Awards
2017: Texas Associated Press Managing Editors – Second Place, Features – “The ride they will never forget” (Houston Chronicle)
2016: National Association of Hispanic Journalists: Presidential Award of Impact
2016: National Association of Black Journalists – Salute to Excellence Finalist, News Series, Newspapers over 150,000 – “The Divide: Income inequality in America’s economically segregated big city” (Houston Chronicle)
2016: Texas Associated Press Managing Editors – Second Place, Features – “The Divide: Income inequality in America’s economically segregated big city” (Houston Chronicle)
2016: Texas Associated Press Managing Editors -Second Place, Team Effort – “The Million” (Houston Chronicle)
2015: Houston Press Club Lone Star Award: 1st Place News or Feature Story – Newspapers over 50k – “For Murder Victim’s Parents, An Agonizing Ordeal” (Houston Chronicle)
2014: Texas Interscholastic League Press Conference Adviser’s Challenge
1st and 3rd Place: Objective Writing
2013: Association for Women in Communications, Clarion Awards: Newspaper Feature Story – Daily circulation of under 500,000 – “Teachers bring school to ill children’s bedsides” (Houston Chronicle)
2013: Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference, Best American Narrative Writing Contest: Notable Narrative – “Young Houstonians go from Homeless to College” (Houston Chronicle)
2008: Texas Associated Press Managing Editors: Associated Press Writer of the Year
2008: Associated Press California-Nevada Newswriting: 1st Place: Investigative Reporting – “Justice by Geography” (Orange County Register)
2008: Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism: Runner-up: Single Story, 200,000-plus circulation – “Justice by Geography (Orange County Register)
2007: National Council on Crime and Delinquency: PASS Award – “Justice by Geography” (Orange County Register)
2002: Casey Journalism Center on Children and Families Fellowship
1998: Education Writers Association: 1st Place: Special Section – “Report Card on the Schools” (Philadelphia Inquirer)
1995: Society of Professional Journalists, New Jersey Chapter: 1st Place: Series – “Camden Unsolved Homicides” (Philadelphia Inquirer); 1st Place: Features – “In a Heartbeat” (Philadelphia Inquirer)
1994: Society of Professional Journalists, New Jersey Chapter: 2nd Place: Health & Science – “Battle Against Infant Mortality” (Philadelphia Inquirer)
1993: Society of Professional Journalists, New Jersey Chapter: 2nd Place: Business Reporting – “Migrant Farm Workers (Philadelphia Inquirer)
1993: Society of Professional Journalists, Philadelphia Chapter: 1st Place: Breaking News – “Lakeberg Babies” (Philadelphia Inquirer)
1992: Society of Professional Journalists, New Jersey Chapter: 3rd Place: Enterprise Reporting – “Twice Jailed, Twice Wrongly” (Philadelphia Inquirer)
1986: Texas Press Association: 1st Place: Newswriting, Small Newspapers (El Campo Leader-News)