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. Student journalists are also invited to participate.
2026 FOIA Fellows
- Tom Ackerman, State Journal-Register in Springfield
- Maggie Dougherty, Capitol News Illinois
- Everett Eaton, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
- David Gois, WLUK-TV (FOX) in Green Bay
- Claire Grant, Springfield Journal Register
- Maya Liquigan, The Times of Northwest Indiana
- Caitlin Looby, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
- Montse Ricossa, CBS 58 Milwaukee
- Sarah Watson, Quad Cities Times
2026 FOIA Fellows Mentors
- Leah Bartelt, Illinois Attorney General’s Office
- Mick Dumke, Block Club Chicago
- Sgt. Peter Edwards, Chicago Police Department
- Christy Gutowski, Chicago Tribune
- Tom Jones, ABC7
- Tom Kamenick, Wisconsin Transparency Project
- Tess Kenney, reporter Chicago Tribune
- Andrew Schroedter, WGN-TV
- Tom Shuba, Chicago Sun-Times
- Matt Topic, Loevy and Loevy
- Analisa Trofimuk, The Times of Northwest Indiana
2026 Participating Student Journalists
- Sebastian Alarcon
- Kathryn Byrnes
- Gia Clarke
- Lesly Fernandez
- Veronica Hamaguchi
- Olivia Hanif
- Leo Haussman
- Anja Kovacevic
- Grace Logan
- Joseph Nemeh
- Taylor Peterson
- Isabella Russomanno
- Rutaiba Siddiqui
- Riley Sommers
- Ryan Stafford
- Kieran Stover
- Diego Yepez