(click on a headline to read the full story)
Medicare Bill a Study in D.C. Spoils System, Oct. 5, 2004
Researchers' advice stirs issue of conflict, Dec. 8, 2006
Some see profiteering in clinics' use of drug, Oct. 24, 2006
Low-cost insurer leaves some with bills and a bitter taste, Oct. 31, 2006
Drug firms lagging on openness, Jan. 9, 2005
Health executives emerge as state's new power players, March 13, 2006
New wrinkle in anti-aging cosmetics, Aug. 23, 2005
Hospitals blitz airwaves with ad campaigns, Feb. 21, 2006
I'll have a loaf of bread, milk, and a flu shot, Dec. 11, 2005
Drug firms woo top scientists, Nov. 26, 2004
Trafficking on rise in prescription drugs, April 2, 2004
Fed-up doctor sidesteps insurance company limits, June 11, 2006
Money man bet wrong -- and lost $1.6b, Aug. 16, 2007
Question of succession looms large for Fidelity, July 15, 2007
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Editing highlights
Editing the political beat in Massachusetts requires a passion for investigative enterprise stories. I am fortunate to be working with some excellent practitioners of the form, and I love helping them shape complex, highly sensitive material into compelling tales with high impact.
In 2008, I supervised and edited an ongoing enterprise series by State House writer Andrea Estes that uncovered alleged influence peddling and ethics violations involving Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi and his close friends. The series of articles led to DiMasi's resignation from his powerful post in January 2009 and prompted federal and state grand jury investigations, which are still active. The main elements of the series are packaged here.
I also guided and edited veteran reporter Sean Murphy's recent coverage of an array of strategies employed by politically connected officials to pad retirement benefits, provoking anger among state residents and prompting Governor Deval Patrick and the Legislature to propose reforms. Among the highlights:
Ex-lawmaker scores both a state job, full pension check, April 12, 2009
2 town moderators use obscure law to pad pensions, March 10, 2009
Increasingly light library board duty doubled pension for former state senator, Feb. 11, 2009
Murphy has been an expert on the $15 billion Big Dig for years. In 2008, we stepped back and looked at the long-term financial impacts of the massive project, which are far more severe than previously disclosed: Big Dig's red ink engulfs state, July 17, 2008
While working with experienced diggers like Estes and Murphy, I have helped guide younger reporters, especially Matt Viser, who moved to the State House from City Hall and has become one of the most prolific, reliable, and insightful reporters at the paper. I routinely help Matt conceive of stories about the state budget crisis and the ongoing debates about proposed casinos. He is versatile and creative, and I often assign him feature stories far from his usual beat. Here is a recent example: NCAA draws hoardes -- and from locals, many blank stares, March 26, 2009
In 2008, I supervised and edited an ongoing enterprise series by State House writer Andrea Estes that uncovered alleged influence peddling and ethics violations involving Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi and his close friends. The series of articles led to DiMasi's resignation from his powerful post in January 2009 and prompted federal and state grand jury investigations, which are still active. The main elements of the series are packaged here.
I also guided and edited veteran reporter Sean Murphy's recent coverage of an array of strategies employed by politically connected officials to pad retirement benefits, provoking anger among state residents and prompting Governor Deval Patrick and the Legislature to propose reforms. Among the highlights:
Ex-lawmaker scores both a state job, full pension check, April 12, 2009
2 town moderators use obscure law to pad pensions, March 10, 2009
Increasingly light library board duty doubled pension for former state senator, Feb. 11, 2009
Murphy has been an expert on the $15 billion Big Dig for years. In 2008, we stepped back and looked at the long-term financial impacts of the massive project, which are far more severe than previously disclosed: Big Dig's red ink engulfs state, July 17, 2008
While working with experienced diggers like Estes and Murphy, I have helped guide younger reporters, especially Matt Viser, who moved to the State House from City Hall and has become one of the most prolific, reliable, and insightful reporters at the paper. I routinely help Matt conceive of stories about the state budget crisis and the ongoing debates about proposed casinos. He is versatile and creative, and I often assign him feature stories far from his usual beat. Here is a recent example: NCAA draws hoardes -- and from locals, many blank stares, March 26, 2009
Resume
THE BOSTON GLOBE
METRO POLITICAL EDITOR, 2007 to present
Supervising and editing a team of six Massachusetts State House and Boston City Hall reporters, focused on breaking and enterprise news including investigations, political analysis, issues coverage, and profiles. Among the highlights: an investigative series on influence-peddling among the House speaker’s close friends which caused the speaker to resign and sparked federal and state grand jury investigations; a series on abuses of the public pension system by politically connected employees; controversies in the Boston Fire Department stemming from the deaths of three firefighters; and lively and deep coverage of casino politics following a proposal to license resort gambling.
BUSINESS WRITER, 2003 to 2007
Covered Boston’s academic medical centers, physicians, insurance companies, and the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries. Areas of expertise include the FDA, Medicaid and Medicare policy, the Massachusetts plan for universal health coverage; also produced award-winning coverage of the Medicare prescription drug benefit as well as coverage of healthcare industry lobbying, conflicts of interest among doctors and hospitals, and profiteering by dialysis clinics on the biotechnology drug Epogen.
GLOBE WEST BUREAU CHIEF, 2001 to 2003
Supervised eight reporters and a group of freelancers who covered Boston’s western suburbs. Reported on a variety of local government issues and trends in local government and education. Helped lead award-winning coverage of the Station nightclub fire in 2003 in West Warwick, RI, which killed 100 people.
THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL
STATE HOUSE REPORTER, 1996 to 2000
Covered national, state, and local politics, including the presidential primaries in New Hampshire and South Carolina in 2000, the parties’ nominating conventions and several congressional and gubernatorial races; investigated RI state agencies, with award-winning stories on corruption and cronyism in the state Traffic Court.
NEWPORT BUREAU CHIEF, 1994 to 1996
Supervised three reporters and covered the U.S. Navy, marine issues, and the coastal environment.
REPORTER, 1988 to 1994
Covered Rhode Island cities and towns, with special focus on municipal corruption in Cranston and Warwick.
THE BRATTLEBORO REFORMER
NUCLEAR POWER AND POLITICAL WRITER, 1986 to 1988
Covered state and town government and ski area development in southern Vermont; coverage also included political protests, safety, and releases of low-level contamination at the Vermont Yankee Nuclear power plant.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DENVER BUREAU, 1986
Reported stories and rewrote news for print and broadcast wires.
AWARDS
SOCIETY OF AMERICAN BUSINESS EDITORS AND WRITERS, Project Award, 2005: For coverage in The Boston Globe of GOP domination of the legislative process in Congress, with emphasis on passage of the 2003 Medicare drug insurance bill, which was loaded with financial handouts for healthcare companies.
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEWSPAPER EDITORS, Jesse Laventhol Prize for Deadline Reporting by a Team, 2004: For coverage in The Boston Globe of the Station nightclub fire in 2003, which killed 100 people, focusing on highly flammable soundproofing, overcrowding, and weak inspections by local fire officials.
NEW ENGLAND ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWS EXECUTIVES ASSOCIATION, first place in enterprise, 1998: For coverage in The Providence Journal of patronage, light workloads for judges, and rights violations for motorists at the Rhode Island state traffic court.
REPORTER OF THE YEAR, The Providence Journal, 1998
EDUCATION
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA, Bachelor of Arts degree with a journalism major, 1985
METRO POLITICAL EDITOR, 2007 to present
Supervising and editing a team of six Massachusetts State House and Boston City Hall reporters, focused on breaking and enterprise news including investigations, political analysis, issues coverage, and profiles. Among the highlights: an investigative series on influence-peddling among the House speaker’s close friends which caused the speaker to resign and sparked federal and state grand jury investigations; a series on abuses of the public pension system by politically connected employees; controversies in the Boston Fire Department stemming from the deaths of three firefighters; and lively and deep coverage of casino politics following a proposal to license resort gambling.
BUSINESS WRITER, 2003 to 2007
Covered Boston’s academic medical centers, physicians, insurance companies, and the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries. Areas of expertise include the FDA, Medicaid and Medicare policy, the Massachusetts plan for universal health coverage; also produced award-winning coverage of the Medicare prescription drug benefit as well as coverage of healthcare industry lobbying, conflicts of interest among doctors and hospitals, and profiteering by dialysis clinics on the biotechnology drug Epogen.
GLOBE WEST BUREAU CHIEF, 2001 to 2003
Supervised eight reporters and a group of freelancers who covered Boston’s western suburbs. Reported on a variety of local government issues and trends in local government and education. Helped lead award-winning coverage of the Station nightclub fire in 2003 in West Warwick, RI, which killed 100 people.
THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL
STATE HOUSE REPORTER, 1996 to 2000
Covered national, state, and local politics, including the presidential primaries in New Hampshire and South Carolina in 2000, the parties’ nominating conventions and several congressional and gubernatorial races; investigated RI state agencies, with award-winning stories on corruption and cronyism in the state Traffic Court.
NEWPORT BUREAU CHIEF, 1994 to 1996
Supervised three reporters and covered the U.S. Navy, marine issues, and the coastal environment.
REPORTER, 1988 to 1994
Covered Rhode Island cities and towns, with special focus on municipal corruption in Cranston and Warwick.
THE BRATTLEBORO REFORMER
NUCLEAR POWER AND POLITICAL WRITER, 1986 to 1988
Covered state and town government and ski area development in southern Vermont; coverage also included political protests, safety, and releases of low-level contamination at the Vermont Yankee Nuclear power plant.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DENVER BUREAU, 1986
Reported stories and rewrote news for print and broadcast wires.
AWARDS
SOCIETY OF AMERICAN BUSINESS EDITORS AND WRITERS, Project Award, 2005: For coverage in The Boston Globe of GOP domination of the legislative process in Congress, with emphasis on passage of the 2003 Medicare drug insurance bill, which was loaded with financial handouts for healthcare companies.
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEWSPAPER EDITORS, Jesse Laventhol Prize for Deadline Reporting by a Team, 2004: For coverage in The Boston Globe of the Station nightclub fire in 2003, which killed 100 people, focusing on highly flammable soundproofing, overcrowding, and weak inspections by local fire officials.
NEW ENGLAND ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWS EXECUTIVES ASSOCIATION, first place in enterprise, 1998: For coverage in The Providence Journal of patronage, light workloads for judges, and rights violations for motorists at the Rhode Island state traffic court.
REPORTER OF THE YEAR, The Providence Journal, 1998
EDUCATION
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA, Bachelor of Arts degree with a journalism major, 1985
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