If you fill out the "Forgot Password" form but don't get an email to reset your password within 5-10 minutes, please email logistics@ire.org for assistance.
NICAR will be back in Nashville this spring after 26 years. We can’t wait to see y’all on March 2-5, 2023! Registration is now open and professional members can register at the early-bird rate of $299 until January 9. Student members can register at any time for $100. We’ll be at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel — book your stay now before the discounted block fills up.
NICAR23 will not include virtual sessions. Our goal is to provide the best possible experience and we have found, based on attendee feedback, that a hybrid event does not meet the highest level of standards that IRE members have come to expect. We instead have significantly bolstered our affordable and accessible virtual training opportunities scheduled throughout the year.
Additionally, we're expanding and rebranding the DBEI Symposium, our all-virtual conference held in the fall, to IRE Access Fest. Access Fest will offer programming focused on diversity, belonging, equity and inclusion, and also provide trainings that you would see at a typical IRE or NICAR Conference. Check out DBEI21 and DBEI22 schedules for examples. Access Fest will be held on October 12-14, 2023 - more details coming soon!
We’d love to hear from you about what else you’d like to see. Fill this form out any time you have an idea for an event.
We’re lining up a schedule for NICAR23 packed with data workshops, hands-on classes and panels, but there’s still time to send us your ideas! The pitch form will remain open through September 30. For questions about pitching or anything else, please email conference@ire.org.
IRE is committed to providing a friendly, safe and welcoming environment for all, regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, physical ability, age, appearance or religion. Take a moment to read through the IRE Code of Conduct before making a pitch: ire.org/conduct.
If you need financial assistance to join us in Nashville, you can apply for one of our many fellowships. Get your application in by January 9. For questions, email Anna López at anna@ire.org.
Keep up to date with all things NICAR23 related by signing up for the NICAR23 newsletter.
IRE is keeping the health and safety of our members at the forefront as we plan the conference. IRE will continue to monitor CDC, local and state guidelines leading up to the conference and will update attendees on protocols as the conference gets closer.
CONTACT: IRE Executive Director Diana Fuentes, diana@ire.org, 573-882-1984
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Working with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Investigative Reporters & Editors has established the Jeff German Fund for Investigative Journalism to help continue the kind of game-changing investigations German devoted his life to producing.
German, who joined the Review-Journal in 2010, was killed outside his home in Las Vegas on Sept. 2. A county official who was the subject of German’s reporting earlier this year is in jail without bond, charged with murder in German’s stabbing death.
To get the fund started, the Review-Journal has donated $5,000.
“We honor Jeff by telling the kinds of stories he would chase relentlessly,” Review-Journal Executive Editor Glenn Cook said. “We can think of no better tribute than ensuring that journalists with courage have the training they need to conduct important investigations and hold government accountable. This fund will pay Jeff's legacy forward for a long time to come.”
The IRE Board of Directors and staff have contributed $1,200.
“Jeff’s senseless death evoked a strong resolve from journalists across the country that we will not be intimidated,” said Diana Fuentes, IRE executive director. “This fund will help journalists follow in Jeff’s footsteps, holding those in elected office accountable to the people they serve.”
A veteran investigative reporter of 40 years, German was an early member of IRE, participating in training and networking. Colleagues said his first conference was in San Diego in 1981 and he was an active member at the time of his death.
IRE Board President Mark Walker encouraged fellow journalists to contribute to the new fund.
“We have had many IRE members who have asked how they can help and donating to this fund to honor Jeff German’s work is one of those ways,” Walker said. “It shows that we are undaunted in our pursuit of accountability journalism. It often takes a great deal of time, dogged persistence and a fearless drive to get the job done — that’s what Jeff had. We seek to honor his dedication to journalism and to ensure it continues to thrive.”
Donations can be made in several ways, including PayPal, credit card and text, at the IRE donation link: https://www.ire.org/donate/ Please write “Jeff German” in the message or tribute field.
The fund will help journalists get training in the latest investigative reporting skills as well as tried-and-true methods at IRE conferences and workshops. For information on training opportunities, go to the IRE events page.
IRE is a grassroots, nonprofit organization of more than 5,000 members from around the world, dedicated to improving the quality of investigative reporting and fostering ethics in journalism. IRE seeks to educate, empower and connect journalists so the people we serve can live in a better, more informed world. For more information, visit www.ire.org
Sisi Wei and Lam Thuy Vo — two respected journalists who advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion in news media — will join IRE’s second-annual DBEI Symposium in a joint keynote conversation.
Wei recently took on the role of Editor in Chief at The Markup, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates how powerful institutions are using technology to change society. Previously, Wei was co-executive director of OpenNews, a community of journalists working to build a more equitable future for journalism. As part of her work, Wei founded the DEI Coalition For Anti-Racist, Equitable, And Just Newsrooms in 2020, and led more than 100 members of the journalism community in co-creating and launching the DEI Coalition Slack space in March 2021.
Vo combines data analysis with on-the-ground reporting to examine how systems and policies affect individuals. She is currently a Soros Justice Fellow, a Type Investigations Ida B. Wells Fellow, a data-journalist-in-residence at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, and an IRE board member. She has also worked as an educator, scholar and public speaker for a decade, developing newsroom-wide training programs and workshops for journalists across the US, Asia, Latin America and Europe. Vo co-administers a Slack community for journalists of color and co-created a resource guide for journalists of color looking for career growth, salary data, demographics breakdowns of newsrooms and training opportunities.
“We are thrilled that Sisi and Lam are joining forces to address this year’s symposium attendees,” said IRE Executive Director Diana Fuentes. “Their dedication to making news and newsrooms more equitable and accessible is inspiring. Sisi and Lam’s leadership help us chart the path toward a more inclusive future for all of us.”
The DBEI Symposium on diversity, belonging, equity and inclusion, will be held online Oct. 20-21. The symposium will focus on helping journalists with newsroom diversity issues and with investigating inequality in their communities, from education and health care to housing and climate change. More information, including registration and the full schedule, can be found on IRE’s website.
Wei and Vo have impressive resumes spanning more than 20 years of journalism experience. Both are longtime supporters and speakers at IRE and NICAR conferences and events. They are recipients of major journalism awards and have appeared in many national and international news publications. IRE is honored to have these esteemed journalists participate in DBEI22. Their joint address will be held on Oct. 20 at 4:30 p.m. ET.
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Investigative Reporters & Editors condemns the senseless death of Las Vegas reporter Jeff German.
The continuing police investigation indicates German may have been killed in connection with his investigative journalism, work that is the very foundation of our democracy.
“Jeff’s death is a sobering reminder of the inherent risks of investigative journalism,” said Diana Fuentes, IRE’s executive director. “Journalists do their jobs every day, digging deep to find information the public needs to know and has a right to see.”
German, 69, an investigative reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, was found dead outside his home in Las Vegas the morning of Sept. 3. Police said he had been stabbed after an altercation the previous day.
On Wednesday, police arrested Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles on suspicion of murder, Sheriff Joe Lombardo said. Investigators executed a search warrant at Telles’ home and seized his vehicle.
Telles was the subject of numerous investigative reports by German, centering on allegations that he had fostered a hostile work environment and was involved in an inappropriate relationship with another employee. Telles denied the allegations and had recently posted comments on social media that criticized German’s work, accusing him of publishing “smear” reports. The county official lost his bid for reelection in June after German’s reports were published.
The Review-Journal said in a story Wednesday that German had recently filed requests for emails and text messages between Telles and others.
German, whose career as a columnist and a senior investigative reporter spanned more than three decades, broke stories on organized crime, politics, casinos and corruption for The Las Vegas Sun and then The Review-Journal. He joined The Review-Journal in 2010.
He was a current member of IRE and first joined the organization in 2001.
“Jeff’s death will no doubt have a chilling effect on some reporters and that is understandable, but it’s a loss for their communities,” Fuentes said. “Every citizen should be outraged by what happened to Jeff German and demand swift, crystal-clear justice. That’s the only way to ensure the spotlight of journalism stays lit for the benefit of the people.”
IRE’s Board of Directors urges all newsroom managers to have serious and frequent conversations with their reporters, producers and photographers who engage in this often-dangerous work, to remind them that their safety is paramount, to take all threats seriously and to report them immediately.
“IRE is shocked and dismayed at the brutal attack that took the life of the renowned reporter Jeff German,” said Mark Walker, President of IRE’s Board of Directors. “Our condolences go out to his family, loved ones and colleagues that reported alongside him throughout his career. Threats are not often carried out, but there’s always a chance someone will be angry enough to act. However, journalists everywhere won’t be intimidated by attacks.”
For many longtime IRE members, German’s death resurrected memories of Don Bolles, who died in 1976, after dynamite hidden under his car seat exploded. A veteran investigative reporter, he had been following a lead on a possible organized crime story.
Bolles’ death sparked the Arizona Project, during which a group of his IRE colleagues from news outlets across the country banded together to continue his work. Nearly two dozen stories were published as a result of that combined effort.
The last time a reporter was killed on U.S. soil in connection with their investigative reporting was in 2007, when Chauncey Bailey, the editor of the Oakland Post, was murdered while investigating corruption and criminal activities connected to Your Black Muslim Bakery.
IRE will provide coast-to-coast training opportunities for college educators and students as part of the IRE on Campus program now entering its third year.
Six colleges and universities that all serve a large percentage of historically excluded students, have been selected to receive free custom training — Saint Xavier University, San Francisco State University, Texas State University, Santa Ana College, The City College of New York and Saint Peter's University. Up to 25 students and 2 faculty/staff at each campus will receive free IRE memberships, which provide access to invaluable online resources.
IRE is proud to receive generous funding from Lumina Foundation which helped launch the campus initiative in 2019. The two components of the program align with IRE’s continued efforts to expand its diversity, belonging, equity and inclusion efforts:
“We’re excited to get back on the road and into classrooms across the country,” said Francisco Vara-Orta, IRE’s director of diversity and inclusion, who is leading the training initiative. “It’s more important than ever to give our future generations the skills and tools they need to hold those in power to account.”
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists inducted IRE Executive Director Diana Fuentes and three other journalists into the NAHJ Hall of Fame in a ceremony on Aug. 5, 2022, in Las Vegas.
The NAHJ Hall of Fame honors journalists who have served as pioneers and leaders in the journalism industry, mentored future generations of Latinx journalists and journalists of color in newsrooms nationwide, and changed how communities are represented in the mainstream media.
With more than 35 years of experience in journalism, Fuentes said she’s very fulfilled by her career, having covered major issues in the United States and Mexico, including illegal adoption rings on the border and undocumented migrants dealing with property sale scams.
“If people are suffering, you can report on the suffering and figure out why it’s happening,” she said, explaining the importance of the journalist in society. “We are reporting on the truth.”
Francisco Vara-Orta, a longtime mentee of Fuentes who currently serves as IRE Director of Diversity & Inclusion, said that her support was pivotal to him as a young Latinx, proudly Tejano journalist working at the Laredo Morning Times.
“She told me, ‘Francisco you have what it takes to go national someday,’” he said. “She was the first person in my life to say you have what it takes and you have something special.”
Since April 2021, Fuentes has served as the IRE’s executive director and is the first person of color and first woman to permanently hold this position. In this role, Fuentes oversees training in investigative and data analysis techniques and the development of conferences and programs like NICAR. She is also involved in efforts to improve the diversity of the organization and its leadership.
IRE member Rebecca Aguilar was also inducted into the NAHJ Hall of Fame this year. She is president of the Society of Professional Journalists, the first woman of color to hold that position since the organization’s founding in 1909.
Other 2022 inductees included Robert Hernandez, who teaches the practice of digital journalism through emerging technologies at USC Annenberg, and Steve Gonzales, a photojournalist for the Houston Chronicle who died in June 2022 and was honored posthumously.
This story was modified from one written by Anna Guaracao for Latino Reporter. For more details on each honoree, check out the original article: Meet the new NAHJ Hall of Fame inductees
Investigative Reporters and Editors is gearing up to start planning the 2023 NICAR Conference, held in Nashville March 2-5.
Use this form to share ideas, suggestions and other comments to help us plan the best possible conference. No suggestion is too big or too small. The form will be open through Sept. 30.
We’re also starting an email list so you can keep up with all the news about #NICAR23, including speakers, sessions, travel information, fellowship deadlines and more. Sign up here to receive those emails.
We’re excited to see everyone and be back in Nashville after 26 years! Please know that IRE takes the health and safety of all attendees, speakers, staff and others involved at our events seriously and follows the guidelines of the CDC. More information about health and safety guidelines will be posted closer to the event.
Your input helps ensure that we consider a broad spectrum of speakers and topics.
Here are a few ways you can use the ideas form:
Have several ideas? Great! Fill out the form as many times as you’d like. And help us spread the word by sharing this form with friends, colleagues, Slack channels, etc.
Keep in mind that IRE retains editorial control over the content of its conferences. If we use your idea, our team will be in touch to discuss details. Here are some other tips to help you make the best pitch and understand our process.
Please direct questions to conference@ire.org.
Get to know your friendly IRE Staff in our new series, Ask Us Anything! These informal Zoom chats will be a way for you to put names to faces, hear about some exciting things we’ve got going on, ask questions and learn more about the organization you belong to (or want to join)!
Join us on Zoom on Tuesday, August 16 from 1:45 to 2:45 pm CT. You’ll meet the IRE content team to learn about all the awesome programming we're planning, how you can help guide the content of our conferences and online events, and ways to get involved. We’ll be there to answer all the IRE-related questions you’ve ever wondered about.
The late Tom Torok, a pioneering data journalist whose sessions at NICAR and IRE conferences were among the most popular for years, will be one of the inaugural nominees inducted into the new IRE Ring of Honor next year.
A fundraising initiative that supports fellowships for investigative journalists, the Ring of Honor celebrates current and past IRE members who have made a significant contribution to the organization and to the field of investigative journalism.
Torok fills both requirements with ease.
He was a journalist for more than 40 years, working for seven newspapers, including The New York Times and the Philadelphia Inquirer. At The New York Times, he created and managed the paper’s data journalism team, which helped bring home eight Pulitzer Prizes during his 13-year tenure. Previously, he was a columnist and reporter for 18 years at the Philadelphia Inquirer, where he was part of four teams that were Pulitzer-Prize finalists.
"Tom represents the best in the IRE and NICAR spirit, not only excelling at his own work, but he tirelessly helped others, generously teaching and sharing with others."
Andy Lehren, NBC News
After he retired in 2013, he focused on teaching across the United States and internationally, especially working with Ukrainian journalists.
During his career, he developed innovative data analysis programs that he freely shared with journalists everywhere and was an enthusiastic teacher with a lively sense of humor to the end. He died March 6, 2022, after a brief illness.
Torok was nominated by Andy Lehren of NBC News.
"Tom represents the best in the IRE and NICAR spirit, not only excelling at his own work, but he tirelessly helped others, generously teaching and sharing with others," Lehren said in making the nomination.
After a member is nominated for the honor, the IRE Board of Directors reviews the nomination. If the nomination is approved, friends and family launch a fundraising campaign in the nominee's honor. A minimum of $2,500 in donations must be raised for a nominee to be inducted into the Ring of Honor.
Donors in support of Torok's nomination already have exceeded the minimum, but donations still are accepted.
The induction ceremony will take place at the awards luncheon at the IRE conference scheduled for June 22-25, 2023, in Orlando, Florida.
Tax-deductible donations to the Ring of Honor memorialize the legacy of these influential mentors and newsroom leaders while financially supporting the next generation of investigative journalists. Fellowships allow qualified recipients to access IRE benefits, such as attending conferences, participating in training and networking with other investigative journalists.
To nominate someone for the IRE Ring of Honor, fill out a short nomination form available under the "Donate" link on the IRE website.
For questions, send an email to Anna Lopez at anna@ire.org.
The late David Donald, an award-winning data editor and IRE training director, will be inducted into the new IRE Ring of Honor next year.
The Ring of Honor is a fundraising initiative that supports fellowships for investigative journalists. It celebrates current and past IRE members who have made significant contributions to the organization and to the field of investigative journalism.
"David could put anyone at ease and make them believe that, no matter how complicated something seemed, they could handle it."
Mark Horvit, former IRE executive director
Donald was known for his gentle wit and for imparting a sense of confidence about data journalism in his students and colleagues alike. He died in December 2016 after a yearlong battle with cancer. He was 64.
After his time with IRE as a trainer, Donald became a data editor at the Center for Public Integrity and later at the Investigative Reporting Workshop. He also worked as a research and project editor at the Savannah Morning News in Georgia. During his career, he was a data journalist in residence at American University's School of Communication and taught at Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism and at Savannah State University. He was known as an "evangelist" of computer-assisted reporting.
"David could put anyone at ease and make them believe that, no matter how complicated something seemed, they could handle it," said Mark Horvit, former IRE executive director.
Donald's nomination was presented by Jennifer LaFleur of the Center for Public Integrity, and was supported by a large group known as "Friends of D Squared."
After a member is nominated for the honor, the IRE Board of Directors reviews the nomination. If the nomination is approved, friends and family launch a fundraising campaign in the nominee's honor. A minimum of $2,500 in donations must be raised for a nominee to be inducted into the Ring of Honor.
Donors in support of Donald's nomination already have exceeded the minimum, but donations are still being accepted.
The induction ceremony will take place at the awards luncheon at the next IRE conference set for June 22-25, 2023 in Orlando, Florida.
Tax-deductible donations to the Ring of Honor memorialize the legacy of these influential mentors and newsroom leaders while financially supporting the next generation of investigative journalists. Fellowships allow qualified recipients to access IRE benefits, such as attending conferences, participating in training and networking with other investigative journalists.
To nominate someone for the IRE Ring of Honor, fill out a short nomination form available under the "Donate" link on the IRE website.
For questions, send an email to Anna Lopez at anna@ire.org.
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