Job: State education reporter
Years at the Register: Four
I grew up in: Wisconsin
I live in: Des Moines
I graduated from: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Why journalism? As a Mexican-American who struggled in school and college, being an education journalist has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life because I get to help people advocate for children.
Almost 20 years since my first professional byline, I am still honored to write people’s stories . Sometimes these interviews happen during life’s worst moments such as the parents who talked with me about their 15-year-old son just hours after donating his organs . Everyday stories about budgets , changes to schools and cute kid antics are just as important.
Some of the major stories I’ve covered recently: I’m very proud of the ongoing work of the Register’s education reporting team (AKA the book team) on the Iowa’s Book Ban Battle project . The award-winning project tracks what books have been removed under Senate File 496 from Iowa schools and the law’s impact on education.