floors from his office in Hoover Pavilion to the blood draw clinic.“Name?” asks the phlebotomist.“Bryant Lin,” says the physician. He’s seated in the chair, his left shirt sleeve rolled up.“Birthdate?” the phlebotomist continues. And just like that, tables turn and doctor becomes patient...

Throwing Out the Rule Book

Tara VanDerveer has been a women’s college basketball coach for 43 seasons, 36 of them at Stanford. She has won more games than any other women’s college basketball coach in history. She has led the Cardinal to three NCAA championships. VanDerveer has watched the sport grow from afterthought to phenomenon. She has watched intercollegiate athletics transform from sideshow to industry. She has watched over the past 18 months as liberalized rules have allowed players to reap thousands of dollars in...

Put It in Writing

The second day of fall threatens to be what Rachel Syme, ’05, calls the “Day of the Wrong Coat.” Humid and hot in the morning, it’s gone drizzly and cold by afternoon. Syme, a staff writer for the New Yorker, relishes such days, even when—maybe especially when—she chooses the Wrong Coat. “It is more than anything a day about noticing, about realizing that the winds are shifting,” she writes in her eccentric and ebullient new book, Syme’s Letter Writer: A Guide to Modern Correspondence About (Alm...