Maryn McKenna is a Pulitzer Prize-finalist journalist specializing in global health crises and antimicrobial resistance. Currently contributing to The Atlantic and NPR, her work bridges scientific research and policy implementation. With recent focuses on climate change’s health impacts and equitable vaccine distribution, she offers unparalleled insight into systemic public health challenges.
Maryn McKenna’s career spans three decades of groundbreaking journalism at the intersection of public health, science, and policy. Beginning as a local reporter at the Cincinnati Enquirer, her early investigations into nuclear contamination’s health impacts demonstrated a knack for connecting systemic issues to human stories. This foundation propelled her to national prominence during her decade-long tenure at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where she became the only U.S. journalist dedicated to full-time coverage of the CDC.
“Her 2001 anthrax attack coverage redefined crisis reporting, blending real-time updates with deep policy analysis.”
This award-winning investigation traces the resurgence of ancient diseases in modern contexts, combining historical research with frontline reporting from Ebola zones and antibiotic-resistant bacteria hotspots. McKenna’s use of longitudinal data analysis revealed how climate change and globalization create new pandemic risks, influencing WHO policy frameworks on outbreak response.
Through interviews with 43 researchers across 12 countries, McKenna mapped the agricultural industry’s role in creating superbugs. Her exposure of poultry industry practices led to congressional hearings and revised FDA guidelines on livestock antibiotics, showcasing her ability to drive regulatory change through meticulous documentation.
McKenna prioritizes stories demonstrating concrete policy interventions, such as her 2022 NPR series on malaria vaccine distribution models in sub-Saharan Africa. Pitches should include verifiable data on intervention efficacy and stakeholder perspectives from both institutional and community levels.
Her TEDx talk analyzing 1918 flu responses through modern pandemic frameworks illustrates this preference. Successful pitches might compare past/public health failures to contemporary challenges, using archival research to strengthen narratives.
2023 Victor Cohn Prize: Awarded for career excellence in medical science reporting, this honor recognizes McKenna’s unique ability to translate complex epidemiological concepts into public-facing narratives. The selection committee particularly noted her COVID-19 coverage’s impact on vaccine education initiatives.
