As a senior reporter at the Windsor Star, Kotsis specializes in health policy, education innovation, and community safety. Her work consistently bridges institutional decisions with grassroots experiences.
"The best stories emerge when we listen to those who live the issues daily." – Julie Kotsis, 2024
Julie Kotsis has established herself as a trusted voice in Canadian journalism through her rigorous reporting on health, crime, and education in the Windsor-Essex region. With a career spanning over a decade, her work at the Windsor Star and other publications reflects a commitment to amplifying local stories with national relevance.
Kotsis began her career at Sarnia & Lambton County This Week, where she honed her skills in community reporting. Her transition to the Windsor Star in the early 2020s marked a shift toward deeper investigative work, particularly in public health and safety. Key milestones include:
This April 2025 investigation revealed how local authorities prepared nuclear emergency protocols near the Fermi 2 power plant. Kotsis combined FOIA requests with interviews from 14 stakeholders, uncovering gaps in public communication strategies. The piece prompted the Essex County Health Unit to accelerate its community outreach program by 3 months.
Kotsis’ March 2025 feature profiled 18 recipients of this prestigious award, using their stories to map Windsor’s social fabric. Her narrative wove together perspectives from healthcare workers, educators, and volunteers, creating a mosaic of community leadership.
This November 2024 piece exemplified Kotsis’ ability to spotlight education through cultural lenses. By following three student ensembles from rehearsal to performance, she illustrated how arts programming fosters resilience in post-pandemic youth.
Kotsis prioritizes stories demonstrating measurable community impact, like her KI pill distribution coverage. Pitches should emphasize Windsor-Essex-specific data and include interviews with regional health authorities. Example: A proposal about school-based vaccination drives would align with her documented interest in preventive care[9].
Her MusicFest analysis shows a preference for programs bridging curricular and extracurricular learning. Successful pitches might highlight partnerships between schools and local artists, particularly those serving underserved populations[4].
While Kotsis reports on crime statistics, her work emphasizes solutions over sensationalism. A pitch about neighborhood watch tech adoptions or restorative justice programs would resonate with her editorial approach[1].
Though Kotsis maintains focus on her subjects rather than personal accolades, her 2024 nomination for the Ontario Newspaper Award in Local Reporting underscores her peers’ recognition of her nuanced community storytelling.
