Reporter / California Local News Fellow

[email protected]
831-219-8314

Before I became a journalist, I researched aquatic ecology in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Now, I’m bringing that same curiosity and data-driven ethos to report on Santa Cruz County’s most complex issues, including climate change, housing insecurity and public health. As a reporter with Santa Cruz Local, I write stories that explain local issues, explore possible solutions and empower community members to get involved.

I’m part of the inaugural cohort of the California Local News Fellowship at the UC Berkeley School of Journalism. I graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a master’s degree in science communication in 2020. My work has been published in Mercury News, Hakai, Audubon Magazine and other outlets. 

I live in Santa Cruz with my partner, dog and cat.

Have a question you’d like me to answer? Reach me at [email protected].

Recent stories by Jesse Kathan

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