I’m a Medill School of Journalism graduate working at the Center for American Progress in Washington, D.C. As the Center’s journalism network associate, I oversee a program to fund and train a network of 50 alternative student media organizations on college campuses. I also plan conferences and travel around the country to train college journalism staffs. I came to Washington in November 2008 from Harrisburg, Pa., where I worked as a political reporter for a variety of newspapers, including the Philadelphia Inquirer and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and a web site and wire service, Capitolwire.com. Before graduation I was named one of the top 100 college journalists in the country by UWire, then a division of CBS.

I am passionate about the need for quality journalism in a rapidly changing media environment. Thomas Jefferson said that information is the currency of democracy, and I agree.

Feel free to email (dspett [at] gmail) or follow me on Twitter. Thanks for visiting!