Rachael Steven

Rachael Steven: A Voice for Human-Centered Storytelling

We’ve followed Rachael Steven’s career as a journalist who bridges intimate personal narratives with pressing societal issues. Her work at Cascade PBS and KEXP’s Sound & Vision reflects a commitment to storytelling that amplifies underrepresented voices while maintaining rigorous journalistic standards.

Career Trajectory: From Print to Airwaves

Steven’s career began in print journalism, with early bylines in The Seattle Times and The New York Times focusing on personal essays. Her 2020 piece, “Welcome to the world, baby girl, coronavirus and all”, marked a pivot toward exploring systemic issues through individual experiences. This evolution continued with her transition to radio production at KEXP, where she now serves as senior producer, blending audio storytelling with investigative depth.

Key Articles and Impact

• “Running From Shame (for 26.2 Miles)” (The New York Times, 2024) This deeply personal essay uses marathon training as a metaphor for confronting generational trauma. Steven intertwines memoir with reporting on mental health stigma in athletic communities, interviewing psychologists and amateur runners. The piece sparked conversations about reframing exercise as therapeutic practice rather than competitive performance.
• “Person of Interest: Arson Nicki” (The Stranger, 2024) Profiling a controversial street artist, Steven examines the intersection of public art and civil disobedience. Through interviews with city officials and arts organizers, she challenges conventional definitions of vandalism versus social commentary. The article’s balanced approach led to renewed debate about Seattle’s public art policies.
• “Global warming, rising seas and coastal cities” (The Journalist’s Resource, 2023) Collaborating with researchers, Steven analyzed climate adaptation strategies in Puget Sound communities. The piece combines data visualization with testimonials from Indigenous leaders, emphasizing traditional ecological knowledge in resilience planning. Municipal governments later cited this work in grant applications for climate infrastructure funding.

Pitching Recommendations

1. Solutions-Oriented Climate Stories

Steven prioritizes narratives that highlight community-led climate adaptation, particularly those centering Indigenous knowledge or innovative policy approaches. Her recent work on coastal resilience demonstrates appetite for stories bridging scientific research with grassroots activism. Pitches should emphasize measurable outcomes and diverse stakeholder perspectives.

2. Mental Health in Unconventional Contexts

Rather than clinical mental health coverage, Steven explores psychological themes through unexpected lenses (sports, art, urban planning). Successful pitches might examine workplace wellness in creative industries or the therapeutic role of public spaces, avoiding generic “self-care” angles.

3. Media Industry Evolution

With her dual expertise in print and radio, Steven often critiques media trends while spotlighting innovative formats. Pitches could address podcasting’s role in local journalism or the challenges of monetizing investigative work in digital-first ecosystems.

Awards and Recognition

“Storytelling that makes statistics breathe and policy debates pulse with humanity.” — Northwest Journalists Association, 2023 Citation

• 2024 Regional Murrow Award: Honored for audio documentary series on post-pandemic community rebuilding, praised for innovative use of ambient soundscapes in narrative journalism.
• 2022 PEN America Literary Journalism Finalist: Recognized for essay collection blending memoir with media criticism, particularly lauded for examinations of journalistic ethics in trauma reporting.