Kiah Collier

about me

Welcome! I'm Kiah Collier, a Peabody Award-winning journalist based in Austin.

I’m a seventh-generation Texan and have dedicated my career to holding leaders here accountable, telling interesting stories and amplifying underrepresented voices. Since 2010, I've reported and edited for publications across the state including The Texas Tribune, the Austin American-Statesman and the Houston Chronicle. Most recently, I worked as an investigative reporter for ProPublica and The Texas Tribune.

I've reported from every major city in the state and from many of its quietest rural corners, seeking out diverse perspectives on issues of public interest. I've covered several major disasters from the ground, including a deadly fertilizer plant explosion and Hurricane Harvey.

Most of my reporting has revolved around state and local government and politics but I've also covered business and several official and unofficial sub-beats. Among them: energy and environment, K-12 education and state fiscal issues. At the Tribune, I also spent several years editing and mentoring young journalists while keeping up with my reporting duties.

I aim to provide readers with unique, in-depth and thought-provoking reporting that results in positive change. My work has spurred the passage of state and federal laws, the termination of harmful corporate practices and the resignation of a district court judge.

Check out some of my best work here.

The Specifics

My Experience

Freelance Writer (2023-Present)

Investigative Reporter, ProPublica/Texas Tribune (2020-2023)

Reporter + Associate Editor, The Texas Tribune (2015-2020)

Capitol Reporter, Austin American-Statesman (2014-2015)

County Reporter, Houston Chronicle (2013-2014)

Business Reporter, Houston Chronicle (2012-2013)

Stringer, Reuters America Service (2012)

Government Reporter + Columnist, San Angelo Standard-Times (2010-2012)

My Awards +Honors

Texas Managing Editors, Star Investigative Report 3A (2024)

Headliners Foundation, Charles E. Green Award (2024)

Investigative Reporters & Editors, Breaking News (2022)

Scripps Howard Foundation, Environmental Reporting (2022)

Society of Environmental Journalists, Best Investigation (2022)

SABEW, Innovation (2022, 2017)

Edward R. Murrow, Best Investigation (2022, 2017)

NIHCM, Data-Driven Storytelling (2022)

Gerald Loeb Award, Finalist, Consumer Reporting + Visual Storytelling (2022, 2021)

Goldsmith Prize, Finalist, Investigative Reporting (2022)

New America Weather Eye Award for Local Reporting (2018-2019)

SPJ D.C. Chapter Dateline Award (2019)

Pulitzer Center and New America grantee (2018)

AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award (2018)

Peabody Award, Innovation (2017)

Knight-Risser Prize for Western Environmental Journalism (2017)

Livingston Award for Young Journalists, Finalist (2017)

National Magazine Award, Finalist (2017)

Texas Managing Editors, Business Reporting 2A (2012)

My Training

Knight Center for Journalism in the America's, Investigative Reporting in the Digital Age (2020)

American Association for the Advancement of Science's SciLine bootcamp on political reporting (2019)

AAAS's SciLine bootcamp on the community impacts of oil and gas development (2019)

Ravitch Fiscal Reporting Program at CUNY (2018)

MIT Knight Science Journalism Program's

science editing workshop (2017, 2018)

Metcalf Institute's climate workshop (2015)

Investigative Reporters & Editors, private training (2015)

Various IRE and Society of Environmental Journalists conferences (2013-2023)

My Skills

Data reporting (I 🖤 Excel)

Public records

Collaborative projects

Source development

Business reporting

Line editing

Backgrounding + research

Time management

All things G-Suite

My Education

I graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with degrees in multimedia journalism and philosophy.