Multiplatform reporter
WHYY, Philadelphia
Age: 26
In three words: “Thorough, engaging, professional”
What colleagues say: Over the past four years that I’ve worked with Kenny, he has shown a steady growth in his reporting skills. His work, which focuses on local and suburban politics and public policy, has brought to light several instances of infractions by elected officials.
What Kenny says
Decision to work in public media: I graduated from Temple University in May 2020 — during the height of the pandemic. I had aspirations to work in TV journalism, but there was just one problem: Most of the news I consumed was public media. That summer I took part in the Politico Journalism Institute and then went on to work as a Hearken SOS fellow at the Pennsylvania Capital-Star.
I decided to apply for WHYY’s suburban reporter position. WHYY, PBS and NPR had always been staples in my household since I was a child. Growing up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, the position was an ideal job. I consider journalism an act of service — a public good to a certain extent, if done right. Working at my community’s public media station has afforded me the honor to carry out that mission.
Key accomplishments: Some of my biggest accomplishments are the lives I’ve been able to positively impact through accountability reporting, along with the acknowledgement I’ve received from the community. Since joining WHYY, I have won awards that I am pretty proud of. This spring, I won several regional Edward R. Murrow awards, for coverage reported as an individual and as part of a team; and the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association awarded me first-place awards for reporter/anchor, investigative reporting, enterprise reporting and podcast.
Inspired by: I find inspiration everywhere. From conversations with community members to the chatter within a Facebook group, I’m always searching for the next story to explore.
Advice for young public media professionals: No story is too small. Local journalism holds a vital role in the functionality of a given community. While school board meetings and town halls might seem insignificant, those stories often make the largest impact.
Advice for public media leaders: Truly invest in young journalists. If you want to attract newer and younger audiences, you must be willing to step outside the box and listen to your Gen-Z and Millennial staff members.
Profile photo: Markcus Lee