Experience
Watchdog Writers Group — Research Assistant
- Assisted writer Caleb Gayle with historical property and socioeconomic research for two book projects on Black Western expansion and the creation of the racial wealth gap in South Carolina. One of which, Black Moses: A Saga of Ambition and the Fight for a Black State was longlisted for the National Book Award in Nonfiction.
Columbia Missourian — Assistant City Editor
- Managed daily editorial copy, coverage priorities and assignments for two to five reporters on each shift
- Collaborated with Higher Education and Health writers to enhance their storytelling skills, emphasizing clarity and distinctive voice
KBIA — Newscast Anchor
- Curated daily newscasts with regionally relevant stories for the station’s 70-mile listening area
- Delivered live broadcasts while swiftly adapting to breaking news and providing timely updates
Minnesota Star Tribune — News and Politics Intern
- Produced weekly in-depth, service-oriented coverage of education, politics and health
- Contributed to Advancing Democracy fellowship with a solutions-story on a faith-based partisanship initiative
- Captured diverse voter perspectives and statewide campaign strategy in the 2024 Presidential Election, attending rallies, election parties and more
Columbia Missourian — Social Justice Reporter
- Authored multi-award-winning feature on Missouri drag, following a local politician through competitive drag season
- Led breaking coverage on lawsuits and policies affecting marginalized communities in mid-Missouri
KBIA-FM — Health & Higher Education Reporter
- Won national Society of Professional Journalists 2023 Mark of Excellence award in Radio Reporting
- Led watchdog coverage on University of Missouri governing bodies
- Crafted authentic newsroom engagement strategy with community members experiencing homelessness
The Texas Tribune, Reynolds Journalism Institute — Product Fellow
- Directed months of user research for the Tribune’s newsletters, membership program and podcasts, captured in two skill-building pieces for RJI
- Developed insights and recommendations from hundreds of responses to surveys, 35+ interviews and testing data
The Maneater — Editor-in-Chief
- Piloted monthly print editions while editing daily digital content and facilitating workflow for 150+ staff members
- Spearheaded transition from print-focused outlet to an entirely digital student newsroom
- Launched and managed a weekly newsletter, with a subscriber base of 2,000+ and consistent open rate of 40%
The Maneater — Multimedia Editor
- Pitched and researched dynamic stories across visual and audio platforms
- Produced, edited and hosted weekly news roundup podcast, The Maneater Digest
- Managed team of eight multimedia reporters, coordinating staff assignments and facilitating multimedia workshops for newsroom staff members
Student Press Law Center — Co-Chair, Press Freedom Day
- Championed New Voices legislation and first amendment advocacy as public speaker and strategic organizer
- Facilitated live digital event examining the intersection of First Amendment rights and legal protections for marginalized communities
Cincinnati Magazine — Digital Media Intern
- Showcased local Cincinnati artists, entrepreneurs and innovators through digital and print stories
- Optimized and edited content for SEO, readability and accessibility on the WordPress site
Awards & Recognition
Best Feature Story, 2025 Missouri Press Association Better Newspaper Contest
February 2025
Top 20, 12th Place, 2024-2025 Hearst Personality/Profile Writing Competition
April 2025
Top 20, 11th Place, 2024-2025 Hearst Audio News/Features Competition
February 2025
2024-2025 Aubespin Scholar ACES Society for Editing
January 2025
First place, 2023 National SPJ Mark of Excellence Awards Radio Reporting
Education & Training
University of Missouri — May 2025
- Magna Cum Laude, Bachelor of Journalism, reporting and writing emphasis
- Magna Cum Laude, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, minor in peace studies, certificate in American constitutional democracy and multicultural studies
- Queer Media Association President (2024-2025), Journalism School Ambassador (Spring 2022 – 2025)
Missouri School of Journalism —
Investigative Reporting, Computer Assisted Reporting, AI in Journalism, Fundamentals of Data Reporting,
- Training in open records requests, data analysis, Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, SQL, and evaluating data sets critically
- Training in artificial intelligence, its technology, limits and opportunities for newsroom implementation
News Product Alliance — Design & Product-Thinking
- Two-day workshop on News Product fundamentals and methodologies
- Hands-on training in product thinking, user research and project management
Truman School of Government & Public Affairs — Academic Research
- Training in experimental design, measurement, hypothesis formulation and testing in systemic political research
- Authored research papers on the strategies of modern civil rights movements, and the effect of climate change on human rights protections for indigenous communities
Anna Colletto 