Staff

Len Bruzzese, Executive Director

Bruzzese joined AHCJ in 2005 as executive director after seven years as deputy director of Investigative Reporters and Editors. He directed the move of the association offices to the Missouri School of Journalism, where he also serves as an associate professor. He is co-author of "The Investigative Reporter's Handbook" (fourth edition), the winner of several newspaper and magazine editing awards and was recently named Outstanding Alumnus in Journalism by the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He worked in daily journalism for 20 years, including writing, editing and management stints at USA Today, The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Miss.), the Pensacola News Journal and Gannett News Service in Washington, D.C., finally serving as editor of The Olympian in Olympia, Wash., before moving into the nonprofit and academic worlds. len@healthjournalism.org | Phone: 573-884-5606

Jeff Porter, Special Projects Director

Porter became AHCJ special projects director in 2008 after serving six years as the database library director for Investigative Reporters and Editors and the National Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting. In that position, he conducted and directed data analysis for broadcast and print investigative projects, served as lead instructor for computer-assisted reporting boot camps, and provided journalism training across the United States and overseas. He also has served as a CAR instructor at the Missouri School of Journalism. Previously, he worked 20 years as an award-winning newspaper journalist, served as adjunct college faculty, and co-created and hosted a weekly radio program. His last newspaper job was at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, where he served as CAR specialist, combining traditional investigative reporting techniques with advanced data analysis tools. jeff@healthjournalism.org | Phone: 573-884-5477

Christy Stretz, Membership Coordinator

Stretz is the membership coordinator for AHCJ, where she provides the first line of service for members and potential members. She also serves as fellowships coordinator, assisting journalists awarded one of our specialty fellowships with logistical support to attend training events or obtain help from other professionals. She has worked as a continuing education coordinator with the Center for Innovations in Education at the University of Missouri, and a genetics and rural outreach clinics coordinator at the MU Medical School. christy@healthjournalism.org | Phone: 573-882-2955

Pia Christensen, Managing Editor/Online Services

Christensen manages the content and development of healthjournalism.org and oversaw the site's recent redesign. She also assists with the editing and production of AHCJ's publications, including books, conference programs and the quarterly newsletter. She previously was publications coordinator for Investigative Reporters and Editors, where she oversaw Web site content, edited IRE publications and assisted advertisers. She worked as a copy editor and an interactive producer at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, a producer for Tribune Interactive, a sports copy editor for the Marin (Calif.) Independent Journal, and was job and internship coordinator at the Center for Integration and Improvement of Journalism in San Francisco. She telecommutes from Oklahoma. pia@healthjournalism.org | Phone: 405-707-7300

Ev Ruch-Graham, Training Coordinator

Ruch-Graham serves as training coordinator for AHCJ where she helps arrange conferences, workshops and other training events. She offers logistical assistance to speakers, exhibitors and conference program advertisers, and provides onsite leadership during events. She has served in similar roles at New Directions for News and most recently at Investigative Reporters and Editors, where she served for nearly eight years. She also has worked as a course coordinator at the University of Missouri's College of Education and earlier for the Missouri School Boards Association. ev@healthjournalism.org | 573-884-8103

Stacey Andreasen, Financial Officer

Andreasen handles daily accounting chores and overall budget monitoring of the association and the center. The former office manager for a local private company has served as a case manager for developmentally disabled children, a payroll clerk and a Spanish teacher. She graduated from Utah State University with degrees in Spanish and political science/pre-law. She is happy to assist our Spanish-speaking members. stacey@healthjournalism.org | 573-882-2868

Student Staff

Natalie Mills, Office Assistant

Mills, a work study student, is a freshman from Camdenton, Mo. She is majoring in journalism and was the editor of her high school yearbook.

Jessica Nuñez, Web Producer

Nuñez is a graduate student at the Missouri School of Journalism. She is pursuing a master's degree focusing on magazine writing.

Maria Totoraitis, Office Assistant

Totoraitis, a work study student, is an honors senior from Wauwatosa, Wis. She is double majoring in convergence journalism and Spanish at the Missouri School of Journalism.