AHCJ members tackle job changes, book publishing and earn awards
Health journalists have been busy, with a number of job changes, awards and new books out. Here’s the latest news about AHCJ members:
Lominda Afedraru won an award in science reporting in the print category from the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology.
Bianca Alexander was nominated for a Chicago/Midwest Emmy for “Outstanding On-Camera Performance” for the show “Soul of Green,” about entrepreneurs of color in the green and holistic health movement in Chicago.
Mark Andersen has been named an assistant city editor at the Lincoln (Neb.) Journal Star. Anderson is a member of the inaugural class of AHCJ Regional Health Journalism Program Fellows and expects to continue to be involved in the paper’s coverage of health care.
Jeff Baillon, an investigative reporter for KMSP-Minneapolis/St. Paul received an Upper Midwest Regional Emmy Award in September for Investigative Reporting. The series of reports, “Dead Wrong?” (Part 1 | Part 2) revealed serious mistakes made by a Twin Cities medical examiner whose findings lacked sound science but nevertheless were the primary evidence used in several murder convictions.
Amrit Banstola has been chosen as a “Youth Leader Speak Column Writer” from Nepal for Climate Himalaya, an India-based organization that works for climate change.
Bob Barrett, producer of “The Health Show” for WAMC/Northeast Public Radio, will host a second nationally syndicated public radio program. “The Best of Our Knowledge,” about education, is heard on almost 150 radio stations in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean, as well as Armed Forces Radio around the world.
Blythe Bernhard and Jeremy Kohler of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch were named “top reporters” in the Riverfront Times’ Best of St. Louis awards and their work was tapped for a Lee Enterprises’ President’s Award, recognizing outstanding journalism from the company’s 48 newspapers. The two were honored for their investigative series, “Who Protects the Patients?” which exposed Missouri’s lax and secretive system of doctor discipline. The reporting team previously won the APME Missouri sweepstakes award and Bernhard was recently honored with a Missouri Public Health Association media award for significant contributions to health education in the state.
Rachel Boehm is now a reporter for the Bureau of National Affairs’ Daily Tax Report covering the Internal Revenue Service.
At a National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder conference in November, Kevin Dawkins presented preliminary date from a recently completed randomized controlled trial of a documentary series on borderline personality disorder. The series targeted families who have a member diagnosed with BPD and presented the experiences of four individuals and their families with commentary provided by researchers and clinicians.
The latest book from Nicholas DiNubile, M.D., “FrameWork for the Shoulder“ has been released. It is the third installment in the FrameWork “Active for Life” series geared toward keeping individuals active for life, especially those with musculoskeletal ailments.
M.J. Ellington will do freelance health journalism in addition to her new position as health policy analyst for Alabama Arise, a statewide advocacy organization for the poor. Previously, Ellington covered state government and politics as capital bureau chief for The Decatur Daily and the Florence Times Daily newspapers.
Bob Finn is the assistant managing editor at Medscape Medical News where, among other things, he works with freelancers, assigning and editing stories based on medical journal articles. Finn was with the International Medical News Group for 10 years, first as San Francisco bureau chief and then as social media and web content editor. He’ll continue working from home, which he’s done for the past 19 years.
Joe Goldeen, health care reporter at The (Stockton, Calif.) Record, received the President’s Award from Healings in Motion. Mary Nicholson, of Healings in Motion, said, “Goldeen has been a beacon for those enduring challenges from an illness. Through his stories and blog, Joe shares credible resources and a calendar of events related to health and health care in San Joaquin County.”
Independent journalist Samantha Gluck is a contributing author for HealthyPlace.com, a mental health resource for patients and mental health professionals.
“Top Screwups Doctors Make And how to Avoid Them,” by Joe Graedon and Teresa Graedon, was published by Crown Archtype.
Shuka Kalantari is a member of the 2011 New America Media Fellowship Program on Health, Health Care and Environmental Health. She will produce a radio story about PTSD among Middle Eastern refugees in California.
Jonathan Michels recently wrapped up a short documentary about healthy food access in Candor, N.C. The film was made with a grant from Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities and FirstHealth of the Carolinas.
Gary Schwitzer, publisher of HealthNewsReview.org, presented his project’s findings to an International Biomedical Journalism Symposium at the University Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona in September. He also helped plan a National Cancer Institute workshop for Latin American journalists in Guadalajara and spoke in four sessions at the November event. Stateside, he was a speaker at a National Breast Cancer Coalition media workshop in New York City in September.
Andrew Seaman is a medical journalist with Reuters Health, where his main focus is on the division’s Web page, and he will be reporting. Seaman finished the Kaiser Family Foundation’s media internship in August at Reuters’s Washington Bureau, where he covered the Affordable Care Act and general health policy.
Elizabeth Stawicki, J.D., health care reform correspondent for Minnesota Public Radio, is working on an initiative between NPR/Minnesota Public Radio/Kaiser Health News.
Stephanie Stephens has launched www.MindYourBody.tv for female baby boomers. Stephens is host, writer and executive producer, using expert resources from Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego. Topics are presented with a video/audio podcast and blog, and focus on mind, body, nutrition, healthy travel, beauty, caregiving and other boomer-centric topics.
Judy Stone, M.D., is a guest blogger for Scientific American. The column started with “Molecules to Medicine: Clinical Trials for Beginners” in October.
Liz Szabo, of USA Today, won the Excellence in Media Award from the Campaign for Public Health Foundation.
Jessica Wapner will be a fellow at the Medical Evidence Boot Camp offered by Knight Science Journalism in December.
Share your news
If you have news to share about a new job, fellowship, award or other accomplishment, please send us a note about it to info@healthjournalism.org to be featured in a future Covering Health post and in HealthBeat, AHCJ’s printed newsletter.
Welcome to AHCJ’s newest members
Please welcome AHCJ’s newest members. All new AHCJ members are welcome to stop by this post’s comment section to introduce themselves, and you’ll also find many of them waiting on Twitter! Take a minute to follow a few of your new colleagues and find out what they’re adding to the conversation.
- Julie Andsager, professor, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
- Heather Gilligan, assistant editor, healthycal.org, Oakland, Calif.
- Whitney Howell, independent journalist, Durham, N.C. (@HlthReporter)
- Kirk Johannesen, special projects editor, The Republic, Columbus, Ind.
- Lindsey McCormack, independent journalist, Jackson Heights, N.Y. (@lindenchariot)
- Mac McLean, staff writer, Bristol Herald Courier, Bristol, Va.
- Alice O’Flynn, independent journalist, Dublin, Ireland
- Leslie Pepper, independent journalist, Merrick, N.Y. (@lesliepepper)
AHCJ welcomes 11 new members
These journalists joined AHCJ last week:
- Alan Cassels, independent journalist; Victoria, British Columbia (@AKECassels)
- Chuck Kurtz, staff writer, Sun Publications; Overland Park, Kan.
- Valerie Lego, health reporter, WZZM-Grand Rapids, Mich. (@valerielego)
- Erin Marcus, independent journalist; Key Biscayne, Fla.
- Julia Paulus, editor/writer; Kansas City, Mo.
- Shanderia Posey, healthscene editor, The Clarion-Ledger; Jackson, Miss.
- Kelly Puente, reporter, Long Beach Press-Telegram; Long Beach, Calif.
- Cynthia Roby, independent journalist; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
- Joaquin Sapien, reporter, ProPublica; New York City
- Larry Seward, reporter, KSHB-Kansas City, Mo. (LOSewardII)
- Kimber Wallace, reporter, The Manhattan Mercury; Manhattan, Kan. (Kimburglar)
If you haven’t joined yet, see what member benefits you’re missing out on: Access to more than 50 journals and databases, tip sheets and articles from your colleagues on how they’ve reported stories, conferences, workshops, online training, reporting guides and more. Join AHCJ today to get a wealth of support and tools to help you.
Welcome to AHCJ’s newest members
AHCJ welcomes these new members:
- Rodney Brock, independent journalist, The Patriot Observer; Louisville, Ky.
- Ceci Connolly, staff writer, The Washington Post; Washington, D.C., @postdailydose
- Emma Gallegos, staff writer, Los Angeles Daily Journal; Los Angeles
- Lin Grensing-Prophal, independent journalist; Chippewa Falls, Wis.
- Janet Lavelle, reporter, San Diego Union-Tribune; Oceanside, Calif.
- Kari Lydersen, independent journalist; Chicago
- David Pittman, independent journalist, Chemical & Engineering News; Washington, D.C. @David Pittman
- Lisa Price, independent journalist; Seattle
- Frank Sotomayor, independent journalist; Glendale, Calif. @FrankSotomayor
- Daniela Velazquez, online producer/multimedia reporter, TBO.com/Tampa Tribune/WFLA; Tampa, Fla. @lalav
If you haven’t joined yet, see what member benefits you’re missing out on: Access to more than 50 journals and databases, tip sheets and articles from your colleagues on how they’ve reported stories, conferences, workshops, online training, reporting guides and more. Join AHCJ today to get a wealth of support and tools to help you.
New AHCJ board seated for 2010-11
Andy Miller, longtime health care journalist, joined five incumbents in being seated on the Association of Health Care Journalists’ board of directors.
Andy Miller
Incumbents starting a new two-year term include Julie Appleby and Phil Galewitz of Kaiser Health News; Ivan Oransky of Reuters Health; Trudy Lieberman of Columbia Journalism Review; and freelancer Irene Wielawski. The six journalists were the only ones to register in time to run for the six open spots, precluding the need for an election. Board member Mike Stobbe of The Associated Press chose not to run for re-election.
Each year, AHCJ conducts an election to pick people to serve on the association’s board of directors. Six of the 12 positions come up for election each year for two-year terms. Board members take on committee duties and contribute to association activities, including fundraising, advocacy, training events, membership outreach and the newsletter. They may be asked to play a role in association projects, such as writing, editing or fact-checking resource guides or online teaching modules.
Welcome to the newest members of AHCJ
AHCJ welcomes these new members:
- Wilson Lowrey, associate professor, University of Alabama; Tuscaloosa, Ala.
- Marilyn Nelson, independent journalist; Flagstaff, Ariz.
- Andrew Kimball, independent journalist; San Rafael, Calif.
- Shari Roan, staff writer, Los Angeles Times; Los Angeles
- Angilee Shah, independent journalist; Walnut, Calif.; @angshah
- Lee Bowman, correspondent, Scripps Howard News Service; Washington, D.C.
- Charlotte Schubert, senior editor and Washington correspondent, Nature Medicine; Washington, D.C.; @schubertcm
- Caroline Stetler, post graduate fellow, Investigative Reporting Workshop; Washington, D.C.; @carolinestetler
- Ada Alvarez, independent journalist; North Miami, Fla.
- Kris Hundley, staff writer, St. Petersburg Times; St. Petersburg, Fla.
- Christine Sexton, independent journalist; Tallahassee, Fla.
- Angie Best-Boss, independent journalist; New Palestine, Ind.
- Rachel Gotbaum, independent journalist; Jamaica Plain, Mass.
- Ted Agres, independent journalist; Laurel, Md.
- Cynthia Saver, independent journalist; Columbia, Md.
- Julie Andrews, health research editor, Bottom Line Health; New York
- Katherine Harmon, reporter, Scientific American; Brooklyn, N.Y.; @katherineharmon
- Deborah Wuest, independent journalist; Ithaca, N.Y.
- Lisa Benton, student, Ohio Center for Broadcasting; Columbus, Ohio
- Theresa Brown, independent journalist; Pittsburgh
- Ellen Meyer, managing editor, Skin & Aging; Chester Springs, Pa.
- Lorry Schoenly, independent journalist; Fairless Hills, Pa.; @lorryschoenly
- Kate Johnson, independent journalist; Montreal; @kjohnsonmed
- Anne Halloran, independent journalist; Seattle
- Shamane Mills, senior broadcast specialist, Wisconsin Public Radio; Madison, Wis.
If you haven’t joined yet, see what member benefits you’re missing out on: Access to more than 50 journals and databases, tip sheets and articles from your colleagues on how they’ve reported stories, conferences, workshops, online training, reporting guides and more. Join AHCJ today to get a wealth of support and tools to help you.
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