About AHCJ: General News

AHCJ names 2013-14 Regional Health Journalism Fellows Date: 06/07/13

AHCJ Regional Health Journalism ProgramCOLUMBIA, Mo. – The Association of Health Care Journalists has named the 2013-14 class of the Regional Health Journalism Fellowship, an annual fellowship program for reporters and editors across the United States.

The program, which changes regions each year, will focus this year on journalists from the Western United States, namely Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. The program begins in July. The first class of fellows came from the northern Midwest and Plains. The second class of fellows, which is just completing its year of training opportunities, came from the Southeast.

The new fellowship class includes:

  • Ken Alltucker, The Arizona Republic, Phoenix

  • Cynthia Craft, The Sacramento Bee

  • Patricia Duggan, KING-Seattle

  • Kristian Foden-Vencil, Oregon Public Broadcasting, Portland

  • Markian Hawryluk, Bend (Ore.) Bulletin

  • Jason Hidalgo, Reno (Nev.) Gazette-Journal

  • Stephanie Innes, Arizona Daily Star, Tucson

  • Jude Joffe-Block, KJZZ-Fronteras Desk, Tempe, Ariz.

  • Stephanie O'Neill, KPCC-Los Angeles

  • Maria Ortiz-Briones, Vida en el Valle, Fresno, Calif.

  • Molly Rosbach, Yakima (Wash.) Herald-Republic

  • Saerom Yoo, Statesman Journal, Salem, Ore.

The aim of the program, created with the support of The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, is to provide established journalists with the tools needed to improve the depth and amount of coverage focused on localizing critical health issues. Designed by journalists for journalists, the training is spread over a year's time.

The training includes:

  • A customized seminar on state health policy

  • An intense health reporting boot camp at the Missouri School of Journalism featuring some of the top health journalists in the country

  • Customized briefings at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta

  • An exclusive news webinar

  • Attendance at Health Journalism 2014 in Denver, the annual conference of AHCJ featuring dozens of workshops, panel sessions, field trips and news briefings

  • Attendance at the 2014 Rural Health Journalism Workshop

  • A professional membership in the Association of Health Care Journalists, with access to all print and Web-based member resources

  • Access to an experienced personal mentor from AHCJ's 1,400-plus membership.

  • A fellows-only electronic discussion list.

  • Continuing resource support after the fellowship.

“We were quite impressed with the quality of applicants,” said AHCJ Executive Director Len Bruzzese. “There’s a wide range of career stages represented in the group, which proves quality journalists are always looking to improve their abilities and broaden their scope. We salute them – and the newsrooms that are supporting them in their development efforts.”

The Association of Health Care Journalists is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing public understanding of health care issues. In just a dozen years, it has grown into the premier organization for training health journalists, boasting more than 1,400 members across the United States and in 25 other nations. Its mission is to improve the quality, accuracy and visibility of health care reporting, writing and editing. AHCJ, which is based at the Missouri School of Journalism, conducts training through its Center for Excellence in Health Care Journalism.

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, established in 1999, is administered by Trustees selected by Leona Helmsley as a continuation of Mr. and Mrs. Helmsley's generous giving through their lifetimes. The Trust supports a diverse range of organizations with a major focus on health and medical research, in addition to programs in human services, education and conservation. The Trust aspires to improve lives by supporting effective nonprofits.