About Me
Kiah Collier is an award-winning investigative reporter known for her fearless pursuit of truth and justice. Born and raised in Texas, she has dedicated her career to uncovering corruption, abuses of power and other issues of public interest in the Lone Star State. Her reporting has spurred changes to state and federal laws, overhauls of federal environmental rules, the termination of harmful corporate practices and the resignation of a family court judge. Since graduating from the University of Texas at Austin's School of Journalism, she has reported for publications across the state including the Austin American-Statesman, the Houston Chronicle and The Texas Tribune. She currently works for the ProPublica/Texas Tribune Investigative Unit, which launched in 2020.
Experience + Education
- Reporter, ProPublica/Texas Tribune Investigative Unit (Current)
- Environment Reporter + Associate Editor, The Texas Tribune
- Statehouse Reporter, Austin American-Statesman
- County Government Reporter, Houston Chronicle
- Business Reporter, Houston Chronicle
- Stringer, Reuters America Service
- Statehouse and City Hall Reporter, San Angelo Standard-Times
Bachelor of Journalism
Bachelor of Arts, Philosophy
University of Texas at Austin
2005 – 2009
Awards + Achievements
- George Foster Peabody Award
- Gerald Loeb Award (Two-time finalist)
- Livingston Award for Young Journalists (Finalist)
- Knight-Risser Prize for Western Environmental Journalism
- National Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Investigation
- AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award
- Society of Professional Journalists D.C. Dateline Award
- Headliners Foundation Showcase (Two-time silver award winner)
- National Magazine Award (Finalist)
- Pulitzer Center and New America Foundation grantee
Recent work
A Former NFL Player Persuaded Politicians That His Child ID Kits Help Find Missing Kids. There’s No
At least 11 states have agreed to distribute fingerprinting kits sold by Kenny Hansmire’s National Child Identification Program. Some are spending millions even though similar kits are available for free. (May 2023)
The Texas Plant That Spews Cancer-Causing Pollution on Tens of Thousands of Schoolchildren
Nobody told Yaneli Ortiz’s family that the factory they lived near emitted ethylene oxide. Not when the EPA found it causes cancer. Not when she was diagnosed with leukemia. And not when Texas moved to allow polluters to emit more of the chemical. (December 2021)
The Loan Company That Sued Thousands of Low-Income Latinos During the Pandemic
A monthslong investigation revealed that Oportun Inc., which was founded to help Latino immigrants build credit, routinely uses lawsuits to intimidate a vulnerable population into keeping up with high-interest loan payments — even amid COVID-19. (August 2020)
'Captured by Coal'
Texas regulators have helped struggling coal companies avoid expensive land restoration costs by allowing them to do the bare minimum. The result: potentially thousands of acres across Texas are contaminated with toxic chemicals. (October 2019)
'Blowout'
How a new oil boom is transforming West Texas, sending U.S. oil around the world and threatening efforts to fight climate change. (Fall 2018)
'A Pass to Poison'
How the state of Texas allows industrial facilities to repeatedly spew unauthorized air pollution — with few consequences. (July 2017)
'Hell and High Water'
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the country. It's home to the nation's largest refining and petrochemical complex, where billions of gallons of oil and dangerous chemicals are stored. And it's a sitting duck for the next big hurricane. Learn why Texas isn't ready. (March 2016)
'The Taking'
Inside the federal government's haphazard, decade-long process of seizing private land for a border fence. (December 2017)
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