Reporting
As a reporter, I have experience in both short- and long-form content, as well as in written and audio formats. Throughout my career, I have focused on community-centered stories. At KOSU, I have homed in on local politics specifically, exploring how residents are affected by the decisions made at the city level.
Below you can find a selection of my reporting clips. All are without paywalls unless otherwise noted, and paywalled articles include a PDF that can be read for free.
What to know about Oklahoma State Question 844 and its impact on public schools
KOSU, July 2026
As Oklahoma leaders consider how to balance the state’s budget, a ballot issue that seeks to address the issue could affect funding for local schools. This story dives into the reason for the measure, why some school districts are against it and some of the questions that still remain.
When writing this article, I approached it both as an election primer and as a work of solutions journalism. I wanted to avoid leaving readers with a false dichotomy that this ballot measure was the only way that some of the financial challenges Oklahoma faces could be remedied.
Surveillance or safety? OKC City Council to consider automated license plate reader contract renewal
KOSU, June 2026
Earlier this year, I spotted a post on Reddit that piqued my interest: an Oklahoma City resident had requested documents related to the city’s use of automated license plate readers. He found the lack of specific guidelines and use cases concerning. After contacting him, I started looking deeper into the issue, researching for an article to be published as City Council was planning to vote on the renewal of its ALPR vendor contract. The resulting story presents a comprehensive view of the technology’s strengths and weaknesses, as seen by privacy advocates, city leaders and law enforcement officials. I also found a previously unreported discrepancy in the city’s rules and its use of the technology: until June 2026, the police department’s manual prohibited ALPR data from being shared with a national database, even though the city’s contract with ALPR vendor Flock Safety indicated officers were doing as such.
After my reporting was published, Oklahoma City officials announced they would be revising their contract with Flock before voting on the renewal. The revisions included removing OKC data from the national database run by Flock.
Volunteers take over Oklahoma City National Memorial tours during government shutdown
NPR, October 2025
The Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum has a complex relationship to the National Park Service. As a private organization, it can remain open during government shutdowns, but since it is an NPS affiliate, park rangers who usually give tours aren’t present during those times. Amidst the 2025 government shutdown, I reported on how survivors and families stepped in to fill that role, providing a unique angle on how a nationally relevant event played out locally.
Paycom lays off 500 employees, will replace jobs with AI
KOSU, October 2025
When one of Oklahoma City’s largest employers announced that it was laying off hundreds of workers, my colleagues and I knew we wanted more information than the initial details provided. The company has a reputation for being tight-lipped, and without contacts who worked there, we turned to Reddit as a digital town square that could connect us with the sources we needed. I collaborated with fellow reporter Sierra Pfeifer to build trust with these users, relying on months of previous work I had done embedding KOSU into the r/okc subreddit via posts, comments and answers to questions. We were able to reach an employee affected by the layoffs, who shared a video of the call with us. This allowed us to be the first to report that the company watermarked the video call with each employee’s email address, meaning management could identify exactly where any leaks came from.
‘Home-court advantage’: How OKC Thunder fans became some of the NBA’s best
KOSU, June 2025
Ahead of the OKC Thunder’s 2025 NBA Finals run, I reported on the impact the team has had on Oklahoma City. Growing up in OKC myself, I remember when the Thunder first moved to the city. That perspective aided my reporting, bringing me an understanding of the team’s history in OKC and how important it is to a state with no other Big Four professional sports franchises.
For this piece, I followed Thunder fans to the lengths they go to show their support, from late nights at bars during losing games to waiting for the team plane at the airport in the pouring rain.
Because of my work, I was also selected to report a radio superspot for NPR when the network wanted to capture the city’s mood ahead of the last game of the playoffs.
The Village limits public comments at city council meetings, spurs open meeting law questions
KOSU, November 2024
After a rumor began on social media that an Oklahoma City suburb would ban public comment at its council meetings, my editor asked me to investigate the claim. I first called the mayor of The Village, who told me that public comment was not being banned, but rather limited to agenda items only. A media professor confirmed that this was legal. Later, I attended a council meeting and spoke to the city manager, who said this was done to ensure the council did not inadvertently take action on an item not on the meeting agenda, and to limit comment that was irrelevant to the city. KOSU was the first (and one of the only) outlets to publish factual information to combat the rumor.
In reporting this story, I felt proud that I was able to establish a connection with council members in The Village, especially the mayor, who expressed gratitude that I gave him a call to understand the situation before coming to the council meeting because he hadn’t had the same experience with other reporters who attended.
The great paradox in retail: Great prices but bad-for-the-planet fast fashion
Los Angeles Times, September 2024
For this piece, I wanted to explore the love-hate relationship Generation Z has with fast fashion. On the internet, these netizens seem to be fast fashion’s most voracious consumers — and also its fiercest critics. As a member of Gen Z and a lover of fashion, I came to the topic with both background knowledge and excitement. My reporting led me to speak with members of Gen Z on both sides of the issue, as well as experts who’ve explored it from an academic lens. To find sources, I was able to leverage my network of college students and understanding of my university. This piece also appeared in print as part of a special package on climate change.
*Note: My editor has given me permission to share a PDF version of this article for those without access to the Los Angeles Times.
Dance Marathon 2024: Pediatric AIDS Coalition raises spirits, awareness and $48,070 in annual event
Daily Bruin, April 2024
Each year, the Daily Bruin covers the Pediatric AIDS Coalition’s Dance Marathon, an all-day event in which participants dance to raise money for their cause. In 2024, I took the closing shift of the coverage, turning around an article in the middle of the night to challenge my journalistic skillset. I focused on talking to a variety of sources, from participants to performers to organizers.
Though I wanted the tone of the article to remain reflective of the enthusiasm at the event, I also noticed the amount of money the organization raised was only a fraction of the total from the previous year. I made a point of asking the club’s president for clarification and working it into the story, but also not letting it diminish the tone I wanted to achieve.
Life after death
PRIME from the Daily Bruin, March 2024
Despite Westwood being home to UCLA and its young students, I took notice of the fact that it is surrounded by a death care ecosystem, including two cemeteries. In this long-form piece, I wanted to highlight just how interconnected this system is to the university and its community.
Abigail Siatkowski 