Fellows: Where are they now?

For many years, the Reporters Committee has offered fellowships to aspiring media lawyers and journalists, giving them intense, hands-on experience writing briefs, articles and online posts on leading legal issues affecting journalism and the First Amendment.

Many of the fellows have gone on to very successful careers, and several are still involved with Reporters Committee activities. Below is a list of just some of the previous fellows and their current careers. If you are or know of someone who's not on the list, or if your listing is in error, please contact us via email.

Isabel Cristina Abello
FOIA Analyst/Legal Consultant, Compass Systems Consulting Inc., Washington, D.C.
Legal Fellow 2009-2010

Scott Albright
Staff Attorney, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.
Jack Nelson Legal Fellow 2007-2008

Amanda Becker
Staff Writer, Ethics and Investigations at Roll Call
Journalism Fellow 2009-2010

Christine Beckett
Associate Attorney, Jeffrey A. Cohen, Esq.; Hutchings, Barsamian, Mendelcorn & Zeytoonian; Wellesley, Mass.
Jack Nelson Legal Fellow 2010-2011

Hannah Bergman
Assistant General Counsel, National Archives, College Park. Md.
Jack Nelson Legal Fellow 2008-2009

Craig Bloom
Vice President, Legal Affairs, NBC, New York, N.Y.
Legal Fellow 1993-1994

Byron Brown
Senior Counsel for Oversight, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C.
Jack Nelson Legal Fellow 1999-2000

Susan Burgess
Legal consultant, Washington, D.C.
McCormick Tribune Legal Fellow 2005-2006

Catherine Cameron
Assistant Professor of Legal Skills at Stetson University, DeLand, Fla.
Jack Nelson Legal Fellow 2000-2001

Kathleen Cullinan
Associate, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, Los Angeles
Journalism Fellow 2008-2009

Monica Dias
Attorney, Frost Brown Todd, Cincinnati
Legal Fellow 2001-2002

Rory Eastburg
Counsel, Legal Affairs, NBCUniversal , Los Angeles
McCormick Foundation Legal Fellow 2008-2010

Ashlea Ebeling
Associate Editor, Forbes Media LLC, New York, N.Y.
Legal Fellow 1993-1994

Miranda Fleschert
Media Law, Public Relations & Communications Professional, St. Louis
Jack Nelson Legal Fellow 2009-2010

Samantha Fredrickson
Executive Director, Texas After Violence Project, Austin
Legal Fellow 2008-2009

Derek Green
Associate, Davis Wright Tremaine, Portland, Ore.
McCormick Foundation Legal Fellow 2010-2011

Rani Gupta
Law Clerk, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Journalism Fellow 2006-2007

Peter Haldis
Graduate Assistant, Office of Marketing Communications, Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland
Journalism Fellow 2010-2011

You-Jin Han
Assistant Attorney General, Governmental Affairs Division, Missouri Attorney General's Office
Jefferson City
Jack Nelson Legal Fellow 2011-2012

Christopher Healy
Law Clerk at the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg
Ethics & Excellence in Journalism Legal Fellow 2011-2012

Kirsten (Murphy) Hedberg
Attorney, Washington, D.C.
Legal Fellow 2003-2004

Greg Kahn
General Counsel, South and Southeast Asia, Verizon Business, Singapore
McCormick Foundation Legal Fellow 1999-2000

Dan Katz
Chief of Staff, Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), Washington, D.C.
Legal Fellow 1994-1995

Kim Keyes
Principal, The Law Office of Kimberley Keyes, Hingham, Mass.
McCormick Foundation Legal Fellow 2004-2005

Jennifer Koons
Professor, Northwestern University in Qatar
Freelance foreign policy reporter
Journalism Fellow 2007-2008

Jennifer LaFleur
Director of Computer-Assisted Reporting, ProPublica, New York, N.Y.
Journalism Fellow 2002-2003

Jeff Lemberg
Assistant Professor, Curry College, Milton, Mass.
Journalism Fellow 2003-2004

Brad Lerner
Assistant Legal Counsel, ValueOptions Inc., Norfolk, Va.
McCormick Foundation Legal Fellow 1998-1999

Gregg Leslie
Legal Defense Director, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, Arlington, Va.
Legal Fellow 1990-1992

John Lincoski
Managing Attorney, U.S. Patent and Trade Office, Washington, D.C.
Jack Nelson Legal Fellow 1998-1999

James McLaughlin
Associate General Counsel, The Washington Post, Washington, D.C.
McCormick Foundation Legal Fellow 2003-2004

Ashley (Gauthier) Messenger
Associate General Counsel, NPR, Washington, D.C.
McCormick Foundation Legal Fellow 2000-2002

Kirsten Mitchell
Facilitator, Office of Government Information Services (OGIS), Washington, D.C.
Journalism Fellow 2004-2006

Mimi Moon
Attorney, PLG Group at HQ at U.S. Coast Guard, Washington, D.C.
Jack Nelson Legal Fellow 2001-2002

Casey Murray
Associate, Spencer Fane Britt & Browne, Kansas City, Mo.
Legal Fellow 2005-2006

Grant Penrod
Attorney, Harrison Penrod PLC, Harrisonburg, Va.
Legal Fellow 2004-2005
Jack Nelson Legal Fellow 2003-2004

Blaire A. Postman
Local Sales Manager at WMBF-TV, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Legal Fellow 1995-1996

Kristen Rasmussen
Associate, Dow Lohnes, Atlanta
McCormick Foundation Legal Fellow 2011-2012
Ethics & Excellence in Journalism Legal Fellow 2010-2011

Leslie Ann Reis
Professor of Law & Special Advisor, Legislative & Legal Affairs, Office of Illinois Lt. Governor Sheila Simon, Chicago
Jack Nelson Legal Fellow 1996-1997

Eric Robinson
Of Counsel, Counts & Associates, Atlanta, Ga.
Assistant Professor (adjunct), CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, New York
Assistant Professor (adjunct, Baruch College, New York
Legal Analyst / Blogger, Citizen Media Law Project, Harvard University
Legal Fellow 1992-1993

Nicki (Ballinger) Robins
Assistant General Counsel, National Association of Chain Drug Stores, Washington, D.C.
Legal Fellow 1998-1999

Elizabeth Soja
Attorney, Washington, D.C.
Legal Fellow 2006-2007

Leena Soni
Partner, Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP, Chicago
Legal Fellow 1992-1993

Catherine Spratt
Attorney, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C.
McCormick Foundation Legal Fellow 2006-2007

Phillip Taylor
Speechwriter, Office of Mayor Kasim Reed, Atlanta, Ga.
Journalism Fellow 2001-2002

Sara Thacker
Director and Ombudsperson for the Staff Ombuds Office, University of California, Berkeley
Legal Fellow 2002-2003

Anne Tracey
Attorney, Anne Tracey Attorney at Law, Portland, Ore.
Legal Fellow 1990-1991

Nathan Winegar
Attorney, Coddington Hicks & Danforth, Redwood City, Calif.
Jack Nelson Legal Fellow 2006-2007

Corinna Zarek
Attorney Advisor, Office of Government Information Services, Washington, D.C.
McCormick Foundation Legal Fellow 2007-2008
Jack Nelson Legal Fellow 2005-2006

Mara Zimmerman
Counsel, API, Washington, D.C.
McCormick Foundation Legal Fellow 2009-2010