Lori Culbert is a veteran social issues reporter at the Vancouver Sun specializing in education equity, poverty reduction, and aging policy. With 25+ years of experience, she combines investigative rigor with compassionate storytelling to drive systemic change.
"The most compelling pitches show how policy decisions impact real people's daily lives."
Culbert began her career covering high-profile crime cases, including the Robert Pickton trial, which honed her ability to dissect complex systems. Over time, her focus shifted to structural inequalities, marked by these key phases:
Culbert's January 2025 investigation exposed systemic exclusion of neurodiverse students through FOI requests and interviews with 42 families. She revealed that 15% of special needs students in Vancouver received less than one hour of daily instruction, directly linking this to provincial funding allocation models. The article prompted an official review by Education Minister Lisa Beare and inspired parent advocacy groups to draft new inclusion legislation.
This December 2024 feature combined census data analysis with first-person narratives from lone mothers participating in a federal economic inclusion program. Culbert tracked how pandemic-era support cuts increased child poverty rates by 18% in single-parent households, while highlighting community-led solutions like the Justice at Work initiative. The piece influenced provincial discussions about making temporary COVID benefits permanent.
In this March 2025 analysis, Culbert used financial disclosures and demographic projections to explain the 61% reduction in affordable senior housing options since 2020. Her reporting revealed how private operators prioritize luxury units over basic care beds, leaving 4,200 seniors on waitlists. The article sparked protests at municipal council meetings across Vancouver Island.
Culbert prioritizes narratives that illustrate systemic failures through individual experiences. Successful pitches should pair quantitative data (e.g., school budget figures) with vetted case studies of affected families. Example: Her 2025 education piece combined district spending records with a Grade 2 student's 15-minute school days.
While exposing problems, she seeks examples of effective grassroots interventions. Pitch programs with measurable outcomes, like the Lone Mothers' Economic Inclusion Project that reduced poverty rates by 22% in pilot communities.
With BC's senior population projected to double by 2030, Culbert seeks stories about innovative care models beyond institutional settings. Avoid pitches about luxury retirement communities; instead highlight intergenerational housing or subsidized homecare cooperatives.
"Her work doesn't just report on poverty - it becomes part of the policy toolkit." - BC Civil Liberties Association, 2024 Journalism Excellence Citation
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Education, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
