Russ Choma is a reporter working for ''Mother Jones''. He was previously an investigative journalist for

OpenSecrets OpenSecrets is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that tracks and publishes data on campaign finance and lobbying, including a revolving door database which documents the individuals who have worked in both the public sector an ...

. His work has covered

climate and energy In the 21st century, the Earth's climate and its energy policy interact and their relationship is studied and governed by a variety of national and international institutions. The relationships between energy-resource depletion, climate change, ...

issues, transportation, and stimulus spending.

Education

After graduating from the

Wooster School Wooster School is a private, co-educational, college-preparatory school (grades 5 through 12) in Danbury, Connecticut. It is a member of the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools. Overview The Wooster School motto is ''Ex Quoque Potesta ...

, Choma attended

Muhlenberg College Muhlenberg College is a private liberal arts college in Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1848, Muhlenberg College is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and is named for Henry Muhlenberg, the German pat ...

, a private liberal arts school in

Allentown, Pennsylvania Allentown (Pennsylvania Dutch language, Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Allenschteddel'', ''Allenschtadt'', or ''Ellsdaun'') is a city in eastern Pennsylvania, United States. The county seat of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, Lehigh County, it is the List o ...

. While still a freshman, Choma started an independent online publication, ''The Muhlenberg Advocate''. The ''Advocate'', no longer in production, was an online

alternative Alternative or alternate may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Alternative (Kamen Rider), Alternative (''Kamen Rider''), a character in the Japanese TV series ''Kamen Rider Ryuki'' * Alternative comics, or independent comics are an altern ...

student news publication. He graduated in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in political science. Choma attended

American University The American University (AU or American) is a Private university, private University charter#Federal, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Its main campus spans 90-acres (36 ha) on Ward Circle, in the Spri ...

for a master's degree in print journalism and public relations. While in attendance, he was awarded a fellowship at the

Bureau of National Affairs Bloomberg Industry Group, Inc. (formerly known as Bloomberg BNA, The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc., and BNA) is an affiliate of Bloomberg L.P. and a source of legal, tax, regulatory, and business news and information for professionals. It is ...

, where he worked as a staff writer. In 2009, he was the winner of the

Neiman Foundation for Journalism The Nieman Foundation for Journalism is the primary journalism institution at Harvard University. History It was founded in February 1938 as the result of a $1.4 million bequest by Agnes Wahl Nieman, the widow of Lucius W. Nieman, founder of ' ...

's I.F. Stone Medal for Journalistic Independence, a student essay contest.

Writings

Russ Choma's investigative writings have been featured across the web on subjects ranging from financial reporting, environmental issues, congressional oversight, and healthcare. Choma's articles have been featured by ''Grist'', the Neiman Foundation,

, and other alternative news outlets. In 2009, Choma and the Investigative Reporting Workshop, a project of

's School of Communication, garnered attention with their series ''Blown Away''. In the initial article of this series, he claimed that a majority of the jobs created by President Obama's " green stimulus" had been sent overseas. These charges were covered by major news outlets, including '' ABC World News with Diane Sawyer''. The

American Wind Energy Association The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) was a Washington, D.C.–based national trade association formed in 1974, representing wind power project developers, equipment suppliers, service providers, parts manufacturers, utilities, researchers ...

contested Choma's claims.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Choma, Russ Living people Muhlenberg College alumni American investigative journalists American University School of Communication alumni Year of birth missing (living people)