I am an experienced, award-winning editor and writer living in the American West. I currently serve as the news & investigations editor at High Country News. Previously I worked as the managing editor at Searchlight NM, an investigative site, as the topics editor at Colorado Public Radio, where I oversaw coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as transportation, business, education, and health, and as deputy editor at High Country News, where I wrote about the Pacific Northwest, the non-human world, wildness and more. I also cover land, environment and cultural issues in the Pacific Islands. I formerly wrote about rural and Denver schools for Chalkbeat Colorado, a nonprofit news start-up covering the state’s public education system. I’m a deep believer in stories and in journalism that holds power to account. Want to talk about your deeply held values? Or discuss thoughtful writing in a time of upheaval? Hit me up: kate.schimel at gmail.

I am also an avid backcountry skier and backpacker, as well as the holder of a B.A. in Biology from Reed College. I use it more often than you’d think.