Helped found and, as inaugural executive director of COLab, the Colorado News Collaborative, grow the new non-profit in the first six months to more than 100 news outlets partnering to bring "Better news to all Coloradans" through better local journalism, civic engagement and business innovation. Expanded the strategic focus beyond collaborative journalism to include engagement of diverse communities and innovation of business models and practices. Increased philanthropic giving by more than 30% to some 1,000 individual Coloradans who believe journalism is essential to a functioning democracy.COLab is an independent 501(c)(3) media resource hub and statewide coalition dedicated to helping journalism transform and thrive, to fulfill its democratic function in the digital age. We're an ideas lab to support collaborative reporting projects, entrepreneurship in media business models, innovations in community engagement, revenue and product development, and partnerships that strengthen the local news ecosystem in ways that better serve all Coloradans.COLab media partners are newspapers, websites, radio and television; rural, urban and suburban; serving all Colorado communities — including tribal communities, communities of color, Spanish-speaking communities and other traditionally underserved communities.We collaborate on journalism none could do alone. And we don’t stop there. We strive to pull back the curtain on how news is reported, and invite the public into the process. And we work together to innovate and financially strengthen existing and emerging news sources, so they are there for their communities long into the future.

Media consultant to:* COLab, the Colorado News Collaborative. After helping conceive the idea of COLab while at Rocky Mountain Public Media, became a consultant to the project, shepherding the largest collaborative journalism project to date in Colorado. COVID Diaries Colorado engaged nearly 100 journalists at 22 news organizations to produce some 60 text stories, plus audio, video, interactive digital graphics and social media.* John S. And James L. Knight Foundation. Consultant hired to help select winners of the Sustainable Publishing Solutions grant.

Elected by the Directors of the Institute for Nonprofit News as board chair for the nationwide network of more than 250 investigative and public service news organizations. Became Chair Emerita in 2022.Was among representatives of 27 organizations that founded INN (then the Investigative News Network) in 2009 as a collective of nonpartisan, nonprofit newsrooms dedicated to serving the public interest. Today, INN has grown to more than 250 nonprofit media organizations in North America. INN functions as an innovation network, helping members develop new ways to support journalism and engage communities, providing  business, technology and leadership support and a framework for collaboration. INN’s work helps newsrooms bring investigative and civic news to more people, hold the powerful accountable and build democratic participation. More information can be found at https://inn.org.

After founding I-News and merging it with RMPBS in 2013, restructured it and the existing RMPBS production unit into a duPont-winning investigative documentary team, collaborating with Colorado and national media. Developed business model, negotiated contracts (including a six-figure contract between a commercial and public media station), and shepherded grants totaling more than $3 million, including organization’s first journalism grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Established first DEI fellowship and a three-state collaborative called Inside Energy. Began developing idea for COLab, the Colorado News Collaborative.

Oversaw the largest newsroom in Colorado dedicated to public service journalism at one of the nation's largest and most cutting-edge public media companies.Responsibilities included managing:* production of multi-media investigative reports* partnerships with existing media that publish/broadcast those reports* diverse streams of revenue to sustain the network* community engagement efforts around the journalism* training of professionals, students and the public in investigative reporting techniques I-News merged with Rocky Mountain PBS and KUVO public radio in January 2013, becoming the first independent investigative reporting nonprofit to merge with a public media company.

Founded and grew this nonprofit news network to more than 100 media partners across Colorado. Developed news strategy, hired team, built board of directors, oversaw production of high-impact multi-media investigative reports, formed partnerships with existing media for distribution, fundraised, and grew diverse streams of revenue to sustain the network.I-News helped news media throughout Colorado produce in-depth journalism they couldn't do alone; trained journalists in other newsrooms to do the kind of in-depth reporting and research that I-News did; and helped citizens and students learn investigative reporting skills: to think critically, research deeply and tell compelling stories important for the public to know.I-News helped media across the Rocky Mountain region produce news reports that lived up to the I-News motto: Journalism that makes a difference.

Led investigative projects that resulted in changes in laws and lives. Trained reporters and editors in advanced research techniques and data analysis. Investigative projects ranged from analysis of the state budget’s impact on everyday Coloradans to tracking allegations of academic fraud, an in-depth report on problems within the U.S. immigration system and a multi-media series on how federal officials circumvented the law when it came to compensating the nation’s sick nuclear weapons workers. Trained Rocky reporters and editors in advanced internet research techniques, assisted others with data analysis, and was a Top 10 finalist for The Pulitzer Prize in local reporting.

Led investigative projects that inspired state and federal reforms. Documented unexplained health problems among workers and neighbors of nuclear weapons sites nationwide, which helped prompt Congress to pass legislation to help sick workers. Analyzed federal prison sentences nationwide to show that despite sentencing reform, African-American criminals were given longer sentences than their white counterparts, prompting the U.S. Justice Department to launch its own inquiry.

Used computer databases, paper documents and on-line sources to report on various topics, including early use of DNA evidence in the courtroom. Also investigated questionable evidence in the case of a Rochester native on death row, and of a man accused of bank robbery who was released from jail after stories detailed evidence pointing to his innocence.

Analyzed more than 400,000 records from the U.S. Justice Department and U.S. Sentencing Commission to expose how U.S. attorneys enforce unequal justice across the country. Attorney General Janet Reno requested a similar, internal study in response to questions, and changed how staffing levels are determined.

Revealed that state officials knew the head of the state police crime lab had faked evidence to convict an innocent man. In response to articles, the state’s highest court began an investigation and eventually reopened more than 130 rape and murder cases. Six other men were then freed from prison.

Analyzed the financial impact of the area’s largest employer, a threatened General Motors foundry. Lawmakers used the reports to petition GM to save the plant. Also spent three days in Mexico to produce a five-day series on the impact of free trade on an industrial town such as Danville.