Cassandra Jaramillo

As a ProPublica investigative reporter based in Texas, Jaramillo exposes how policy decisions impact vulnerable populations. Her work straddles:

  • Healthcare Access: Tracking maternal mortality under abortion bans
  • Voting Rights: Investigating groups undermining election integrity
  • Institutional Betrayal: Documenting legal systems failing protected classes

Pitching Priorities

  • Lead with Data: She requires documented patterns, not anecdotal claims
  • Geographic Focus: Texas, Georgia, and states modeling their policies
  • Avoid: Incremental policy updates without systemic implications
“Her reporting functions as both microscope and mirror—revealing institutional flaws while reflecting victims’ humanity.”

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More About Cassandra Jaramillo

Bio

From Local Crime to National Crises: A Reporting Odyssey

We trace Cassandra Jaramillo’s trajectory from her early days at The Dallas Morning News, where she honed her skills in police accountability reporting, to her current role as a ProPublica investigative journalist specializing in reproductive rights and democratic institutions. Her 2016 UT Austin journalism degree launched a career marked by:

  • 2016-2022: Exposing police misconduct patterns in Dallas, including a 2020 investigation into officers’ involvement in a pyramid scheme that led to departmental reforms
  • 2022-Present: Pivoting to national investigations at ProPublica, where her team’s work on abortion ban impacts has been cited in congressional hearings
“Her reporting doesn’t just document tragedies—it catalyzes change. When Jaramillo revealed how Texas’ abortion ban contributed to maternal deaths, 111 physicians signed an open letter demanding legislative revisions.”

Defining Investigations: Three Pillars of Impact

A Woman Died After Being Told It Would Be a “Crime” to Intervene in Her Miscarriage at a Texas Hospital

This 2023 investigation reconstructed 32 hours of Josseli Barnica’s fatal miscarriage through medical records and witness interviews. Jaramillo revealed how hospital lawyers’ interpretation of SB8 created care delays, prompting the Texas Medical Board to issue new guidance on emergency exceptions. The piece’s narrative structure—bookended by Barnica’s migration story from Honduras—humanized statistical debates about abortion mortality.

Georgia Dismissed All Members of Maternal Mortality Committee After ProPublica Obtained Internal Details of Two Deaths

Jaramillo’s 2024 exposé showed how Georgia dissolved its maternal mortality review board rather than address systemic failures in Amber Thurman’s death. By obtaining leaked autopsy reports and cross-referencing them with ER logs, she demonstrated how abortion ban confusion led to a 20-hour care delay. The fallout included a federal Senate inquiry into hospital compliance with EMTALA.

True the Vote Collected Millions Spreading ‘the Big Lie’ While Facing Scrutiny Over Missing Funds

During her 2022 stint at Reveal, Jaramillo traced how the Texas nonprofit diverted $2.5M in donor funds to personal ventures while lobbying for voting restrictions. Her FOIA-driven timeline connected group leaders’ film deals and real estate purchases to their “election integrity” campaigning, influencing FEC oversight changes.

Pitch Perfect: Aligning With Jaramillo’s Investigative Lens

1. Document the Paper Trail

Jaramillo prioritizes stories with actionable evidence—leaked memos, unredacted reports, or internal communications that reveal systemic failures. Her Georgia maternal mortality investigation began with a tip about shredded committee documents. Successful pitches should outline:

  • Specific FOIA-able materials
  • Whistleblower testimony with documentation

2. Intersectional Policy Impacts

She seeks stories where healthcare access, legal frameworks, and civil rights collide. The Texas miscarriage death piece connected immigration status (Barnica was undocumented) with medical hesitancy. Pitch angles might include:

  • Voter ID laws affecting Medicaid access
  • Hospital merger impacts on reproductive care deserts

3. Follow the Money

Her True the Vote investigation model shows appetite for financial forensics. Pitch political nonprofits, crisis pregnancy centers, or judicial campaigns with:

  • IRS 990 discrepancies
  • Contractual ties between policymakers and contractors

Awards and Accolades

Livingston Award Finalist (2023)

Recognized for her Reveal investigation into True the Vote’s finances, this honor spotlights journalists under 35 shaping national discourse. The judging panel noted her “forensic dismantling of disinformation economies.”

ProPublica Impact Prize (2024)

Her Texas abortion ban reporting contributed to ProPublica’s team award for “demonstrating the human consequences of judicial activism.” The series prompted 17 state legislators to propose medical exception clarifications.

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