About AHCJ: General News

Jeff Porter joins AHCJ staff Date: 01/14/08

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Veteran journalist and computer-assisted reporting instructor Jeff Porter has joined the Association of Health Care Journalists staff as its first special projects director.

Porter, who has served as data analysis director at Investigative Reporters and Editors for the past six years, starts his work with AHCJ this week. While at IRE, Porter worked with print and broadcast newsrooms across the country in analyzing local, state and national data for use in news stories. He also served as the lead instructor for the popular CAR boot camps presented by the National Institute of Computer-Assisted Reporting.

"We feel very lucky to have Jeff joining the AHCJ team," said Len Bruzzese, AHCJ's executive director. "He's a hard-working yet approachable professional whose talents will be of great help to our fast-growing association."

Prior to his work with IRE and NICAR, Porter worked as an investigative reporter, enterprise reporter and editor at several Arkansas newspapers, including the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Bruzzese says Porter will help with current and upcoming special projects, conference content planning and outreach efforts.

"With the growing impact of health care in every sector of society, journalists confront increasing challenges to serve their audiences well," Porter said. "It's an exciting time to be in a position to develop and expand resources for colleagues facing those challenges."

Bruzzese credits support by The California Endowment, the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation with helping launch the special projects position this year.

The Association of Health Care Journalists is an independent, nonprofit organization with an international membership of more than 1,000 health reporters and editors in more than 20 countries. AHCJ turns 10 this year. Along with its Center for Excellence in Health Care Journalism, it is dedicated to advancing public understanding of health care issues and improving the quality, accuracy and visibility of health reporting, writing and editing.