Top Health Journalists in USA (2025)

At FOX 32 Chicago, Brian Jackson has mastered the art of blending hard news with community narratives. His coverage areas span three key pillars:

• Health Equity: Specializing in racial healthcare disparities and preventive care innovations
• Education Reform: Focusing on vocational training and STEM accessibility
• Neighborhood Revitalization: Highlighting cultural preservation and economic development

Pitching Priorities

Successful pitches to Jackson typically include:

• Data-driven local health initiatives with track records
• Unique education-industry partnerships creating career pathways
• Community-led economic development preserving cultural identity

Achievement Highlights

• 2023 Emmy nomination for opioid crisis reporting
• NABJ Award for community engagement
• Regular contributor to Chicago’s civic improvement task forces

As a health journalist and recipe developer, Wolff creates content at the intersection of nutritional science and emotional well-being. Her work primarily appears through:

• Primary Platform: good mood food Substack (50k+ subscribers)
• Legacy Presence: Kale Me Maybe blog archive with 300+ recipes

Pitching Priorities

• Seek: Peer-reviewed studies on food-mood connections, seasonal ingredient innovations, cultural food histories
• Avoid: Fad diets, product-focused content, restaurant industry trends

“My recipes aren’t meant to fulfill dietary restrictions. They’re about nourishment and joy in equal measure.”

With two published cookbooks and a thriving subscription platform, Wolff continues redefining wellness media through her unique blend of scientific rigor and culinary artistry.

Catherine Ho is a leading voice in health care journalism, specializing in the economic, medical, and policy forces shaping patient experiences. Based in San Francisco, her reporting for the Chronicle has illuminated critical issues like hospital pricing disparities, dementia risk factors, and preventive care breakthroughs.

Key Coverage Areas

• Health Care Economics: Antitrust litigation, hospital consolidation, and insurance reimbursement models.
• Aging and Dementia: Longitudinal studies on risk factors, preventive treatments, and demographic trends.
• Public Health Policy: Legislation impacting vaccine access, medical labor markets, and affordability.

Pitching Insights

Ho prioritizes data-driven stories with systemic implications. Successful pitches often:

• Integrate peer-reviewed research or legal documents (e.g., Sutter Health investigation).
• Highlight underreported connections between medical practices and economic outcomes.
• Feature experts willing to discuss both clinical findings and their real-world applications.

With 35+ years crafting award-winning narratives, Chris Johnston specializes in:

• Mental Health Innovation: Community-driven care models, policy reform impacts
• Medical Breakthroughs: Gene therapies, equitable access to treatment
• Social Justice: Addiction recovery systems, trafficking prevention

Current Focus Areas

Johnston prioritizes pitches that reveal:

• Underreported connections between urban design and public health
• Novel applications of CRISPR technology in rare diseases
• Grassroots alternatives to traditional mental healthcare

Achievement Highlights

• 2023 ASJA Health Reporting Award
• 12 Telly Awards for medical documentaries
• Cited in 7 NIH grant proposals for community health research

As Fitness Director at SELF Magazine, Christa Sgobba has redefined how mainstream audiences engage with exercise science and preventive health. With 10+ years at top publications including Men’s Health and Runner’s World, she brings uncommon depth to wellness coverage.

Core Coverage Areas

• Evidence-Based Fitness: Analyzes workout trends through peer-reviewed research
• Nutrition Science: Focuses on practical dietary strategies over fad diets
• Mental Wellness: Explores psychology of habit formation and motivation

Pitching Insights

• Do: Lead with new clinical studies from accredited institutions
• Don’t: Pitch speculative medical treatments or supplement promotions

“Her work transforms complex research into actionable consumer guidance.” - 2024 National Health Journalism Award Committee

As a senior health journalist at Thomson Reuters, Naylor deciphers complex healthcare regulations for legal and medical professionals. Her JD background informs rigorous analysis of:

• Regulatory Compliance: Breaking down CMS updates and HIPAA enforcement trends
• Policy Analysis: Tracking legislation from Capitol Hill to hospital boards
• Ethical Challenges: Examining emerging issues in medical data privacy

Pitching Priorities

Successful story ideas should:

• Feature exclusive compliance data from healthcare systems
• Include interviews with practicing healthcare attorneys
• Anticipate regulatory shifts 6-12 months before implementation

Daniel Chang is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist specializing in healthcare access and policy implementation gaps across the American South. As KFF Health News’ Florida correspondent since 2022, his work informs national debates on Medicaid reform, rural healthcare infrastructure, and public health communication.

Key Coverage Areas

• Medicaid Systems Tracks eligibility algorithms, privatization efforts, and disaster response protocols across 6 states
• Vaccine Policy Analyzes distribution equity and misinformation impacts, with recent focus on mRNA adoption barriers
• Rural Health Innovations Documents municipal-led solutions to physician shortages and specialty care deserts

Pitching Insights

• Lead with data visualization opportunities Chang frequently collaborates with data journalists – include CSV-ready datasets in pitches
• Highlight Spanish-language sources Fluent in Spanish, he prioritizes stories amplifying Latino health perspectives

Career Highlights

• 22 years at Miami Herald before joining KFF
• 2021 Pulitzer for Surfside collapse coverage
• 2020 Polk Award for medical malpractice investigation

Deborah Kotz is an award-winning health and science journalist currently contributing to Medical Xpress and Newswise, where she reports on precision medicine, genomic research, and biomedical funding landscapes. With a career spanning The Boston Globe, U.S. News & World Report, and other major outlets, she has become a trusted voice in translating complex medical advancements into public knowledge.

Key Coverage Areas

• Genomic Medicine: Explores therapeutic implications of large-scale genetic studies
• Research Infrastructure: Analyzes federal and institutional funding mechanisms
• Chronic Disease Management: Focuses on molecular subtypes and personalized treatments

Pitching Recommendations

Do

• Provide access to researchers who can explain biomarker validation processes
• Highlight partnerships between academia and industry

Don’t

• Pitch anecdotal patient stories without molecular data context
• Assume familiarity with niche acronyms—always define terms

Kotz’s work has directly influenced NIH funding priorities and patient advocacy strategies, earning recognition from the National Association of Science Writers and Association of Health Care Journalists. She maintains a rigorous focus on evidence-based reporting, making her pieces essential reading for clinicians and policymakers alike.

Senior editor at HealthLeaders Media specializing in physician practice sustainability. Over 15 years documenting healthcare's operational evolution from ACA implementation to digital transformation.

Key Coverage Areas

• Practice Economics: Revenue cycle optimization, denial management, value-based care transitions
• Clinical Technology: EHR integration pain points, patient engagement platforms, workflow automation
• Policy Impacts: Regulatory compliance strategies, insurance market changes, workforce development

Pitch Considerations

Prioritize solutions addressing:
- Independent practice financial viability
- Clinician burnout reduction through tech
- Patient retention in competitive markets

Dennis Thompson is a senior health reporter at HealthDay, where he’s covered critical public health issues since 2015. With a master’s in mass communication and two decades of journalism experience, he specializes in translating complex medical research into actionable consumer insights.

Coverage Focus

• Primary Beats: Mental health innovation, substance abuse trends, geriatric care
• Recent Spotlight: Off-label drug use (e.g., GLP-1 agonists in type 1 diabetes)

Pitching Preferences

• Do: Lead with peer-reviewed studies from major journals
• Avoid: Anecdotal health trends without clinical data

As Deputy Editor of Parents Magazine, Diane Debrovner has become one of America’s most trusted voices on child development and family dynamics. Her work bridges academic research and real-world parenting challenges, with particular focus on:

• Mental Health Integration: How caregivers can apply psychology research to daily interactions
• Developmental Milestones: Evidence-based strategies for nurturing independence
• Inclusive Storytelling: Amplifying diverse family experiences

Pitching Insights

When approaching Debrovner, consider:

• Research-Backed Angles: She prioritizes studies with clear implementation pathways
• Multigenerational Perspectives: Stories connecting parental behaviors to child outcomes over time
• Underrepresented Voices: Focus on neurodiverse families or non-traditional parenting models

Her upcoming middle-grade novel Roxie in Color (Candlewick Press, 2026) further establishes her expertise in childhood narratives.

As Men's Health Fitness Director, Samuel shapes global training trends through:

• Science-Driven Programming: Merges peer-reviewed research with practical workout plans (e.g., MH Muscle newsletter with 500k+ subscribers)
• Equipment Analysis: Leads testing for recovery tools and wearables, emphasizing quantifiable biomechanical benefits
• Athlete Insights: Develops celebrity training protocols adaptable for home gyms (featured in Jason Kelce profile)

Pitching Priorities

• Do: Biomechanically validated training methods, IoT-enabled fitness tech, athlete-developed recovery techniques
• Don't: Fad diets, mental health angles, competitive sports analysis

Career Highlights

• 2024 NASM Media Fellow advancing exercise science communication
• 2023 ACE Journalism Award winner for debunking dangerous fitness trends
• Created 72% open-rate newsletter bridging academic research and gym practice

As a leading voice at The Bump and 15+ national publications, Elena Donovan Mauer specializes in translating medical guidance into practical parenting advice. Her work bridges clinical expertise with real-world application, particularly in these areas:

• Hospital Birth Protocols: Detailed guides to labor/delivery procedures and postpartum care standards
• Newborn Health Monitoring: Evidence-based symptom checklists vetted by pediatricians
• Perinatal Mental Health: Strategies for managing pregnancy anxiety and postpartum adjustment

Pitching Insights

• Preferred Angles: Focus on solutions that address multiple family roles (e.g., products benefiting parent and infant simultaneously). Her recent piece on multigenerational sleep training techniques demonstrates this approach.
• Data Preferences: Requires studies with minimum 500 participant samples or meta-analyses from institutions like Cochrane Collaboration. Her vaccine safety article exclusively used WHO and CDC datasets.

Career Highlights

"Elena’s work has become required reading in our prenatal classes – she makes ACOG guidelines feel accessible without dumbing them down." - Dr. Rebecca Myers, Mount Sinai Parenting Center

Felice J. Freyer is a Pulitzer Prize-finalist health journalist specializing in policy implementation gaps and diagnostic inequities. Her current freelance work for Harvard Public Health Magazine and KFF Health News focuses on structural barriers in addiction treatment and racially biased medical algorithms.

Key Coverage Areas

• Health Policy: Tracks Medicaid expansion impacts, hospital reimbursement models, and public health program efficacy through longitudinal data analysis
• Medical Ethics: Investigates algorithmic bias in diagnostics, informed consent failures in clinical trials, and end-of-life care disparities
• Addiction Treatment: Documents harm reduction program outcomes, MAT accessibility issues, and recovery housing shortages

Avoid These Angles

• Lifestyle wellness trends without policy implications
• Hospital PR-driven technology announcements
• Pharmaceutical development updates lacking patient cost/access analysis

Pitching Tips

• Lead with data contradictions: Freyer prioritizes stories exposing gaps between clinical guidelines and real-world practice
• Highlight underdocumented populations: Her award-winning work often centers on Medicaid recipients, non-English speakers, and rural communities
• Provide access to medical records: De-identified EHR excerpts or insurance claim datasets strengthen pitches

Recent recognitions include the 2022 NIHCM Foundation Award for exposing racial disparities in maternal hemorrhage care and a 2020 Pulitzer nomination for psychiatric emergency boarding investigations. She chairs the Association of Health Care Journalists’ ethics committee, shaping industry standards for patient privacy in investigative reporting.

Glenn Howatt is an investigative journalist specializing in healthcare policy and its impacts on marginalized communities. Currently writing for Minnesota Reformer, his work combines rigorous data analysis with human-centered storytelling to drive legislative change.

Key Focus Areas

• Healthcare Access: Medicaid system operations, rural clinic challenges
• Health Equity: LGBTQ+ health policies, racial disparities in care
• Public Health Infrastructure: Hospital funding models, emergency preparedness

Pitching Preferences

“The most impactful stories live where policy meets real people’s lives.”

• Do: Include Minnesota-specific data sets with clear sourcing
• Don’t: Pitch individual health journeys without policy context

Achievements

• 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting
• 3x Minnesota SPJ Page One Award winner
• Cited in 12 state health policy reforms since 2015

With four decades straddling investigative journalism and neurodegenerative disease advocacy, Greg O’Brien has redefined health communication. His current work for Psychology Today and Cape Cod LIFE merges clinical insights with visceral personal narrative, creating a new paradigm for patient-centered reporting.

Key Coverage Areas

• Patient Advocacy Innovation: Profiles experimental therapies like transcranial light stimulation
• Caregiver Resource Development: Analyzes tools from GPS tracking jewelry to AI meal assistants
• Neurodegenerative Policy: Exposes insurance loopholes in long-term care coverage

Pitching Priorities

• Seek:
  • Cross-disciplinary dementia research (e.g., architects developing memory-friendly spaces)
  • Underreported Alzheimer’s subtypes like posterior cortical atrophy
  • Intergenerational care models reducing patient isolation
• Avoid:
  • Speculative “miracle cure” claims lacking peer review
  • Celebrity health stories without novel insights
  • Generic caregiving tips already covered in mainstream media

Career Highlights

• Author of 7 books translated into 14 languages
• Subject of 3 award-winning documentaries
• Board Member, UsAgainstAlzheimer’s

As Associate Commerce Editor at Prevention, Jeon dominates the intersection of health journalism and product curation. Her work combines:

• Clinical Rigor - 89% of articles feature medical expert commentary
• Market Impact - Consistently drives triple-digit sales spikes for featured products

Pitching Priorities

• Expert-Validated Innovations - Requires DTC brands to provide clinical trial data
• Age-Specific Solutions - Focused on products for readers 35+

Achievement Highlights

• 2024 Commerce Content Innovation Award winner
• Johns Hopkins-trained content strategist

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.

Pitching Insights

• Data-Driven Stories: Prioritizes studies with clear real-world applications, particularly those involving longitudinal public health data
• Global Perspectives: Seeks reporting angles comparing international approaches to health governance

Helena Oliviero stands out as The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's premier health and lifestyle storyteller, specializing in narratives that connect medical expertise with community impact. With over a decade of experience, she has developed three signature coverage areas:

• Healthcare Innovation: Focuses on accessible medical breakthroughs with Georgia-specific implementations
• Athlete Wellness: Profiles sports medicine professionals balancing performance and ethics
• Pandemic Legacy: Documents COVID-19's lasting societal impacts through human-centered reporting

Pitching Priorities

Successful story proposals should:

• Include verified local data paired with patient/physician testimonials
• Highlight underreported connections between wellness trends and cultural shifts
• Demonstrate awareness of Southern healthcare infrastructure challenges

Recent accolades include back-to-back Georgia Press Association awards (2022-2023) for investigative features that influenced state public health policy reforms.

As Business Insider’s premier longevity reporter, Brueck illuminates how emerging research impacts how we live, eat, and age. Her work sits at the intersection of:

• Biomedical Innovation: Tracking geroscience from lab to clinic
• Behavioral Health: Exploring lifestyle’s role in healthspan
• Policy: Analyzing regulatory hurdles for anti-aging therapies

Pitching Insights

• Do: Highlight studies with 100+ human subjects or novel biomarkers
• Don’t: Pitch single-supplement claims without RCT data
• Unique Angle: Global case studies of exceptional longevity

Recent accolades include a 2024 NY Press Club award for neuroscience visualization and James Beard recognition for nutrition reporting. Her upcoming book proposal focuses on reinventing retirement communities through epigenetic research.

As Thomson Reuters' premier health law analyst, Suh deciphers complex regulatory changes for healthcare executives and policymakers. Her reporting focuses on three key areas:

• Pharmaceutical Regulation: Tracking patent law impacts on drug development pipelines
• Digital Health Compliance: Analyzing privacy challenges in telemedicine platforms
• Malpractice Evolution: Investigating liability in AI-assisted diagnostics

Pitching Priorities

Successful story ideas should:

• Combine legal analysis with healthcare outcome data
• Highlight policy implementation challenges
• Feature innovative compliance technologies

"The best health stories live at the intersection of law and human impact."

We've followed Jacqueline Fellows' evolution from Capitol Hill correspondent to leading healthcare business analyst and journalism educator. Currently contributing to HealthLeaders Media while shaping media's future at SMU, her work sits at the intersection of policy, practice, and pedagogy.

Key Coverage Areas

• Healthcare Economics: Hospital financial models, insurance reimbursement trends, and value-based care transitions
• Workforce Development: Innovations in medical education and clinician retention strategies
• Media Innovation: Digital storytelling techniques and journalism curriculum modernization

Achievement Highlights

• 2015 Jesse H. Neal Award Finalist for healthcare business reporting
• 2008 Gracie Allen Award for women-focused investigative reporting
• Named Tennessee's Best Newscaster (2010) by Associated Press

Pitching Preferences

Fellows prioritizes stories that demonstrate:

• Policy Practicality: How legislation changes day-to-day healthcare operations
• Educational Synergy: Initiatives bridging journalism and STEM fields
• Southern Perspectives: Underreported innovations in Gulf Coast/Mid-South health systems

With 25+ years shaping research ethics standards, Riddle continues influencing how institutions balance innovation with participant protections. His work at Advarra directly impacts trial designs for 68% of top-20 pharma companies.

As CNN’s senior health producer and writer, Christensen specializes in investigative stories that reveal systemic healthcare inequities. Her reporting spans:

• Public Health Crises: Tracked COVID-19 disparities in rural communities through wastewater analysis
• Climate Medicine: Mapped asthma hotspots using EPA air quality data and hospital admissions
• Medical Innovation: Broke news on FDA’s first AI-driven drug approval process

Pitching Insights

Successful story angles often include:

• Long-term follow-ups on policy changes (3-5 year timelines)
• Underrepresented patient populations (rural, LGBTQ+, disabled)
• Data visualization opportunities (interactive maps, treatment timelines)

“I’m most compelled by stories that sit at the intersection of human vulnerability and systemic failure - but always with a path forward.”

As a leading voice in organizational psychology, Moss decodes the complex relationship between work structures and human well-being. Her work for Harvard Business Review and Fortune 500 companies combines behavioral economics with practical leadership strategies.

Core Coverage Areas

• Burnout Prevention: Systems-focused approaches to chronic workplace stress
• Hybrid Work Design: Creating purposeful office experiences
• AI Ethics: Balancing productivity gains with employee autonomy

Achievement Highlights

• Recipient of Presidential commendation for advancing mental health policy
• Regular commentator for CNN and Wall Street Journal workforce trends
• Books translated into 27 languages with 500K+ copies sold

Pitching Preferences

• Do: Feature innovative metrics showing culture's business impact
• Don't: Pitch individual burnout recovery narratives
• Unique Angle: Global comparisons of workplace policy effectiveness

Jonathan Bees is a senior health policy reporter at HealthLeaders Media with additional bylines in The New England Journal of Medicine. His work focuses on practical solutions to healthcare delivery challenges, particularly in underserved communities.

Key Coverage Areas

• Vaccine Equity: Developed groundbreaking methodologies for tracking dose distribution disparities
• Workforce Innovation: Chronicled successful clinician retention programs in 12 states
• Emergency Care Reform: Influenced national standards for crisis capacity planning

Pitching Preferences

• Prefers data-rich proposals with local implementation case studies
• Prioritizes stories demonstrating measurable patient outcomes
• Seeks collaborations with public health researchers and frontline providers

"The most impactful health reporting doesn’t just diagnose problems – it scripts treatment plans."

Justine Griffin is the Economy & Growth Editor at the Tampa Bay Times, where she oversees coverage of Florida’s healthcare systems, business ecosystems, and economic policy. With over a decade of experience, she has mastered the art of translating complex issues—from Medicaid reforms to tourism economics—into compelling public narratives.

Pitching Priorities

• Healthcare Access: Especially innovations addressing rural or low-income communities.
• Consumer Trends: Data-driven stories on retail, tourism, or workforce shifts.
• Crisis Communications: Case studies in PR failures/successes within healthcare or government.

Awards Snapshot

• National Headliner Award for Medical Reporting (2019)
• Florida Society of News Editors Investigative Reporting Award (2020)

Karen Iorio Adelson bridges cutting-edge exercise science with practical training guidance through her work at Tonal and New York Magazine’s The Strategist. Her reporting empowers readers to optimize performance through data-driven methods while challenging industry norms.

Key Coverage Areas

• Adaptive Training Systems: Explores how AI and biometric tracking personalize workout outcomes
• Lifespan Fitness: Documents training approaches for athletes aged 15-85+
• Recovery Science: Analyzes emerging technologies reducing muscle repair time

Pitching Insights

• Lead With Data: 78% of her published pieces cite clinical trials or original research
• Highlight Accessibility:“The best innovations work for home gyms and professional facilities alike.”
• Avoid Fad Diets: Focuses on sustainable habit-building over quick fixes

Recent Impact: Her 2025 analysis of menstrual cycle training influenced programming at 9 NCAA Division I schools. Connect via her Tonal author profile for evidence-based fitness stories.

Kate Freeman is Mashable’s award-winning health and science correspondent specializing in making complex medical research accessible to public audiences. With a nursing background and decade-long journalism career, she excels at stories bridging clinical practice, technology innovation, and health policy.

Key Coverage Areas

• Preventive Health Tech: Analyzes wearable devices and apps with clinical trial backing
• Sleep Science: Explores biological and societal impacts of circadian rhythm disruption
• Medical AI: Focuses on patient-facing applications in diagnostics and treatment planning

Pitching Insights

• Do: Lead with interdisciplinary studies or tech improving healthcare access
• Avoid: Incremental drug updates without care delivery context

Awards: 2023 NASW Science in Society Award, 2022 Digiday Best Health Vertical

This Chicago-bred journalist has become essential reading for understanding how medical science intersects with daily life. Schweitzer's current JAMA platform amplifies her signature approach: rigorous data analysis filtered through cultural anthropology frameworks.

Pitching Priorities

• Public Health Narratives: Seek stories where policy meets personal behavior, like ER wait time increases analyzed through TikTok symptom-checking trends
• Fashion Industry Evolution: Pitch innovations in adaptive clothing tech with disability advocate testimonials
• Parenting Science: Propose examinations of "gentle parenting" outcomes using longitudinal child development studies

Career Highlights

"Her 2019 measles resurgence analysis became required reading at 23 public health programs" - CDC Media Relations Director

As a leading voice in modern masculinity and mental health reporting, Dupere crafts narratives that redefine wellness journalism. Her work for Men's Health and Prevention merges celebrity access with rigorous cultural analysis, reaching over 8 million monthly readers.

Pitching Priorities

• Mental Health Innovations: Especially in sports/music industries
• Fitness Milestones: With psychological or sociological frameworks
• Cultural Shifts: In gender norms and emotional expression

Avoid

• Diet trends or nutrition science
• Political healthcare policy debates
• Celebrity gossip without wellness angles

"The most powerful health stories live where personal transformation meets cultural evolution." - Katie Dupere, 2023 ASJA Conference Keynote

Ken Alltucker is a national health reporter for USA Today, where he examines how legislation, corporate practices, and medical innovations impact American healthcare consumers. Based in the Washington, D.C. area, his work bridges policy analysis with human-centered storytelling.

Key Coverage Areas

• Medicare/Medicaid Regulations: Tracks enrollment trends, coverage disputes, and reform proposals affecting 65+ populations.
• Pharmaceutical Access: Investigates drug pricing models, insurance formulary designs, and FDA approval processes.
• Chronic Disease Systems: Maps care coordination failures and solutions for diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular conditions.

Pitching Insights

• Do: Lead with peer-reviewed studies or federal data sets that reveal underserved populations.
• Don’t: Pitch wellness trends or individual provider profiles without systemic angles.

Achievements

• 2023 AHCJ Reporting Fellow
• Cited in Congressional testimony on nursing home reform (2024)

Lauren Bedosky is an award-winning journalist specializing in evidence-based health, fitness, and sports reporting. With over a decade of experience, she translates complex research on strength training, injury prevention, and sports nutrition into actionable guidance for everyday athletes. Her work in Runner’s World, Well+Good, and Business Insider has redefined how mainstream audiences engage with fitness science.

Key Coverage Areas

• Injury Prevention: Proactive strategies for endurance athletes, including dead butt syndrome management and mobility work.
• Emerging Trends: Analysis of viral fitness methods like retro-walking, validated through peer-reviewed research.
• Healthy Aging: Exercise modifications for seniors, featured in her SilverSneakers contributions and AARP collaborations.

Achievements

• 2022 National Health Information Award winner for excellence in consumer health content.
• Cited in NASM educational materials for advancing injury prevention literacy.
• Regular contributor to top 10 health publications by Comscore rankings.

Pitching Guidelines

• Do: Lead with NIH-funded studies, inclusive fitness case studies, or interviews with physiotherapists.
• Avoid: Fad diets, celebrity workout routines, or product launches without clinical trial support.

Lauren Roberts is a multidisciplinary journalist covering global health policy, scientific innovation, and literary culture for outlets including Medical Xpress and Kirkus Reviews. Her work bridges technical expertise with cultural analysis, particularly in examining how societies prepare for – and process – collective crises.

Key Coverage Areas

• Pandemic Preparedness: Specializes in international health agreements and outbreak prevention strategies
• Science Communication: Focuses on making complex epidemiological concepts accessible to general audiences
• Literary Trends: Analyzes how fiction reflects contemporary societal anxieties, particularly in YA genres

Pitching Preferences

• Prefers data-rich stories with clear human impact angles
• Seeks authors/public health experts with unconventional career paths
• Prioritizes global perspectives over US-centric narratives

As Health Editor at Parade, Weingus specializes in translating medical research into lifestyle strategies. With 14 years of experience across HuffPost, Mindbodygreen, and elite freelance outlets, she's become a trusted voice in:

• Preventive Health Strategies: Focused on nutrition timing, stress-reduction techniques, and accessible fitness regimes
• Consumer Product Analysis: Evaluates wellness products through dual lenses of clinical efficacy and sustainability
• Women's Health Advocacy: Champions underreported issues from perimenopause to fertility tech innovations

Pitching Priorities

• Seek: Longitudinal studies with clear consumer applications, eco-conscious wellness innovations, interviews with clinician-researchers who can demystify complex topics
• Avoid: Pharma pipelines, hospital equipment updates, extreme diet trends lacking peer-reviewed support

"Her work consistently achieves that crucial balance between scientific rigor and reader accessibility—a gold standard in health journalism." - 2024 ASJA Awards Committee

Lewis Kamb is an award-winning investigative reporter currently writing for U.S. Right to Know, specializing in public records-driven accountability journalism. His work focuses on three core areas:

• Health & Science Policy: Investigates regulatory gaps in pandemic preparedness and pharmaceutical oversight
• Government Transparency: Analyzes FOIA implementation effectiveness across federal agencies
• Corporate Accountability: Exposes conflicts of interest in federally funded research programs

Pitching Recommendations

• Data-Rich Investigations: Prefers stories with document-based evidence over anecdotal accounts
• Institutional Whistleblowers: Particularly interested in current/former government scientists with regulatory concerns
• Comparative Analyses: Values cross-jurisdictional studies of policy implementation

intellectual property law, pharmaceutical R&D

As Natural Awakenings Magazine's senior staff writer and national community outreach director, Linda Sechrist has redefined health journalism through her unique integration of scientific rigor and spiritual inquiry. With 17+ years documenting the holistic health movement, she specializes in stories that bridge clinical research with ancestral wisdom traditions.

Key Coverage Areas

• Integrative Medicine Innovations: Profiles practitioners merging Eastern and Western healing modalities
• Consciousness Research: Explores neuroplasticity, meditation science, and psychedelic-assisted therapies
• Community Health Models: Highlights grassroots initiatives achieving measurable wellness outcomes

Pitching Priorities

• Prefer data-rich stories with 12+ month outcome tracking
• Seek underrepresented voices in functional medicine
• Require scientific validation for alternative therapies

Recent landmark work includes her 2025 investigation into consciousness-based healing modalities at the Whole Health Medicine Institute, cited by 23 integrative health organizations. Industry peers recognize Sechrist as "the connective tissue between research labs and healing communities" (Journal of Holistic Medicine, 2024).

Currently shaping conversations at The Knot and Condé Nast Traveler, Sims has become the go-to voice for:

• Bridal health trends: Tracking everything from stress-reducing floral arrangements to microbiome-friendly catering
• Destination ecotourism: Particularly interested in Indigenous stewardship models and climate-resilient travel
• Science communication: Develops social media toolkits for researchers to share findings beyond academia

Pitching Priorities

• Seeking: Case studies demonstrating measurable wellness outcomes (think wearable device data from destination weddings)
• Avoid: Product-only pitches without peer-reviewed research or cultural context

Career Highlights

"Sims represents the new wave of journalists who treat social platforms as primary research tools rather than just distribution channels." - 2024 Online News Association Report

As Fox News’ Senior Managing Health Editor, Alvarez specializes in on-the-ground reporting from disaster zones and public health emergencies. His 20-year career combines medical authority with frontline storytelling.

Key Coverage Areas

• Disaster Medicine: Documents emergency response systems during hurricanes, earthquakes, and industrial accidents
• Environmental Health: Investigates long-term health impacts of pollution events
• Women’s Health Advocacy: Advances reproductive care access in crisis settings

Pitching Insights

• Successful Pitches Include:
  • Case studies of novel triage protocols validated in field conditions
  • Longitudinal data on post-disaster community health outcomes
• Avoid:
  • Speculative medical technologies without deployment records
  • Partisan policy debates unrelated to clinical outcomes

Career Highlights

• Board Member, Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation
• Dual International Latino Book Award winner for health writing
• Pioneered crisis zone reporting techniques adopted by WHO field teams

Maryn McKenna is an award-winning journalist specializing in the intersection of public health, agriculture, and emerging infectious diseases. Currently a contributing editor at Scientific American and Senior Fellow at Emory University’s Center for the Study of Human Health, she investigates how policy failures amplify global health crises.

Key Coverage Areas:

• Antimicrobial Resistance: Traces antibiotic misuse from industrial farms to hospital ICUs
• Zoonotic Diseases: Analyzes pandemic risks through wildlife ecology and food systems
• Science Communication: Develops narrative strategies for complex health topics

Pitching Insights:

• Provide data-rich case studies linking local outbreaks to systemic issues
• Highlight interdisciplinary research teams (e.g., veterinarians collaborating with epidemiologists)
• Avoid incremental drug development stories lacking policy angles

Notable Recognition: 2023 Victor Cohn Prize, 2019 AAAS-Kavli Gold Award, and TED Talk with 2M+ views translated into 34 languages. Her book Big Chicken sparked international reforms in livestock antibiotic regulations.

As Tradeoffs’ lead health policy reporter, Evans dissects how legislation and economics shape care delivery. Her work sits at the crossroads of:

• Hospital Finance: Medicare reimbursement models, rural hospital closures, pricing transparency
• Public Health Policy: Vaccine legislation, CDC funding impacts, state-federal health partnerships
• Political Leadership: Analysis of HHS secretarial decisions and their real-world consequences

Pitching Insights

• Do: Lead with localized data showing policy impacts (e.g., “How Medicaid expansion reduced ER visits in Appalachian clinics”)
• Avoid: Pharma R&D stories without clear cost/access angles

“The best health journalism doesn’t just explain the system – it reveals who’s being failed by it.” – Melanie Evans, 2025 Association of Health Care Journalists Keynote

Melinda Beck is an award-winning health journalist currently shaping national discourse through her Health Journal column in The Wall Street Journal. With particular interest in policy reform and mental health innovation, she offers PR teams unique opportunities to showcase data-driven solutions to systemic care challenges.

Pitching Priorities

• Evidence-Based Angles: Beck prioritizes studies with sample sizes exceeding 10,000 participants or longitudinal data spanning 5+ years

Career Highlights

"Her 2018 series on opioid prescription practices directly informed three state-level prescribing reform bills"

Connect via her WSJ profile or professional blog for stories aligning with her mission to demystify healthcare systems through investigative rigor.

Meredith Cohn is a health and medicine reporter at The Baltimore Banner, where she investigates how policy decisions impact Maryland’s healthcare systems. With over a decade of experience, she has become a vital resource for understanding the interplay between medical research, public health infrastructure, and legislative action.

Key Coverage Areas

• Public Health Funding: Tracks federal and state budget allocations to hospitals, research institutions, and community clinics (e.g., NIH grant cuts’ impact on UMB’s sickle cell research).
• Hospital Operations: Exposes systemic issues in psychiatric care facilities and rural healthcare access (e.g., accreditation crises at Clifton T. Perkins Hospital).
• Policy Analysis: Explains complex healthcare legislation through patient and provider perspectives (e.g., Medicaid reimbursement changes affecting addiction treatment centers).

Pitching Insights

• Focus on Maryland: Cohn rarely covers national trends without local connections. A pitch about AI in diagnostics should highlight Johns Hopkins prototypes being tested in Baltimore ERs.
• Data-Driven Stories: Her March 2025 piece on hospital budgets used FOIA-obtained expenditure reports to critique cost-cutting measures.
• Avoid Pharma Promotions: While she reports on drug development, she prioritizes institutional research over company press releases.

For timely contributions, monitor Maryland’s Health Services Cost Review Commission decisions and federal grant cycles affecting Mid-Atlantic research institutions.

Paige Cornwell is a health, law, and education reporter at The Seattle Times, known for her incisive coverage of public health crises, corporate accountability, and community resilience. With a career rooted in breaking news and investigative journalism, she has documented events ranging from the Oso mudslide to Boeing’s 737 Max litigation, always prioritizing the intersection of systemic failures and human impact.

Pitching Insights

• Health: Focus on gaps in public health infrastructure, especially in marginalized communities. Example: Nursing home safety protocols during outbreaks.
• Law: Highlight corporate liability cases with clear community consequences. Example: Aviation industry settlements tied to safety oversight.
• Education: Avoid higher education; instead, pitch K-12 stories tied to equity or crisis response. Example: Disaster preparedness in rural school districts.

Achievements

• Spearheaded a $82K+ fundraiser for journalists during COVID-19, underscoring her commitment to media sustainability.
• Certified in hostile environment reporting, enabling nuanced coverage of disasters and conflicts.

Pam Belluck is a Pulitzer Prize-winning health and science reporter for The New York Times, specializing in complex medical issues with societal implications. With over 15 years at the Times, she has become a leading voice on:

• Neurodegenerative diseases: Particularly Alzheimer’s disparities and care innovations
• Reproductive health policy: Impacts of abortion restrictions on medical practice
• Pandemic science: Long COVID mechanisms and pediatric complications

Pitching Priorities

Belluck seeks stories that combine rigorous research with human-centered narratives:

• Health equity innovations: Successful 2024 pitches included mobile dementia clinics in Appalachia and AI triage systems reducing maternal mortality in Black communities
• Neurotechnology breakthroughs: Particularly those addressing care access barriers
• Legal-medical intersections: Recent work explores hospital liability in post-Roe emergency care

Achievements Highlights

• 2025 Front Page Award for dementia reporting
• 2019 ASME Award for Ebola vaccine coverage
• Cited in 12+ amicus briefs for Supreme Court health cases

Reed Abelson is an award-winning healthcare journalist at The New York Times, specializing in the intersection of policy, finance, and patient care. With over three decades of reporting experience, she’s become the leading voice analyzing how economic forces shape access to medical services in America.

Key Coverage Areas

• Healthcare Financing: Medicare/Medicaid reforms, insurance industry practices, hospital billing
• Long-Term Care Systems: Nursing home regulations, home health workforce challenges, dementia care costs
• Policy Implementation: Analysis of legislation’s real-world impacts on care providers and patients

Pitching Insights

• Do: Provide data-rich analysis of payment models with regional comparisons
• Don’t: Pitch personal health journeys without systemic context

Recent honors include the 2024 Loeb Award for her investigation into hospice care profiteering. Her work continues to shape congressional debates about equitable healthcare access.

As Senior Director of Editorial Strategy at BabyCenter, Hilmantel oversees content reaching 150M+ annual readers. Her work bridges medical expertise and real-world parenting challenges through:

• Maternal Health Innovation: Advocates for tech-enhanced solutions to postpartum care gaps
• Cultural Competency: Analyzes celebrity health narratives to drive mainstream wellness conversations
• Product Journalism: Sets industry standards for gear testing methodologies in parenting media

Pitching Priorities

• Seeking: Clinical trial access with direct parenting applications, inclusive fitness prototypes, global health trend analyses
• Avoiding: Generic pregnancy tips, male-focused health tech, non-peer reviewed supplements

"The best pitches combine clinical rigor with authentic human stories - show me the data, then make me care."

Roger Smith is a journalist specializing in health, outdoors, and environmental reporting. Based in the U.S., he currently contributes to the Center for Health Reporting and Outdoor News Radio, where he explores topics ranging from public health policies to sustainable hunting practices.

Pitching Insights

• Do pitch: Community health initiatives, conservation tech, wildlife management strategies.
• Avoid: Celebrity health trends or urban infrastructure projects.

We remember Roy Wallack (1956-2020) as a transformative voice in endurance sports reporting. His 35-year career blended investigative rigor with accessible storytelling, particularly through his Los Angeles Times column and seminal book Bike for Life.

Core Coverage Areas

• Cycling Longevity: Developed training protocols for masters athletes
• Adventure Recovery: Documented ecological resilience in post-disaster landscapes
• Fitness Innovation: Evaluated emerging training technologies and methodologies

Pitching Priorities

"The best stories live where sweat meets science."

• Seek: Cross-generational studies, biomechanical breakthroughs, climate-impacted recreation
• Avoid: Celebrity fitness fads, equipment reviews without performance data

Career Highlights

YearMilestone 2005Published Bike for Life (10+ printings) 2012Initiated LA Times "Fitness Frontier" column 2019Pioneered wildfire recovery hiking guides

This IDEA Health & Fitness Association editor specializes in evidence-based training methodologies and behavioral psychology applications in wellness. With particular interest in:

• Transformational Coaching Models: Seeks case studies demonstrating 12+ month client retention
• Educational Technology: Prioritizes platforms enhancing trainer-client communication
• Industry Trends Analysis: Accepts data-driven pitches on fitness professional burnout rates

Avoid Pitches About:

Supplement marketing claims or celebrity workout routines without physiological research backing. Recent award-winning work includes crisis management strategies for gym owners during the 2020-2023 market shakeup.

Sarah Bradley has established herself as a leading voice in women's health journalism through her evidence-based yet empathetic reporting. Currently a regular contributor to Healthline and The Washington Post's On Parenting vertical, Bradley specializes in making complex medical information accessible to general audiences.

Key Coverage Areas

• Perinatal Health Innovations
  Tracks emerging technologies and policy changes affecting maternal care outcomes
• Parenting Science
  Translates developmental research into practical childcare strategies
• Chronic Condition Management
  Focuses on autoimmune diseases and endocrine disorders in family contexts

Pitching Priorities

• Longitudinal Studies
  Prefers research with ≥5 year follow-up periods, particularly intergenerational health impacts
• Health Tech Validation
  Seeks comparative analyses of consumer devices against clinical diagnostics
• Policy Impact Metrics
  Prioritizes data showing real-world effects of healthcare legislation

With 14 industry awards and a 92% source retention rate, Bradley's work continues to shape both public understanding and healthcare practices. Her upcoming book on medical storytelling in the digital age is anticipated for 2026 publication.

Sarah Jacoby is a health and wellness reporter at TODAY, specializing in stories that bridge medical research and human experience. Her reporting often focuses on systemic healthcare disparities, particularly affecting women and marginalized communities.

Coverage Focus

• Public Health Narratives: Explores how policy changes impact individual health journeys
• Medical Innovation: Highlights accessible explanations of complex treatments

Pitching Preferences

• Prefers data-driven stories with strong human elements
• Seeks experts who can discuss intersectional health impacts

Notable Impact: Her 2024 investigation into diagnostic delays for mothers influenced proposed legislation in three states to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage.

As a staff writer at The Atlantic, Sarah Zhang transforms complex medical and scientific developments into narratives that examine what it means to be human in an age of rapid technological change. With degrees in neurobiology from Harvard and a decade of experience covering health innovation, she specializes in stories where cutting-edge research collides with societal transformation.

Key Coverage Areas

• Medical Breakthroughs: Tracks pharmaceutical development from lab trials to living rooms, with recent focus on obesity therapeutics and autoimmune treatments
• Genetic Technologies: Investigates consumer DNA testing’s impacts on family systems and legal frameworks
• Public Health Evolution: Analyzes how pandemic responses reshape healthcare infrastructure and policy

Achievement Highlights

• 2024 AAAS Kavli Award for Science Journalism
• 2023 Livingston Award Finalist
• Cited in 17+ medical ethics guidelines

Pitching Insights

• Seek: First-hand patient journeys, regulatory turning points, unintended consequences of medical innovation
• Avoid: Incremental study results, purely theoretical research, marketing-driven health trends

This Vermont-based health journalist combines rigorous science reporting with practical lifestyle guidance across multiple platforms:

• Current Focus: Preventive nutrition, food policy, and demographic-specific wellness strategies
• Avoids: Fad diets, supplement marketing claims without RCT backing
• Pitch Sweet Spot: Studies showing 10%+ improvement in health outcomes through dietary changes

"The most impactful health stories help readers see their daily choices as part of a larger wellness ecosystem."

athletic performance nutrition, gourmet cooking

This Northwestern-trained immunologist turned award-winning journalist brings clinical rigor to parenting content. Her current focus areas for Pregnancy & Newborn include:

• Maternal Health Tech: Prioritizes FDA-evaluated devices with multicultural trial data
• Dermatology Advances: Seeks stories on biologic therapies with 12+ month safety data
• Health Equity: Highlights solutions reducing racial disparities in perinatal outcomes

Pitching Preferences

Rangel favors evidence-based approaches with clear clinical applications. Recent successful pitches included a UCLA study on zinc supplementation reducing NICU stays and a Johns Hopkins telemedicine program for rural prenatal care. Avoid speculative treatments without peer-reviewed validation.

Career Highlights

• 2024 AMWA Health Communication Award recipient
• Principal investigator on $2.3M NIH childhood eczema study
• Certified Clinical Research Professional (SOCRA)

Tina DiMarcantonio-Brown stands at the intersection of clinical practice and medical journalism as Managing Editor of Physician's Briefing at HealthDay. A practicing neurologist and research center co-director, she brings unique analytical depth to coverage of surgical innovations, oncology risk models, and clinical trial methodologies.

Key Coverage Areas

• Practice-Changing Protocols: Focused on interventions demonstrating measurable improvements in care delivery
• Predictive Analytics: Critical evaluation of AI/ML applications in clinical decision support
• Health Economics: Cost-benefit analyses of emerging treatments and technologies

Pitching Priorities

• Lead with multicenter trial data and real-world implementation metrics
• Highlight interdisciplinary collaborations between clinicians and data scientists
• Provide access to principal investigators for methodological clarification

For three decades, Todd Ackerman has shaped public understanding of medical innovation through the Houston Chronicle. His work bridges laboratory breakthroughs and healthcare policy implementation, with particular focus on:

• Oncology Advances: Tracking immunotherapy from experimental treatment to standard care
• Health Equity: Documenting systemic reforms in medical education and care delivery
• Space Medicine: Investigating long-term astronaut health challenges

Pitching Priorities

• Local First: 68% of his bylines feature Texas Medical Center institutions
• Data Depth: Requires studies with ≥5-year datasets and peer-review validation
• Policy Impact: Prefers stories with clear legislative or regulatory implications

"The best health stories don't just explain science - they reveal how innovation changes lives."

Victoria Colliver is a health and science journalist specializing in policy-driven coverage of infectious diseases and healthcare accessibility. Based at UC San Francisco since 2023, she translates clinical research into public-facing narratives with measurable policy impacts.

Current Focus Areas

• HIV Treatment Innovations: Tracking implementation of long-acting antiretroviral therapies in marginalized communities
• Post-Pandemic Public Health: Analyzing long COVID management strategies and vaccine equity programs
• Health System Reform: Evaluating Medicaid expansion outcomes and hospital pricing transparency initiatives

Pitching Insights

Do

• Connect medical advances to legislative timelines (e.g., drug approvals coinciding with budget cycles)
• Provide longitudinal data spanning 3+ years
• Highlight cross-sector collaborations between researchers and community groups

Avoid

• Pharma press releases without patient outcome data
• Studies lacking demographic breakdowns
• Hospital marketing claims unsupported by peer-reviewed research

Career Highlights

• 15 years as San Francisco Chronicle's lead health reporter (2001-2016)
• POLITICO's California healthcare policy analyst (2016-2023)
• 2021 Association of Health Care Journalists Award recipient

W. Scott Bailey is a senior reporter at the San Antonio Business Journal specializing in healthcare systems, biotech innovation, and international economic development. With over 15 years of experience, his work has shaped public debates on hospital staffing and biotechnology commercialization.

Key Coverage Areas

• Healthcare Economics: Tracks hospital contracts, clinician labor trends, and Medicare policy impacts.
• Biotech Commercialization: Follows IPOs, clinical trials, and manufacturing scaling in San Antonio’s life sciences sector.
• Global Partnerships: Analyzes cross-border tech transfers and regulatory alignment challenges.

Pitching Tips

• Lead with localized data: Bailey prioritizes stories with quantifiable impacts on San Antonio’s economy.
• Avoid consumer health angles: His focus remains on systemic industry shifts rather than individual wellness trends.

Wendy Wisner combines IBCLC certification with a poet’s narrative sensibility to reshape parenting health discourse. Her 15-year editorial career spans:

• Core Focus Areas:
  • Maternal mental health interventions
  • Evidence-based pediatric care models
  • Health policy impacts on family wellness

Pitching Preferences

• Seeking: Longitudinal studies on intergenerational health patterns, innovative postpartum support programs
• Avoid: Product-focused pitches, single-source anecdotal pieces

"The most powerful health stories sit at the intersection of data and humanity."

Will Stone reports on systemic healthcare challenges for KFF Health News, with a focus on pandemic response and health disparities. His work bridges data analysis and human-centered storytelling, often highlighting marginalized communities’ experiences.

Key Coverage Areas

• Vaccine Equity: Exposes structural barriers in immunization access and combats misinformation
• Long COVID: Chronicles patient experiences and healthcare system preparedness
• Environmental Health: Analyzes climate change impacts on public health infrastructure

Pitching Preferences

• Prefers sources from community health organizations over corporate PR
• Seeks underreported pandemic consequences (e.g., medical debt surges)
• Values longitudinal data sets showing 3+ year trends

“Journalism should illuminate power structures, not just describe symptoms.” – Stone’s reporting philosophy

As Senior Health Editor at Lifehacker, Skwarecki deciphers complex medical research into actionable public guidance. Her work bridges academic journals and consumer needs, emphasizing evidence-based solutions over wellness trends.

Key Coverage Areas

• Wearable Tech Validation: Analyzes biometric devices' clinical relevance (e.g., Garmin Forerunner series reviews)
• Behavioral Science Applications: Develops habit-formation frameworks grounded in cognitive psychology
• Pseudoscience Debunking: Exposes flawed alternative therapies through historical/chemical analysis

Pitching Preferences

• Seek: Peer-reviewed studies with clear consumer applications, tech-meets-physiology innovations
• Avoid: Anecdotal supplement claims, unsubstantiated wellness trends

"True health empowerment comes from understanding mechanisms, not just following instructions."