Shawn Musgrave, the former Projects Editor at the government transparency news site MuckRock, is joining the New England Center for Investigative Reporting as its new Digital Producer and Reporter.
An experienced programmer and reporter, Shawn’s passion for journalism is grounded in the principles of the freedom of information and access to public records. His work has been featured on the front page of The Boston Globe, as well as in VICE and The Marshall Project. His reporting on the Boston Police Department’s use of license plate scanners resulted in the indefinite suspension of the program, and his investigation into the Pentagon’s weapons distribution program uncovered transfers of armored vehicles and tactical rifles to school districts and police departments across the country. Shawn is a graduate of Boston University and holds a certificate in computational journalism from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, where he focused on programming, computer-aided data analysis, statistics, and visualization.
"In his new position, Shawn will spearhead our digital efforts and help innovate the way we communicate our investigative reporting," NECIR Executive Director Joe Bergantino said.
Shawn will work closely with NECIR’s growing team of reporters, as well as its Investigations Editor and Audience Engagement Director. He’ll lead the conception and production of interactive elements including graphic design, multimedia editing, coding and database development.
“Shawn’s commitment to investigative reporting and his experience in digital storytelling fit perfectly with NECIR’s goals,” Bergantino said. “We welcome him to our organization and look forward to the impact this digital focus will have on our expanding body of innovative investigative journalism.”