Irene Benedicto

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Irene Benedicto

Alumni

LinkedIn

Irene Benedicto is an investigative and data reporter with 10+ years of experience doing everything from breaking news to long-form investigative stories, local and international, from nine different countries on three continents 

Most recently, at BuzzFeed News’ Investigations Desk, she published the first media report to prove that Russia was deporting children from Ukrainian orphanages and giving them up for adoption to Russian families which is, by definition, a genocide.

She currently works on two investigative projects for the Investigative Reporting Program: researching maternal healthcare in New Mexico and police violence in California. 

She speaks 5 languages – and is learning how to code.

EDUCATION

  • University of California, Berkeley: Master of Journalism.

  • Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona: BA in Journalism. Graduated with honors.

EMPLOYERS

  • Freelance writer, contributing to the New York Times' California Today newsletter.

  • Buzzfeed News, Europe Investigations Desk. Based in London, UK.

  • Data Reporter. Investigative Reporting Program, KQED and Mercury News

  • Investigative Climate Reporter, wildfire beat. Oakland North/ Bay City News

  • Investigative Journalism Grant Winner for the European Center of Journalism

  • Special Envoy to Radio Nacional de España and Publico.es. Covered the Yellow Vest crisis from Paris, Brexit from London, and the European Union Elections from Brussels

  • EFE News Service, U.S. Correspondent

  • Agencia EFE, TV Reporter

AWARDS & HONORS

  • Columbia Journalism School Fellowship for the Investigative Reporters & Editors Conference, 2016.

  • Outstanding Young Journalist, by the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), 2016.

PUBLICATIONS & OTHER WORK

  • Bay City News, Jan 15, 2022. Investigation on the lack of fire prevention accountability in the City of Berkeley.
    https://localnewsmatters.org/2022/01/15/critics-claim-berkeley-fire-department-lacks-oversight-on-measure-ff-spending/

  • Euronews, March 10, 2021. Data-driven investigation about how Covid-19’s disproportionate effects on lower income communities. Grant awarded by the European Center of Journalism. https://es.euronews.com/2021/02/24/el-primer-ano-de-pandemia-en-datos-la-covid-19-no-mato-a-los-europeos-por-igual

  • Publico. March 29, 2019. I was special envoy in London for the Spanish newspaper Publico.es (as well as Radio Nacional de España) for the special coverage of what was originally scheduled as Brexit Day. This is a story about Brexit for those born in the 2000’s
    https://www.publico.es/internacional/brexit-frontera-vuelve-brexit-nacidos-2000.html

MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS

  • IRE member, NAHJ member.