Learn more about our speakers and get your tickets for FOIA Fest today!
8 a.m. ｜Check in
9 a.m. ｜ Welcome remarks, Skyline Suite
Jeff Arnold, Vice President, FOIA Fest
9:05 a.m. ｜ Keynote Interview: Missing in Chicago Series, Skyline Suite
Kick off FOIA Fest by learning from Pulitzer Prize-winning reporters, Trina Reynolds-Tyler and Sarah Conway. They’ll discuss their seven-part investigative series, Missing in Chicago, which documents the missing persons crisis in Chicago and its disproportionate impact on Black women and girls. Reynolds-Tyler and Conway will discuss how they built trust with families most impacted, combined data and lived-experiences to create a compelling narrative and how they made sure their reporter was accessible to those who need the stories and resources most.
- Trina Reynolds-Tyler, Data Director, Invisible Institute
- Sarah Conway, Senior Reporter & Special Projects Manager, City Bureau
- Moderator: Jamie Nesbitt Golden, Reporter, Block Club Chicago
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.｜ FOIA Fest Help Desk, Lakeside Suite
- Shelley Geiszler, Attorney, Loevy & Loevy
10 a.m.｜ FOIA Fest Session 1, 50 minutes long
Journalism in an Opaque Era, Skyline Suite
As the second Trump administration begins, journalists face an increasingly opaque federal landscape, which is compounded by local officials in Chicago who are often uncooperative with the press. How do we navigate this moment while continuing to hold power accountable?
- Jen Sabella, Co-Founder + Executive Editor, Block Club Chicago
- Charles Whitaker, Dean and Professor, Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications
- Isis Almeida, Chicago Bureau Chief, Bloomberg News
- Moderator: Shruti Singh, Reporter and Editor, Bloomberg News
FOIA 101: Best Practices, Room 1624A
A crash course on the Freedom of Information Act. What you need to know to request public records. Discover tips and tricks, what successful requests look like.
- Kate Linderman, National Real-Time Reporter, McClatchy Newspapers
- Cam Rodriguez, Local Investigations Fellow, The New York Times
- Adam Rhodes, Training Director, Investigative Reporters & Editors
- Moderator: Lauren Sheperd, Special Projects Editor, 14 East
Reporting with Vulnerable Communities, Room 1623
Investigative reporting goes far beyond data and documents — it involves finding compelling stories to show the impact of the issues data bring to light. Learn how to build trust with sources, and how to let them guide you in how to tell their stories.
- Adriana Cardona-Maguigad, Reporter, WBEZ Chicago
- Josh McGhee, Chicago Bureau Chief, Mindsite News
- Nell Salzman, Immigration Reporter, Chicago Tribune
- Moderator: Kristen Schorsch, Reporter, WBEZ Chicago
11 a.m.｜ FOIA Fest Session 2, 50 minutes long
AI + Journalism: Navigating the Opportunities, Risks, and Threats, Skyline Suite
Artificial intelligence is reshaping our world — and journalism is far from immune from its impact. This panel will explore both the potential and the pitfalls of AI in newsrooms, examining how journalists can harness AI for investigative reporting while also exploring the ethical implications of artificial intelligence and how the tool might impact misinformation and disinformation.
- Nicholas Diakopoulos, Professor and Director of the Computational Journalism Lab, Northwestern University
- Hannah Cushman Garland, Partner, Datamade
- Matt Kiefer, Assistant Professor, Medill School, Northwestern University
- Divij Sinha, Research Data Analyst, Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation, University of Chicago
- Moderator: Amy Merrick, Senior Professional Lecturer, DePaul University
Make a habit out of it: Incorporating FOIA into daily reporting, Room 1624A
FOIA requests aren’t just for investigative reporters — they can be a valuable tool for everyday reporting and can be leveraged for enterprise reporting, no matter a journalist’s formal title. This panel will explore practical strategies for integrating public records requests into your regular workflow, from breaking news to beat reporting.
- Mack Liederman, Reporter, Block Club Chicago
- Regina Waldroup, Reporter, NBC Chicago
- Courtney Kueppers, Arts & Culture Reporter, WBEZ Chicago
- Paris Schutz, Political Correspondent, Fox Chicago
- Moderator: Jimmy Tobias, Investigative Reporter, The Nation and The Guardian
FOIA Denied: Navigating Open Records Setbacks, Room 1623
So your FOIA request was denied. Now what? This panel will equip journalists with the tools to push back against denials, excessive redactions, and endless delays. Attendees will gain practical insights into navigating bureaucratic hurdles and holding public agencies accountable when they refuse to release records.
- Matt Topic, Partner, Loevy + Loevy
- Dan Mihalopoulos, Investigative Reporter, WBEZ Government & Politics Team
- Megan Crepeau, Chicago Correspondent, Bloomberg Law
- Alex Nitkin, Government Finance and Accountability Reporter, Illinois Answers Project
- Moderator: Jeff Arnold, Digital Reporter, NewsNation
12 p.m.｜ Lunch break sponsored by Loevy & Loevy, Lakeside Suite, 1 hour
1 p.m.｜ FOIA Fest Session 3, 50 minutes long
Using FOIA in reporting on schools, Skyline Suite
It’s a pivotal moment for Chicago’s public schools — and education across the state and nationally. The country’s fourth largest district is in the midst of unprecedented leadership turmoil and a high-stakes transition to a fully elected school board, even as schools are still trying to help students bounce back from COVID’s academic and mental health toll. The start of the second Trump administration could bring added change and disruption. We explore how to use FOIA in education reporting, including to report on student discipline, from dress code violations to police referrals. We discuss common hurdles, such as overzealous redactions.
- Reema Amin, Reporter, Chalkbeat Chicago
- Gregory Royal Pratt,Investigative reporter, Chicago Tribune
- Jennifer Smith Richards, Reporter, ProPublica
- Moderator: Mila Koumpilova, Senior Reporter, Chalkbeat Chicago
Case Study: FOIAs that have worked, FOIA’s that haven’t, Room 1624A
Bloomberg News Data Investigations Editor Jason Grotto will share examples of open records requests that have worked, and those that haven’t. Learn from his mistakes, and leave this session practical FOIA request tips and tricks.
- Jason Grotto, Data Investigations Editor, Bloomberg News
- Moderator: Shruti Singh, Reporter and Editor, Bloomberg News
The Ethics of FOIA, Room 1624B
How do journalists balance the public’s right to know with ethical considerations such as privacy, harm reduction, and the potential misuse of sensitive information? This panel will explore the ethical dilemmas that arise when using public records in reporting and will discuss best practices for handling leaked documents, redacted information, and data that could impact vulnerable communities.
- Casey Toner, Reporter, Illinois Answers Project
- Joe Mathewson, Professor, Northwestern
- Jared Rutecki, Investigative Reporter, WTTW News
- Moderator: Michael Puente, Reporter/Weekend Anchor, WBEZ Chicago
Gaining Access: Navigating not so FOIA-friendly public bodies, Room 1623
Hear from Chicago reporters who cover city politics to learn how they build relationships, work sources and leverage persistence to get the information their reporting requires, even if public officials or governmental entities are resistant to their efforts.
- Alice Yin, Political Reporter, Chicago Tribune
- Quinn Myers, Reporter, Block Club Chicago
- Heather Cherone, Senior Reporter, WTTW News
- Moderator: Jeff Arnold, Digital Reporter, NewsNation
2 p.m.｜ FOIA Fest Session 4, 50 minutes long
Best Practices for Covering Immigration, Skyline Suite
In the face of an administration hostile toward immigration, accurate and nuanced immigration reporting is more important than ever. This panel will discuss the best practices for covering immigrant communities, navigating language and cultural barriers, building trust and capturing important nuances. it will look into how reporters can hold city, state and federal governments accountable, overcome barriers and weed out misinformation. Learned from the reporters who’ve been covering it for years and have lived experiences to back it up.
- Alma Campos, Lead Reporter, MindSite News
- Francia Garcia Hernandez, Reporter, Block Club Chicago
- Elvia Malagón, Social Justice Reporter, Chicago Sun Times
- Katrina Pham, Audience Engagement Reporter, Borderless Magazine
- Irene Romulo, Development and Community Engagement Director, Cicero Independiente
- Moderator: Igor Studenkov, Freelance Reporter
Case Study: Cook County Jail Deaths Investigation, Room 1624A
Join Carlos Ballesteros, reporter at Injustice Watch, for a deep dive into his investigation of Cook County Jail deaths. In this session, Ballesteros will walk you through his reporting process — including using public records and data analysis. Learn from Ballesteros and have the opportunity to ask him questions about his work.
- Carlos Ballesteros, Reporter, Injustice Watch
Managing the reporting project or collaboration, Room 1623
As newsrooms increasingly collaborate on large scale reporting projects, how can team members best manage the reporting and execution of the story? Even within individual newsrooms across teams — learn practical project management and collaboration tips and tricks including about work delegation, project organization and communication.
- Rita Oceguera, Reporter, The Trace Chicago
- Crystal Paul, State Investigations Editor at the Illinois Answers Project
- Melody Mercado, Reporter, Block Club Chicago
- María Inés Zamudio, Investigative Journalist, Invisible Institute/Pro Publica
- Moderator: Alex Veeneman, Freelance Reporter
3 p.m.｜Closing Happy Hour + Award Presentation, Skyline Suite
Close out FOIA Fest with a lightly-structured networking happy hour with attendees, speakers and Chicago Headline Club members. The winners of the Watchdog Award for Public Interest and the A-Mark Prize for Dogged Reporting will be announced during the happy hour.
4 p.m.｜FOIA Fest ends.
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