Accolades

Best of Show/First Place Feature: Profile – MDDC Press Association

In 2021, my story “Remembering the life of the Shipley Road ‘Sign Lady’ Lorraine Twardowski” won both Best of Show and First Place in the “Feature Story: Profile” category at the MDDC Press Association’s annual awards.

Rookie Reporter of the Year – Wisconsin Newspaper Association

In 2019, I was awarded the Rookie Reporter of the Year award across all divisions and newspapers by the Wisconsin Newspaper Association. This award is given annually to one reporter with less than two years of experience who shows great promise.

First Place Feature – Wisconsin Newspaper Association

In 2019, I was awarded first place in the feature (profile) category for my story “When a rape stole her sense of control she fought back by eating fire” by the Wisconsin Newspaper Association. The feature is about a woman who was raped and although she also had a fear of fire, decided that would be how she gained her control back.

ProPublica Emerging Reporter Fellow

In 2016, I was selected as one of five ProPublica Emerging Reporter Fellows in the country. This program gives college journalists of color mentoring and stipends to give them the financial flexibility and support to do great journalism.

I liked unnoticed and eccentric stories. Ones about people who sit on the sidelines….Most of the people I wrote about weren’t famous or powerful. They were anybody and everybody. They were people working through the rust to answer their imagination, their experiences incidental to the amplified news of the day. They had things to say and said them. I enjoyed their company.

N. R. Kleinfield, 40 Years of Chronicling the Unnoticed