MelissaHellmann_2

I’m an award-winning reporter who investigates racial, gender and economic inequality at the Center for Public Integrity. My character-driven stories expose practices that disproportionately impact marginalized communities, and hold power accountable.

My reporting has taken me to the homes of migrant families in the outskirts of Beijing, China; Israeli checkpoints in the West Bank; and a Tacoma, Washington detention center where detainees alleged their medical needs were ignored. Along with being featured in local and national radio and TV programs, my work has been cited in books, academic studies, and city reports.

During my presidency from 2019 to 2021, the Seattle Association of Black Journalists regained national affiliation after several years of dormancy, and saw a fivefold increase in the general fund.

I’m also a graduate of U.C. Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism, where I focused on long-form writing and honing my multimedia skills.

When I’m not typing away you can catch me hiking, bouldering, traveling, and caring for my cat and lizard in Philadelphia.