RNA Regional Gathering Brings Religion Journalists Together in the Pacific Northwest

The Religion News Association held its first regional gathering in the Pacific Northwest on February 28, 2026, at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, convening religion reporters, academics, and students for a day of conversation about the evolving landscape of religion journalism.

Julia Duin and Tracy Simmons | Credit: Hannah Fisher

Organized by RNA members Tracy Simmons and Julia Duin, the event drew 15 attendees for a half-day program exploring emerging challenges and opportunities on the religion beat.

Duin opened the event with an introduction to the Religion News Association before speakers shared insights from across the field.

Tracy Simmons | Credit: Hannah Fisher

Simmons, founder and Executive Director of FāVS News, discussed how she built a regional religion news outlet from the ground up. What began in Spokane in 2012 has grown into a religion news wire covering multiple states in the Pacific Northwest. Simmons described the entrepreneurial realities of sustaining independent religion journalism, including building community trust, hosting events, and developing new forms of audience engagement. Recent experiments with polls, video, and live features helped the outlet achieve a 79% increase in direct traffic and attract new readers.

Larry Pintak | Credit: Hannah Fisher

Larry Pintak, founding dean of Washington State University’s Murrow College of Communication and a veteran CBS correspondent, reflected on four decades of reporting from the Middle East. His talk explored how religion shapes international affairs and how cultural and religious misunderstandings can influence U.S. foreign policy decisions. Pintak also shared observations from his reporting on how Saudi and Emirati influence has reshaped religious practice in places like Indonesia.

LaRisa Anderson-Horne | Credit: Hannah Fisher

LaRisa Anderson-Horne of the University of Utah examined the growing importance of digital religion. Her presentation highlighted how faith communities and religious identities increasingly take shape online, from established congregations using digital platforms to internet-native religious movements such as Jediism and the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. These developments raise new questions for journalists about authenticity, community, and how religion functions in digital spaces.

Julia Duin | Credit: Hannah Fisher

Duin closed the program by discussing how religion reporting can be taught in journalism schools and how educators can attract students to the beat. Drawing on her experience teaching at institutions including the University of Maryland and the University of Alaska Fairbanks, she shared approaches for introducing students to covering diverse faith traditions, encouraging them to report beyond their comfort zones, and bringing religion literacy into journalism education.

The gathering concluded with informal networking among participants, continuing conversations about religion coverage and strengthening connections among journalists and scholars in the region.

Attendees | Credit: Hannah Fisher

Because most of RNA’s 300+ members are based east of the Rockies, the conference offered a rare opportunity to convene the Pacific Northwest’s religion reporters.

Larry Pintak | Credit: Hannah Fisher