The FOIA Fellows program provides intensive hands-on training and mentoring for early-career journalists in the Chicagoland area and surrounding states who work at small news organizations, with a special focus on journalists from underrepresented backgrounds.
The fellows come to Chicago for two days to hear from leading Freedom of Information and investigative reporting voices. They’re also paired with mentors to receive personalized feedback on their current projects and FOIA records requests.
2025 FOIA Fellows
- Drake Bentley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee, WI
- Caryn Eisert, WAND-TV, Decatur, Il
- Francia Garcia Hernandez, Block Club Chicago
- Christopher Huslig, WMBD-TV, Peoria, Il
- Lizzie Kaboski, The Times of Northwest Indiana
- Tess Kenny, Naperville Sun, Naperville, Il
- Caroline Klapp, WNDU-TV South Bend
- Camden Lazenby, Daily Chronicle/Shaw Media, DeKalb, Il
- Jesse Lin, Green Bay Gazette, Green Bay WI
- Michael Liptrot, Block Club Chicago
- Nadia Scharf, Green Bay Gazette, Green Bay, WI
- Luis Velazquez, Cicero Independiente, Cicero, Il
2025 FOIA Mentors
The center engages a wide range of professionals to serve as FOIA Fellows program mentors. 2025 program mentors included:
- Leah Bartelt, Public Access Counselor, Illinois Attorney General's Office.
- Ben Bradley, WGN-TV, Anchor and Investigative Reporter
- Peter Edwards, FOIA Officer, Chicago Police Department
- Tom Jones, ABC7, Investigative Producer
- Dan Mihalopoulos, Investigative Reporter WBEZ Chicago and Chicago Sun-Times
- Ann Pistone, former ABC 7 Investigative Producer
- Manny Ramos, Block Club Chicago, Investigative Reporter
- Matt Topic, Attorney, Loevy and Loevy
- Ben Welsh, News Applications Editor Reuters
- Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, City Hall Reporter
2025 Participating Journalism Students
This year, journalism students joined the fellows program. They were matched with fellows to work on investigative projects. 2025 student participants were:
- Jake Cox
- Lina Gebhardt
- Erin Gessert
- Morgan Kirsch
- Inga Machi
- Karidja Monjolo
- Riley Moulton
- Lucia Preziosi
- Alyssa Salcedo
- Angela Shak
- Lauren Sheperd
- Matthew Warakomski
2024 FOIA Fellows
- Grace Kinnicutt, Multimedia Editor and reporter, Quad-City Times, IL
- Amanda Brennan, Multimedia Journalist, WCIA 3, IL
- A.J. Bauyatpour, Reporter, CBS 58 News, WI
- Lucas Robinson, breaking news reporter, Wisconsin State Journal, WI
- Abbey Machtig, Education Reporter, Wisconsin State Journal, WI
- Drew Zimmerman, Journalist, The Pantagraph, IL
- Claudia Levens, North Shore Reporter, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI
- Vanessa Swales, local government reporter, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and PolitiFact Wisconsin, WI
- Frank Vaisvilas, Native American issues reporter, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI
- Bryce Stopher, News Producer, ABC57, South Bend, IN
- Madison Savedra, Pilsen, Little Village and Back of the Yards reporter, Block Club Chicago, IL
- Jamie Nesbitt Golden, Bronzeville, and Near South Side reporter, Block Club Chicago, IL
2024 FOIA Fellows Mentors
- Matt Topic, Loevy & Loevy's Freedom of Information Act, IL
- Phil Rogers, Former Investigative Reporter, NBC5 Chicago, IL
- Rachel Hinton, Investigative Reporter, Block Club Chicago, IL
- Lisa Parker, Investigative Reporter, NBCS Chicago, IL
- Leah Bartelt, Illinois Assistant Attorney General, IL
- Damon Dunn, Lawyer, IL
- Hank Sanders, Politics Reporter, Daily Southtown, IL
- Greg Pratt, Investigative Reporter, Chicago Tribune, IL
- Andrew Schroedter, Investigative Reporter, WGN, IL
- Lauren FitzPatrick, Investigative Reporter, Chicago Sun-Times, IL
- Curtis Lawrence, Block Club Chicago, IL
- Shannon Leonard, Associate General Counsel, Governor's Office, IL
- Tom Jones, TV News and Online Journalist, and Investigative Producer, ABC 7, IL
- Claire Malon, Content Editor and Data Reporter, Chicago Tribune, IL
- Ray Long, Investigative Reporter, Chicago Tribune, IL
- Dave McKinney, State Politics Reporter for WBEZ, IL
2023 FOIA Fellows
- Gabriella Bachara, CBS 58 Milwaukee, WI
- Molly Devore, The Times of Northwest Indiana, Munster, IN
- Olivia Doak, La Salle News-Tribune, La Salle, IL
- Tara Gray, KWQC-TV Davenport, IA
- William Ingalls, WREX-TV, Rockford, IL
- Carley Lanich, South Bend Tribune, South Bend, IN
- Madison McAddo, KWQC-TV Davenport, IA
- Melody Mercado, Block Club Chicago
- Tahleel Mohieldin, WISC-TV, Madison, WI
- Jake Norman, Northwest Herald Crystal Lake, IL
- Jordan Smith, South Bend Tribune, South Bend, IN
- Taylor Vidmar, Herald & Review, Decatur, IL
- Jenny Whidden, The Daily Herald, Arlington Heights, IL
2023 FOIA Fellows Program Mentors
The center engages a wide range of professionals to serve as FOIA Fellows program mentors. 2023 program mentors include:
- Leah Bartelt, FOIA Office, Office of the Illinois Attorney General
- Shelby Bremer, Investigative Producer, NBC5 Chicago
- Don Craven, Attorney, Illinois Press Association
- Mick Dumke, Investigative Reporter, Block Club Chicago
- Sgt. Peter Edwards, FOIA Officer, Chicago Police Department
- Duaa Eldeib, Reporter, ProPublica
- Shelley Geiszler, Attorney, FOIA Litigation, Loevy & Loevy
- Bob Herguth Watchdog Reporter, Chicago Sun-Times
- Rachel Hinton, Enterprise Reporter, Better Government Association
- Jewél Jackson, Investigative Reporter, BGA
- Tom Jones, Consumer Investigative Producer, NBC5 Chicago
- Lisa Parker, Former Consumer Investigative Reporter, NBC5 Chicago
- Ann Pistone, Investigative Producer, ABC7 Chicago
- Greg Pratt, Political Reporter, Chicago Tribune
- Phil Rogers, Former Investigative Reporter, NBC5 Chicago
- Stephanie Zimmermann, Investigative Reporter, Chicago Sun-Times