Top of the Summits is a reporting project of 18 advanced-graduate-student reporters, as part of the Medill National Security Journalism Initiative. In written stories, graphic presentations and other media, the reporters explore the important issues facing the G-8 and NATO countries, both during the May 2012 summits and more broadly. In addition to the work being published on this web site, reporters are producing advance briefings, on-the-spot NATO-Summit coverage and analysis for a range of clients in the United States and Europe.
Our Reporters:
Preeti Upadhyaya, who is advanced business reporting concentration major at Medill, covers the EuroZone. A UC Davis graduate and a native of Los Angeles, Preeti will begin a three-month residency with MarketWatch in London this June.
Arthur Touchot, whose Medill concentration is urban affairs reporting, covers Afghanistan. A Northwestern University graduate and native of Paris, France, Arthur is also a documentary filmmaker, and has an eye towards positive narratives coming out of East Africa.
Kristin Keith is a Medill business reporter. A Northwestern University graduate in journalism, Kristin also works as the web and social media coordinator for the Ford Center at the Kellogg School of Management, and assists producers through her internship at NBC5 Chicago.
Yue Wang, whose Medill concentration is urban affairs reporting, covers environmental issues. A Beijing Foreign Studies graduate and native of Beijing, Yue wants to report on environmental problems in developing countries and is trying to go to Cape Town, South Africa.
Melissa Kandel, a business reporting student at Medill, is currently covering the civil disobedience and protests beat. Melissa hails from Lake Success, NY and received her B.A. in American studies from Columbia University in 2009.
Rachel Landen, whose Medill concentration is business reporting, covers international economics. A graduate of both East Carolina University and the University of North Carolina, Rachel previously worked as a tax accountant for Ernst & Young in Charlotte, NC.
Ali Durkin is in the public affairs reporting concentration at Medill and will be covering the NATO alliance and its evolution. Ali graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2011. She will spend her next quarter reporting on public policy in Washington D.C.
Blake Williams, a Medill student concentrating in public affairs reporting, covers cybersecurity and general alliance issues. Blake, an Ohio State University alumnus, will pursue a sports journalism career after his graduation in June.
Gloria Oh, whose Medill concentration is health and science reporting with a focus in broadcast, covers food and water security. A College of William and Mary graduate, Gloria will be working on a documentary and advanced health and science reporting in June.
Kyle Clapham, whose Medill concentration is business/economics reporting, covers ballistic missile defense. Kyle is a graduate of The Ohio State University and native of Marion, Ohio.
Rosa Lin has a Medill concentration in health and science reporting, with a focus on climate change, clean energy, and the medical sciences. Rosa grew up in the Texas countryside near Dallas and graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in biology.
Serena Dai covers cybersecurity and the military for the site. She’s a business reporting major with a passion for digital media and magazine writing. After graduation, the Knoxville-native will be an editorial fellow at TheAtlanticWire.com.
Kelly Gustafson is a broadcast concentration at Medill covering Afghanistan. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she studied journalism and Spanish. She is excited to be a producing intern this summer at KAKE-TV.
John Solymossy, whose Medill concentration is broadcast reporting, covers Alliances. A DePaul University graduate and native of Tower Lakes, Illinois, John is planning on reporting internationally this summer.
Kimberly Elsham specializes in multimedia business reporting and will spend three months at Bloomberg News this summer. Previously, she studied journalism at the University of Kansas and spent six years at the French Trade Commission in Chicago.
Elizabeth Bunn, whose Medill concentration is broadcast and business, covers the Eurozone economic crisis and Smart Defense. Elizabeth will finish her Medill career in Washington D.C. this summer, where she plans to cover politics and business.
Megan Taylor Morrison is a multimedia journalist who covers health, science and environmental and cultural conservation. Born and raised in Fresno, California, Megan now lives in Evanston, Ill. and will complete her Master’s in journalism at Northwestern University in June.
