The Education Writers Association would like to express our deep gratitude to the busy professionals who volunteered their time to evaluate the entries for our journalism awards.
This group of current and former journalists spent long hours carefully evaluating their assigned entries for the 2025 National Awards for Education Reporting.*
Here are the 2025 judges:
- Jenny Abamu, WAMU
- Larry Abramson, NPR (retired)
- Natalia Alamdari, Flatwater Free Press
- Melanie Asmar, Chalkbeat Colorado
- Jill Barshay, The Hechinger Report
- Kate Hidalgo Bellows, The Chronicle of Higher Education
- Jillian Berman, MarketWatch
- Liz Bowie, The Banner
- Joshua Bowling, Source New Mexico
- Sarah Butrymowicz, The Hechinger Report
- Lauren Camera, Whiteboard Advisors
- Nick Chiles, University of Georgia
- Leah Clapman, PBS News
- Gail Cornwall, independent journalist
- Trisha Crain, Alabama Daily News/Alabama Public Television
- Wayne D’Orio, independent journalist
- Martha Dalton, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- Janel Davis, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- Nichole Dobo, The Hechinger Report
- Margaret Downing, Houston Press
- Steve Drummond, NPR
- Danielle DuClos, The Cap Times
- Ben Felder, Investigate Midwest
- Emmanuel Felton, independent journalist
- Vince Filak, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
- Alec Fischer, Fischr Media
- Nicole Foy, ProPublica
- Vince Gonzales, University of Southern California
- Jason Gonzales, Chalkbeat Colorado
- Larry Gordon, Independent journalist
- Erica Green, The New York Times
- Kelly Field, independent journalist
- Sara Gregory, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- Kristen Griffith, The Banner
- Kate Grossman, Chicago Public Media
- Reeve Hamilton, Cornell University
- LynNell Hancock, Columbia Journalism School (retired)
- Louis Hansen, WHRO
- Jennifer Hawes, ProPublica
- Keri Heath, Austin American-Statesman
- Lori Higgins, Chalkbeat Detroit
- Colin Hogan, The New Bedford Light
- Mark Horvit, University of Missouri
- David Jackson, Injustice Watch
- Kenny Jacoby, USA TODAY
- David Jesse, The Chronicle of Higher Education
- Sarah Karp, Chicago Public Media
- Mark Keierleber, The 74
- Mara Klecker, Minnesota Star Tribune
- Rebecca Koenig, independent journalist
- Sonali Kohli, URL Media
- Mila Koumpilova, Chalkbeat Chicago
- Matt Krupnick, independent journalist
- Yanick Rice Lamb, Howard University
- Asher Lehrer-Small, The New York Times
- Marcy Levin-Epstein, Industry Dive
- Frank LoMonte, CNN
- Alec MacGillis, ProPublica
- Jackie Mader, The Hechinger Report
- Rob Manning, Oregon Public Broadcasting
- Annie Martin, Orlando Sentinel
- Morgan Matzen, Argus Leader
- Kate McGee, Open Campus
- Ted Mellnik, Washington Post (retired)
- Lauren Migaki, NPR
- Dan Mihalopoulos, Chicago Public Media
- Larry Miller, WUSA 9
- Iggy Monda, Versant
- Robert Moore, El Paso Matters
- Cheyanne Mumphrey, The Associated Press
- Mary Niederberger, independent journalist
- Nicole Noren, independent journalist
- Laura Pappano, independent journalist
- Megan Pauly, VPM News
- Camille Phillips, Texas Public Radio
- Jennifer Pignolet, The Detroit News
- Leslie Postal, Orlando Sentinel
- Srishti Prabha, independent journalist
- Sascha Raiyn, WDET-Detroit Public Radio
- Mónica Rhor, Chalkbeat
- Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica
- Talia Richman, The Banner
- Kate Rix, independent journalist
- Elliott Robinson, VPM News
- Gail Robinson, independent journalist
- Liz Rosenberg, NJ.com
- Gabrielle Russon, independent journalist
- Bob Sacha, independent journalist
- Christina Samuels, The Hechinger Report
- Jacob Sanchez, Fort Worth Report
- Elizabeth Sander, Houston Chronicle
- Nirvi Shah, NPR
- Eric Stirgus, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- Aisha Sultan, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
- Ki Sung, KQED/MindShift
- Jennifer Swindell, Idaho Education News
- Melissa Taboada, Austin Current
- Kristen Taketa, The San Diego Union-Tribune
- Nadia Tamez-Robledo, EdSurge
- Kenneth Terrell, AARP
- Jacqueline Rabe Thomas, Hearst CT Media
- Bradley Wilson, Leander High School
- Alia Wong, The Associated Press
- Denise Zapata, CalMatters
- Bill Zeeble, KERA
*These judges independently assessed entries. EWA staff provide administrative support but are not involved in judging.
