Work Experience
WMTV (NBC) Lead Investigative Reporter/Anchor
Madison, WI
April 2021 – April 2025
- Filed/managed open record requests and FOIAs daily for entire newsroom
- Worked directly with company attorneys on story process, info gathering, video and script edits
- Intervened in open records court case to have records publicly released -uncovering mishandled disciplinary files at Madison Metropolitan School District
- Exposed pattern of misconduct involving Brady List files (flagging former and current law enforcement officers as not credible)
- Held repeated station-wide open records/FOIA training seminars
- Provided live data sourcing during Wisconsin Broadcasters Association’s 2024 US Senate debate
- Anchored 5pm newscast daily
WQAD (ABC) News 8 Reporter/Anchor
Moline, IL
August 2016-April 2021
- Covered 2016/2020 presidential candidates before and during the Iowa caucus
- Created, produced, curated and anchored “Feel Good Fridays” during Covid-19 shutdown from kitchen table
- Anchored 6:30pm newscast M-F
- Pitched and researched multiple enterprising story ideas of varying subjects daily
Professional Development
Investigative Reporters and Editors Conference 2025/2024/2022/2021
• Presented at Gray Day training with Andrew Hayward
• Spent an intense week participating in discussions and workshops about open records and FOIA
2023 MBJA Midwest Journalism Conference
• Presented during ‘Know your Rights’ conference session in front of dozens of journalists
• Answered questions and gave advice about mastering the “accountability interview”
2024 WBA Wisconsin Senate Debate Data Team member
• Researched and wrote questions presented to candidates Tammy Baldwin and Eric Hovde
• Updated WBA website live, sourcing all question materials during debate
DePaul University FOIA Fellowship
NPPA News Video Workshop- Norman, Oklahoma
Awards
Chicago/Midwest Regional Emmy Awards nominee
• Outstanding Achievement for Breaking/Spot News (2023)
• Outstanding Achievement for News Excellence (2023)
• Outstanding Achievement for Investigative Multiple Reports (2022)
• Outstanding Achievement for Evening Newscast (2022)
Regional Murrow Award Winner
• News Series- “Crisis Averted” (2024)
• Investigative Reporting-“MMSD Open Records Roadblock” (2023)
• Hard News- “The Cost of Gun Violence” (2022)
• Continuing Coverage- “The Shooting of Quadren Wilson” (2022)
Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Winner
• Best Hard News/Investigative- 1st Janesville Renters Beware, 2nd Problems at Penny Lane(2024)
• Best Spot News- Mourning in Madison: Abundant Life Christian School Shooting (2024)
• Best Series/Documentary- Crisis Averted (2024)
Eric Sevareid Award Winner
• Investigative- “Renters Beware” (2024)
• Hard Feature- “The Secret Inside St. Michael’s” (2023)
• Investigative- “MMSD Open Records Roadblock” (2023)
• Investigative- “Violence Compliance” (2022)
• Series- “The Trial of Chandler Halderson” (2022)
Education
Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
B.A.J., Journalism, 2015 Double Minor: Marketing-Kelley School of Business/Political Science-College of Arts & Sciences
Elizabeth Wadas 