Kiah Collier

I’m an award-winning journalist and editor based in Austin and a seventh-generation Texan. Since 2010, I’ve reported and edited for publications across my home state, including ProPublica, The Texas Tribune, the Houston Chronicle and the San Angelo Standard-Times.

I currently serve as accountability and investigations editor at the Austin American-Statesman, where I oversee both daily watchdog reporting and long-term investigative projects focused on local government, criminal justice and public institutions.

My work is driven by a belief that local journalism is one of the most powerful tools communities have to understand how decisions are made, how power operates and who bears the consequences. I’m particularly committed to accountability reporting that reveals systemic failures, elevates underrepresented voices and produces meaningful public impact.

As a reporter, my work has spurred the passage of state and federal laws, exposed harmful corporate practices and contributed to the resignation of a state district court judge. That reporting has received some of journalism’s highest honors, including a Peabody Award in 2017.

As an editor, I’ve led coverage that prompted the Austin City Council to overhaul discretionary spending policies and helped guide a series that received the Education Writers Association’s top national award in 2025, among other honors.

Accountabiliity + Investigations Editor, Austin American-Statesman (Current)

Metro Editor, Austin American-Statesman (2024-2026)

Personal sabbatical (2023-2024)

Investigative Reporter, ProPublica + The Texas Tribune (2020-2023)

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

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)

As editor:

Hearst Newspapers training champion (2026)

Fred M. Hechinger Grand Prize for Distinguished Education Reporting (EWA) 2025

First Place in Series/Project Category (Society of Features Journalism) 2025

Investigative Journalism (Finalist, NAHJ/UF, 2025) 

As reporter:

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)

Poynter Edit to Elevate (2026)

Hearst Newspapers leadership training (2025)

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)