This two-part, skills-focused workshop offers practical reporting tools journalists can use across beats. In the first segment, Joshua Eaton will cover public records strategies, FOIA requests, and investigative techniques for uncovering information and navigating resistance from institutions. In the second segment, Adam Rhodes will focus on source diversity, backgrounding, data use, and interview preparation, sharing concrete ways reporters can broaden sourcing and strengthen the depth and context of their reporting. Together, the sessions provide a hands-on toolkit for stronger, more informed journalism.

SPEAKERS

Joshua Eaton

Joshua Eaton is an investigative reporter at Hearst Connecticut Media Group, where his work helped lead to the first major update to the state’s freedom of information law in decades. Before joining Hearst, Joshua was on feature and investigations teams at NBC News, CQ Roll Call and ThinkProgress. His work has also appeared at ProPublica, The Washington Post, The Christian Science Monitor, Religion News Service, Sojourners, Tricycle: The Buddhist Review and elsewhere. Joshua has successfully sued the FBI and the CIA for public records under the Freedom of Information Act. He holds a master of divinity from Harvard Divinity School.

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Adam Rhodes

Adam Rhodes is an award winning Latine journalist whose work primarily focuses on queer people and the criminal legal system. Their recent work has examined anti-LGBTQ+ bias in dozens of death penalty cases, HIV criminalization laws around the country, anti-trans disinformation, and more. Their work has been published in outlets including Bolts, them.us, The Nation, and BuzzFeed News. Before joining IRE, they were a staff writer at the Chicago Reader. At IRE, they conduct training at IRE's three conferences, workshops, bootcamps and webinars. Adam also is managing editor of IRE's online publication, the IRE Journal.